Toe Ring Sandals Are the Unexpected Summer Shoe That's About to Be Everywhere
When it comes to certain fashion trends, it can feel like a slow burn: For a while, they’ll exist on the periphery of what’s considered “realistic” or “wearable”—their existence is acknowledged, but it’s rarely implemented into one’s wardrobe. That’s how I felt about Matrix-esque patent; ditto for Birkenstock-esque sandals, when Phoebe Philo first made the case for them at Céline back in spring 2013. If I wait long enough, though, the aspects of the item that feel unpalatable to me—that, though runway-approved, would be hard to explain to my relatives—start to fade away. And before I know it, I’ll spend hours searching for the right one to buy myself, a good two seasons late. (Though, usually, by this point, there are plenty of affordable distillations of it everywhere.)
This is a very long-winded explanation for why I may spend my summer in toe-loop sandals. Yes, I mean those shoes that have some sort of ring detail around the big toe. And yes, I’m serious.
I mentioned this in a pitch meeting, and was met with a not-unexpected dose of skepticism—a mix of furrowed brows and, ‘… really?’’s from colleagues. I explained how I kept seeing them on Instagram, which led me to believe they would soon become A Thing. Sure, they already have a runway precedent—Philo’s Céline, Alexander Wang, and Tibi had already endorsed the trend in past collections. But having the endorsement of well-dressed bloggers and editors , as well as a proliferation of options courtesy of indie labels, meant it was gaining popular support. Plus, not too long ago, we were unsure about whether things like corset tops and PVC clothing would catch on… and, well, look at how far we’ve come.
Humor me, reader, as I embark on this quest to convince my co-workers (and, okay, maybe even myself) that I’m not totally off on this prediction. See the 20 toe-loop sandals ahead for further proof that these shoes will be all over your feed in a few week’s time.
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