Our sandal guide is fashionably late

Five styles we love including the new Pierced sandal and Patos from the runway.

Photographed in New York by Noa Griffel.

There is something to be said for shopping in season — like, right smack-dab in the middle. Because no matter how many summers or winters you’ve lived through, it can be a challenge to imagine at the very outset of the season what you might want to wear — when you’re not currently experiencing, say, wind that slices clean through your warmest cashmere or sweltering days when you sweat standing still.

You might also find your eye changing as a season unfolds and you absorb what other people are wearing and how trends are shifting.

With all of this in mind, we bring you our sandal guide, now.

THE TOE PARTY A trio from our sandal shop — the Ines Slide, Patos Slingback, and Kira Sport Sandal.

1. THE PATOS SLINGBACK: FUTURISTIC GLAMOUR

Senior Marketing Campaign Manager Sara Belmer wears the Patos Slingback with our Jacquard Tank, Proenza Schouler shorts and the newly revived Marshmallow satchel.

Essential Character: Futuristic, architectural. When the Hadid you worship is Zaha.
Distinguishing Details: Reverse d’Orsay design. Brancusi-esque hardware. Lucite resin ‘heel seat.’ Crinkle patent leather that’s soft and flexible.
Test-Drive Notes: Typically a slide wearer, Sara found the toe strap and hardware “surprisingly comfortable.” She adds, “The rounded edges of the footbed keep your foot secure, and add extra protection from God-knows-what is on our sidewalks.”
How to Wear Them: As cliche as it is to call a piece ‘day to evening,’ Patos really is that sandal. The dress-up factor of black patent and gold hardware play beautifully against the easy flat sole and athletic lines.

2. THE CAPRI: A NINETIES GOLDEN GIRL

The Capri Low-Heel sandal is our take on the minimalist kitten heel that chic ’90s girls once paired with bias-cut dresses and Katayone Adeli pants.

Essential Character: Carrie Bradshaw on casual Friday.
Distinguishing Details: Flattering slim straps that subtly narrow at the toe. A square 35mm heel. Tiny gold logo hardware.
Test-Drive Notes: Executive Assistant Hannah Lenaz swears by the Capri, which she owns in black. “I was worried about them being too loud or difficult to walk in,” she says, “but they have been comfortable and easy to wear — no blistering or scuffing!”
How to Wear It: We love the balance of baggy pants or denim with the delicate, barely-there sandal.

3. THE INES: STRAPPY SIMPLICITY

Launched in spring, the new Ines Slide is already a favorite of Tory’s, especially in a brightly colorblocked aqua and green. Here, on executive assistant Jeena Bendana.

Essential Character: Ladies of Madison Avenue.
Distinguishing Details: Superfine, meticulous stitching. A deconstructed Double T incorporated into the straps. Soft padding on a slim sole.
Test-Drive Notes: “They were immediately comfortable,” says Jeena, “without any of the slipping that you sometimes get with slides.”
How to Wear Them: A sandal this simple and elegant is versatility incarnate. It’s perfect with a sundress but, says Jeena, “I’d also wear these with wide-leg jeans and a T-shirt, or baggy Bermudas and a tube top.”

Jeena wears the Ines Slide with our Broderie Anglaise dress and Petite Lee Radziwill Double Bag.

4. THE PIERCED: SHE’S SO SURREAL FOR THAT

The Pierced Mule Sandal is an open-toed version of our original mule from the Spring/Summer 2023 runway.

Essential Character: Punk rocker enters her luxury era.
Distinguishing Details: Inverted ‘gravity’ heel. Trompe l’oeil pierced hardware with an elasticized toe strap. Chic squared-off sole.
Test-Drive Notes: “I can run around the city in these,” says Jeena, who owns a pair in poppy red leather. “The heel works really well for me, and the toe strap is so comfortable, you don’t even notice it.”
How to Wear Them: Like the Patos, the combination of glossy hardware and dressy-coded embossed croc in an open-toed flat make the Pierced an all-occasion shoe. With its dark color and ample toe coverage, this pair an excellent option for early- to mid-fall as well.

5. THE KIRA SPORT: BORROWED FROM THE DADS

Shambhavi Misra, Senior Manager of Fabric R&D, wears the confetti sequin Kira Sport Sandal with a vintage shirt and our Runner’s Camp shorts.

Essential Character: The staunch pragmatist who still loves to have fun.
Distinguishing Details: Molded footbed in soft leather. Velcro straps for a secure fit. No-slip rubber sole. Printed ‘confetti’ sequin mesh.
Test-Drive Notes: “Dad sandals are usually heavy but these are lightweight,” says Shambhavi, “and comfortable for a variety of widths. They fit my narrow feet perfectly, but I know people who have wider feet and love them.”
How to Wear Them: The visual heft of the Kira Sport is perfect for grounding this season’s micro-hemlines — whether shorts, skirts, dresses or even swimwear.