Pedis at the ready, people—sandal season is knocking on our wardrobe doors, and my, are we ready to embrace it. After months of hiding our feet underneath layers of woolly socks and leather boots, it's almost warm enough to let them breathe again in a pair of flesh-exposing sandals. This is serendipitous timing seeing as the season's hottest pairs have just begun to land. Influencers, who always tend to be a few weeks ahead of the rest of us in terms of their wardrobes shifts—the 'gram waits for no content creator, after all—have already started wearing their sandals on the regular. In doing so, they've effectively highlighted the most covetable pairs.
It’s my job to filter out the best bits in fashion for you, so I took it upon myself to whittle down the top sandal trends for 2022, seeking out the very best styles—those informed by the runways that are now taking over social media. Whether it be a classic slider or a throwback silhouette like platform mules, I'm predicting that the following 10 overarching sandal trends will dominate 2022's warmer months. To see and shop each trend, keep scrolling.
1. FISHERMAN
Style Notes: Fisherman sandals are first on the list here because they're easily the most prevalent on the fashion scene right now. They're comfy, cool, and will keep your feet in place no matter how many steps you rack up. These are the sandals I plan on wearing for my commute and city breaks this summer.
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2. WEDGE
Style Notes: While some sandal trends come back with annual reliability, one we haven’t seen for a few seasons is the wedge; most notably, the mule wedge.
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3. FLATFORM
Style Notes: Flat sandals with stacked soles have been trending for a while on the sandal scene, but this season, it’s all about minimal silhouettes and sandals with a wide strap that covers your toes—how ’90s.
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4. VINYL
Style Notes: My contact at Zara revealed that vinyl is one of its biggest shoe sellers for 2022, so it’s little wonder that clear, PVC-strap sandals keep cropping up on my IG feed.
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5. PLATFORM MULE
Style Notes: We’ve been talking about the platform’s comeback for months now, and while it comes in many guises, for summer, retro mules with sculptural heels are going to dictate the platform-sandal agenda.
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6. TAN SLIDE
Style Notes: Okay, so they don’t feel particularly "trendy,” especially when you compare them to some of their contemporaries on this list, but there’s no getting away from the fact that simple tan leather sliders will be everywhere this summer. If you’ve already invested in a premium pair, rest assured it was a wise investment at that.
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7. ANKLE-TIE
Style Notes: Is there anything sexier than a strappy sandal? Well, yes, when you add an ankle tie into the mix. Sandals with lengths to loop and knot around your ankle or leg will look just as good worn with cropped jeans as they will with a wedding guest dress.
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8. LOGO CONFETTI
Style Notes: Logos and monogramming were huge trends on the S/S 22 runways, so it’s unsurprising that the look has migrated south to decorate our shoes, too.
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9. KITTEN HEEL
Style Notes: I used to love heels, but thanks to lockdown, I just can’t hack anything with a stiletto more than 10 centimetres or unstacked soles. Instead, I am reaching for ’90s kitten heels, and it looks like a whole host of other fashion people are too.
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10. FLAT CLOG
Style Notes: If 2022 could be defined by one sandal, nay, one shoe style, it would be closed-toe, mule-backed Birkenstocks, otherwise known as the Boston. The takeaway? Flat clogs are very much in. Look for suede iterations in neutral colourways for maximum versatility.
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Next Up, Spring/Summer 2022 Trends: The Only 17 Looks You Need to Know About
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