How to Style Sandals: The Summer Sandal Edit
Let’s be honest, sandals do the heavy lifting all summer. They go to work, they go on holiday, they get worn to the garden party and then to the pub afterwards, and they manage all of it with nothing between the leather and your feet.
So when the new ones land, we get a little bit excited.
We’ve been making leather footwear since 1975, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned in that time, it’s that the right sandal changes everything. Same linen dress, different sandal, completely different outfit. Here are the ten new styles we keep reaching for, and exactly how we’d wear each one.
How to Style Flat Sandals: Jina
Flats have grown up. The secret is texture: a woven leather upper looks handmade and considered in a way a plain strap just doesn’t, and suddenly your flat sandal is doing far more than beach duty.
Faylia is a slip-on woven mule in silver metallic leather, and it’s light as anything. Wear it with wide-leg linen trousers and a crisp white shirt, and let the metallic do the job of your jewellery. You genuinely don’t need anything else.
Jina is the woven slider, in lime green or dark orange, sitting on a leather footbed that stays comfortable all day. Our advice? Let it be the only colour you’re wearing and keep everything else in cream, stone or white. One bright thing looks like a decision. Three looks like an accident.
Kiarra is the cross-strap, in tan or black leather, with an adjustable buckle and a leather lining and footbed. Honestly? This is the one we’d pack first. It works under straight-leg jeans in the morning and a slip skirt by dinner, and that’s a rare thing in a sandal.
The Raffia Wedge Is Back, and We’re Pleased About It
Raffia has gone from holiday souvenir to the texture of the season, and Vogue has been tracking it across summer accessories all year. On the foot, it belongs on a wedge.
Here’s the thing about wedges, and we say this as people who are on their feet all day: they’re by far the easiest way to wear height. The weight sits under your whole foot instead of balancing on a point, so you get the lift without the wobble. No teetering.
Kiona is the quiet one, a clean off-white upper on a 70mm raffia wedge. Off-white leather against natural raffia is the little tonal trick that makes a simple outfit look far more expensive than it was.
Karisa is the same shape with the volume turned up, an orange leather upper on a 70mm raffia wedge. If you like colour but never quite know where to put it, put it on your feet. Pair it with a white broderie dress and leave everything else alone.
Keerah is the tallest of the three, a slip-on taupe suede upper on a 99mm raffia wedge. It looks like a lot of shoe and walks like considerably less. Taupe goes with almost everything, and it does lovely things to your legs under a midi hem.
Block Heels You Can Actually Walk In
A block heel is the one that earns its keep. This season there are two of them, and they do quite different jobs, but both pass the only test that really matters for a heeled sandal: can you get through the day in them?
Karyna is the gladiator, on a 45mm block heel in black or tan alcantara, with a leather lining and a cushioned footbed. It sits right between smart and easy, which is where most of our weekdays live. Tailored shorts and a fine knit, and you’re sorted.
Kaprise is the taller, cleaner one, an 80mm block heel in tan, off-white or black leather. The back zip is the detail we love, because it keeps the line of your ankle unbroken and it’s what lifts the whole shoe. Midi skirt for the office, wide-leg trousers for dinner.
How to Wear Fisherman Sandals: Stathes
Shoes with a little more structure work especially well beneath flowing dresses, fuller skirts and wide-leg trousers. Flatforms and fisherman sandals add presence while remaining easy to wear. Stathes gives the fisherman sandal an elegant update with a 60mm wedge and a choice of off-white, dark brown or black leather. Wear it with a simple midi dress or cropped tailoring and let the silhouette stand out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Styling Sandals
What colours go best with leather sandals?
Tan and off-white are two of the most versatile summer shades, working beautifully with denim, linen, navy, cream and earthy tones. Black creates a sharper finish for evenings, while a colourful sandal can brighten an otherwise neutral outfit.
Which sandals are comfortable enough to wear all day?
Supportive flats, flatforms and wedges are ideal for longer days. Look for leather linings, cushioned footbeds and adjustable straps to create a soft, secure fit.
How do you style fisherman sandals?
Fisherman sandals work beautifully with simple, feminine pieces that balance their structured shape. Try them with a flowing midi dress, cropped trousers or relaxed tailoring for an effortless summer look.
What do you wear with wedge sandals?
Wedge sandals work beautifully with linen dresses, flowing midi skirts and wide-leg trousers. Neutral raffia and leather styles are especially versatile, while a colourful wedge can add interest to a simple summer outfit.
Shop New-In Sandals at Moda in Pelle
Whether you’re after an easy flat for the airport and the school run or a raffia wedge for long evenings outside, it really comes down to three things: proportion, texture and knowing when to stop. Match the shape to the line of your outfit, let one natural texture do the talking, and let a single piece carry the colour.
And choose leather where it touches you. A sandal you can’t walk in was never really a sandal.
Explore the New-In Sandal Collection
Love,
Moda x
