As the sun breaks through the clouds, it’s time to swap your cold weather footwear for feet-exposing alternatives.
After what can only be described as our sartorial hibernation, set your trotters free with our annual summer sandals haul. Remove your tootsies from the confines of boots or trainers that kept them covered up for too long with this season’s latest trends that fall into two very opposing camps.
Strappy sandals show the 90s revival is still alive and thriving with sophisticated designs and heels of the block nature to suit all manner of summer soirees, from the return of nuptials to pub garden parties.
On the other hand, the chunky sandal is bigger, better and chunkier than ever with flatform silhouettes still ruling the roost. What they lack the daintiness of the delicate pieces mentioned above, they make up for in the comfort stakes with all the padding you need for all-day wear. Both offer the possibility to add some height if desired.
There are classic black and muted palettes to suit events both smart and casual as well as fetching patterns like leopard prints or even a hint of neon to bring a striking element to a minimalistic ensembles.
Whether you are looking for something smart and tailored for your office wardrobe, holiday-worthy to invest in for foreign travel or something staycation-ready, we have gathered the best sandals for summer 2022.
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Arizona Love Trekky leopard-print gauze-trimmed canvas sandals
A few years ago, the ‘Dad’ sandal was all the rage and this option from Arizona Love shows the elegant elevation of this idea. It retains the sport silhouette but adds a striking leopard look. Fashion and function combined, the sole is crafted from a comfortable foam with velcro fastenings for ease.
Buy now £115.00, Net-A-Porter
Reformation Eva Knotted Sandal
These sandals from Reformation have a vintage feel with an elegant gold hue and a block heel that makes them ideal for smart and casual occasions alike. They are also available in silver, black or almond (an off-white shade).
Buy now £248.00, Reformation
Birkenstock Arizona Soft Footbed Natural Leather
Birkenstocks are ever the divisive footwear but the reason they have stood the test of time is due to their hugely comfortable construction that means you can wear them day to night with ease. In this silver metallic hue, they are too good to resist.
Buy now £85.00, Birkenstock
The Row Ginza leather and suede platform flip flops
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s The Row is beloved for its elevated basics and the Ginza leather sandals are at the heart of this. The silhouette is a favourite among the fashion set and if they don’t already own a pair (or even if they do), they will be sure to update their footwear collection with this season’s leather and suede take on the original.
Buy now £800.00, Net-A-Porter
Russell & Bromley Dallas Knot Mule Sandal
The Row’s Ginza sandal is replicated across the high street (with some of our favourites dupes available at Free People, Topshop, and & Other Stories) but Russell & Bromley makes one of the most convincing cases for purchase with this knotted variation. It is crafted from nappa leather with a padded upper and cushioned flatform and comes in white, black and leopard print.
Buy now £175.00, Russell & Bromley
Dr Martens Clarissa II Quad Platform Sandals
While Dr Martens take a few wears to break in, once you do, they will be some of the most comfortable shoes you’ll own. Built to last, they have a hard-weaing pebbled leather design. For a contemporary take on the gladiator shoe, the Clarissa II Quad is on hand.
Buy now £129.00, Dr Martens
Cos Strappy Leather Platform Sandals
These sandals wouldn’t look out of place paired with a toga in Ancient Rome but also down the pub on a Saturday night - how many clothing items can you say that about? They have a strappy construction and a heeled flatform. They are crafted from leather but have been tanned using a more environmentally friendly chrome-free process.
Buy now £99.00, Cos
Loewe Nail-polish heel leather sandals
The long-awaited arrival of Loewe’s SS22 footwear is here so add to basket before its too late. During the label’s runway shoe, models wore broken eggs, roses and nail polishes in the place of traditional heels as shown in this sandal. The upper is relatively minimal with just two strap details and in hues of white or black.
Buy now £825.00, Matches Fashion
Vagabond Shoemaker Courtney Slides 2
The 90s called and signaled the return of these nostalgic flatforms. They retain all the chunkiness that you remember from your childhood with a stacked sole - offering a welcomed inch or two in height.
Buy now £80.00, Office
Isabel Marant Orene padded leather flatform sandals
These striking sandals from Isabel Marant will leave Compeed out of your summer arrangements. They are comfort all over, from the padded sole to the cushioned straps. The shoes come in blue or black.
Buy now £395.00, MatchesFashion
Porte & Paire Woven leather sandals
Inject colour into your footwear collection with these sandals from Porte & Paire. The shoes have a strappy contruction from the cage-like upper to the up-the-leg ties but they come in playful pops of neon and pastel hues.
Buy now £250.00, Net-A-Porter
Essēn The Chunky Black Slide
Hot weather + walking around in sandals all day = pretty achy feet. Stay cool in more ways than one thanks to these genius sandals from EssÄn which offer incredible levels of comfort thanks to the memory foam padding on the sole. The slide-ons cushion your feet while the Italian leather exterior and gold-coloured hardware take care of the aesthetics. As they’re all-black, they’ll pair beautifully with everything from day dresses to palazzo pants. Sandals to live your best summer life in.
Buy now £197.00, Essēn
