Elevated Flip-Flops Are the Shoes of the Summer

These days, controversial trends are a dime a dozen. We see them so often that we don’t even blink an eye anymore at items that were once eye-widening (ahem, sheer skirts, capri pants, Bermuda shorts, to name a few), and the same is true for the latest shoe trend that’s emerging: flip-flops. The previously “boring,” even downright unstylish sandals are undergoing a major renaissance this season, and they’re poised to become one of the most-worn trends by the summer’s end.

Make no mistake, though. These are far from the rubber thong sandals you might be thinking of. Instead, the current pairs feature luxe materials like leather, suede, satin, and velvet and come in sleek, logo-less silhouettes. They also largely feature more substantial shapes so they’re not as flimsy as those rubber pairs you wore to the beach as a kid. The style set is also wearing them in inventive new ways, styling them alongside chic outfits where flip-flops would normally seem out of place, like with A-line dresses, tailored trousers, and billowy maxi skirts. This kind of styling has the effect of making the humble thongs a cool, of-the-moment pick—it’s precisely because they don’t quite “work” that they actually do work, if you know what I mean.

The standout pairs defining this new flip-flop wave include The Row’s leather-finished City Sandals, Chanel’s velvet and shimmery pairs, and Toteme’s croc-embossed version. Once boring, now ultra elevated, simple thong sandals unquestionably are having a moment, and we’ve sourced the best buys on the market. Just ahead, peruse all the elevated pairs on offer and get inspiration for how to style them.

You may know The Row’s platformed Ginza sandals as the reigning It thongs of the past several years, but designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen debuted a new flip-flop silhouette that’s even simpler and sleeker. The City sandals, as seen in the S/S 23 collection, feature a thinner but still substantial sole that, as the name suggests, is ideal for city life.