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It’s around this time of the year that I start itching for spring and summer fashion. It’s still cold (especially in the mornings) here in North Carolina– and there’s a good chance we’ll get another cold snap before true spring sets in–but by early March, I’ve almost always traded my booties for sandals. If my toes are slightly chilly in the morning, that’s a price I’m willing to pay.
Each spring, I like to go through my closet and purge anything I’m not excited about to make room for some new finds. It was time to retire a few pairs of sandals that I’d worn for years, so I’m currently shopping for a few new shoe additions to my closet. Today, I’m sharing my favorite neutral spring and summer sandals– some that I bought last year and still love and a few new pairs. All the options in this post are versatile enough to work with shorts, jeans or dresses.
My advice for sandal shopping boils down to three things:
- A new pair needs to go with most things I already have in my wardrobe.
- It needs to be a timeless style if pricey and more affordable if trendier.
- Sandals have to be comfortable.
Okay, let’s get into this year’s options.
The Best Summer Sandals (that are neutral & versatile)
Best Slide Sandal: Ancient Greek Sandals Desmos Footbed
Ancient Greek Sandals is a brand that I’ve loved for years. I’ve had a handful of different styles, and they’re consistently the most comfortable, well-made sandals in my lineup. Yes, they are very expensive, but the price per wear on these totally justifies them in my book. (And as a 40-year-old mom, supportive shoes are essential for preventing joint pain).
My favorite pair this season is the Desmos Footbed. I love slide-style sandals because they’re so easy to slip on and run out the door. The two interlocking straps give this shoe interesting detail, and I also really like the mix of leather and canvas for something a little different than what’s already in my closet. The Footbed sole is the most comfortable and contoured of the AGS soles.
Most Comfortable Sandal: Ann Mashburn Woven Criss-Cross Slide
I’ve been loving these Ann Mashburn cushioned slides– they are so chic and make me want to book a trip to Europe. They are the best choice if you’re going to be on your feet all day (and also the perfect sandal for pregnancy). Easy to slip on and keep on! The criss-cross Italian leather and braided raffia detailing are gorgeous too.
Best Minimalist Sandal: TKEES Gemma Sandal
If you’re someone who likes a very minimalistic sandal, the Gemma style from TKEES is a great option. I love that you can buy a color that matches your skin tone to flatter your feet. It’s surprising how much more feminine your feet look when sandals are in a similar skin tone to yours! These aren’t supportive, so they aren’t ideal for all-day wear, but I love throwing them on when I’m running errands or meeting a friend for lunch. And the price is great too– under $60. The fit is TTS!
Best Flatform Sandal: Steve Madden Mona
My most-worn pair of sandals from last summer were the Mona Platforms by Steve Madden. I love the tan leather color (which can be hard to track down), but I also saw a woman at church last week wearing the bone color, which was really cute! They’re comfortable all day, which is key for a busy mom, and I love that they have chic gold details to elevate the otherwise playful style. I wear a 6.5 in these, and they fit perfectly. I love them with shorts! Extra points for how easy these are to slip on (the straps are velcro).
If you want something with a bit of extra height, these come in a Bigmona Natural Raffia style that would be perfect.
Best Flip Flops: TKEES Lily Flip Flops
I’m including another pair of TKEES because they make my favorite flip flops. I bought the TKEE Lily flip flops two years ago and I took them on our trip to Dominica. I wore them almost everyday that we were there! Heads up: they are VERY flat. Like no support–zero. So keep that in mind!
I treat these as my pool or beach flip flops, but I don’t wear them much throughout the day other than that since I simply don’t love flip-flops as an everyday option. (And I really don’t love the word thongs when it refers to shoes, ha!) But whatever you call them, these are high-quality enough that you absolutely can wear them with your daily outfits if you like the flip flop style, which is why I’m still including them in the round-up.
Best Strappy Flat Sandal: Margaux Wrap Sandal
The Margaux Wrap Sandal is at the tippy top of my wishlist. I got a pair of booties from Margaux this winter and absolutely loved them, so I feel certain that their sandals are just as good. Wrap sandals can be hard to wear since the straps have to be tied just right in order to feel comfortable and secure (and they take a minute or two to put on), but I love how they look with dresses.
Best Feminine Sandal: Loeffler Randall Hadley Leather Bow Flat Sandals
I fell in love with bows this past winter, and I’m so excited to have this pair of LR Hadley Bow Sandals to wear into spring and summer. I ordered them last week, and they arrived yesterday–just as cute as I had hoped! I have a couple of pairs of Loeffler Randall shoes, and I always tell my friends that if they’re going to splurge on any brand of shoes, they should get LR. Even their heeled platform shoes are comfortable to wear for hours on end, and that’s saying something. While the Hadley style doesn’t have a ton of support, it’s comfortable, well-made, and adorable on my foot. I think it’s fun to have a girly, more feminine sandal in my closet when I want to dress up my outfit without wearing heels. These are the perfect pair. They do run just a tad small.
I also ordered a look-for-less from Amazon, and I have to say, they are very impressive. They look identical, but since they aren’t real leather, they’re slightly more comfortable (since real leather is stiff until you break it in). They’re a great budget option. I did a roundup of all the best Loeffler Randall dupes in this post!
I included these sandals as a good option to wear to a casual baby shower in this post.
Best Platform Heeled Sandal: Larroude Dolly Verona Sandal
These Dolly Verona Sandals are actually pre-order only, but they are SO fun I had to include them (and they’ll ship the first week of April). I love having a chunky platform sandal to wear with dresses when I’m heading to dinner or church (and I pair them with straight-leg jeans to dress them down). The Dolly Verona Heel looks like the perfect option for this year since my favorite Sam Edelman pair from last year is totally sold out. Larroude makes extremely high-quality shoes, and I know that these will be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. These come in a handful of colors – and they’re 30% off with preorder!
I’m 5’1″, so the extra height is never “too much” for me, but they do give you quite a boost, so keep that in mind if you’re taller.
If you love this look but want something a little less expensive, this Sam Edelman Bleached Beechwood Jullian Platform Heel is a fantastic pick.
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