SUMMER’S SHOE MVP: THE CITY SANDAL

I don’t think there’s any question that the most valuable player in summer footwear is the city sandal, at least for day time wear. If you like heels, comfort and style, the city sandal is your answer. I wear a block heel almost every day in the summer to wear with florals, printed and bright summer outfits. I also like that a block heel makes your outfit look more urban and wearable. It helps balance out ultra feminine outfits like flowy dresses and skirts, which I wear a lot of, and prevents the look from getting too girly.

The good and bad news is there’s a sea of options to choose from. I’ve waded through a ton of them and am sharing my top 5 favorite city sandals.  Two things they all have in common is that they’re super comfortable and affordable. I also picked neutral pairs that will go with almost any color scheme and work with both warm and cool tones. My favorite neutral colors this season are camel, burgundy, and pale pink. With these three colors I can style any outfit and avoid black and white if I want to.

Here are my 5 favorites right now, not listed in any particular order:

Sam Edelman Trina Sandals

This is one of my favorites and not just because it has my name haha. I love this brand in general and this sandal is so perfect with its soft leather and luggage color that elevates any look. The low heel is amazing for running around town.

Badgley Mischka Clove Sandals

With its rhinestone band and low heel this pair is just as perfect for a beach wedding as it is for brunch, meetings or date night. It adds instant glam to dresses, skirts and shorts. I plan to wear it for an inside/outside July wedding I’m invited to where there may or may not be sandy surfaces involved – the invitation wasn’t clear! You don’t want to be caught in stilettos in sand so this shoe will be perfect.

Steve Madden Rizzaa Sandal

This is a great lace-up with wider straps which I think looks a little softer and is more manageable to tie than a thinner shoe-lace style. This one has a low heel too which is nice because I find Steve Madden with a higher heel to be notoriously uncomfortable on the ball of the feet. The color is so pretty – a very warm camel.

M. Gemi Attorno in Taupe 

This is a strappy vachetta leather sandal that’s perfect for day wear. M. Gemi is a brand (headquartered in our very own Boston which I thought was cool). The brand has garnered major street cred from bloggers for it’s Italian-made shoes sold at about a third of the price of other brands made in Italy. They also release a new shoe every Monday – these guys are working hard, pretty awesome.  I love the simple elegant design of this one.

Sole Society Linny Sandal

This one has the highest heel of all 5 pairs. It measures 3″ tall but it really feels more like 2″ and is incredibly walkable. It’s very light-weight which adds to its walkability. And in addition to two solid neutral color options, it also comes in a black and white striped front band. This striped option is a nice one to have in your closet when you want to add interest to your outfit whether you’re wearing solids or prints.

If you’re interested in a darker higher-heeled block sandal I love this one styled here for a work outfit. I also love wedges for summer style and will be posting my favorite wedges soon.

Do you have a pair of city sandals you love? I would love to hear your faves!