The temperature slowly rises again to the point where your AC technician becomes a recurring character in your life, coffee runs start losing ground to homemade lemonade, and your bikinis migrate four drawers higher than where they started. Heeled sandals reclaim the top of the shoe rack, slides, as always, insist on being heard at all times, and every possible variation of barely-there footwear suddenly becomes acceptable in broad daylight. We, of course, have our favorites.
Nothing says summer quite like Havaianas flip-flops. They’ve always been a warm-weather staple, but this season the fashion crowd seems particularly fond of them, Isabel Marant included. There are plenty of options out there, but the slim square style is our pick. Square toes rarely disappoint. The same applies to flat slides. Mine come with a structured, grid-style woven upper that I like to think makes them feel slightly more considered than the average throw-on sandal. Point is, experiment with design. Of course, not every day calls for a flat. Platform Crocs clogs, and platform Crocs only, are having a moment. Then there are the days when the thought of wearing a heel feels deeply offensive, but looking like you’re wearing one doesn’t. That’s where flat backless pumps come in. Paired even with jeans, they create the illusion of effort, height, and commitment, without much of either.
Sitting comfortably in the middle are kitten heels. We like them best as thong sandals, jelly styles, or soft suede mules with wrapped uppers, the kind that can’t quite decide whether they’re sandals or proper shoes. Hybrids have always had a soft spot in our hearts, and that very much includes sneaker heels. Wedges and transparency (never in a PVC way) stay strong this season, with thong boots, a knee-high boot with flip-flop tendencies, not far behind. For a similar effect, a gladiator sandal can deliver all the drama of a boot, even when completely flat. And for the lace-up girls, snake-like and wrap-around heels remain one of summer’s most persuasive arguments.
