The T-Bar Sandals Trend Was Overlooked for So Long—Now It’s Everywhere

I’m going on holiday in less than two weeks and to say I’m excited would be a massive understatement. I started packing last month (by packing I mean piling my clothes up into my suitcase but still) and have been ordering and trying on swimwear for the past two months determined to find the perfect cossie. All for a four-day trip. One of my biggest priorities, however, has been breaking in my sandals once again.

After months of wearing trainers and ballet flats, slipping my feet back into a pair of sandals was an eye-opening experience. Parts of my foot were rubbed in ways they haven’t been rubbed since last September and, as a consequence I wound up with a tonne of blisters that needed soothing. The main culprit being slider sandals, which, owing to their open back and next to no support, tend to cause the most friction. Of course, this is the style I seem to have bought into most.

With panic beginning to settle in and the prospect of hobbling around for a few days being very unappealing, I ordered a brand-new pair of sandals. A risk, I know, but I knew I needed some with more support. So, I bought a pair of T-bar sandals—a style I haven’t considered in a long while—and, what do you know, they were a success.

Featuring a strap that goes from the toe all the way up to the ankle across the top of your foot and fixed in place with an ankle strap, T-bar sandals have long been heralded as a practical and comfortable footwear solution for summer, offering more support than other silhouettes. What I would say is that they haven’t always been that popular, falling out of favour to other sandals trends (case in point, sliders and thongs). However, that’s all began to change. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen so many fashion people wearing the T-bar sandals trend. So much so, there’s no way it can be a coincidence.

From minimal flats to braided-leather heels, there’s something undeniably chic about this sandal shape. Trying mine on with shorts and dresses, I found the vertically positioned strap actually elongated my legs, which my 5’ 3” welcomes. The market is filled with T-bar sandals, too, with chic pairs cropping up on the high street and designer shopping circuits, in a variety of colours, fabrics and heel heights. My favourite has to be Reformation’s barely-there pair, but Sézane’s white heels have also caught my eye as a great evening and wedding guest shoe option.