Boring Sandals Are So 2024—This Summer, Even Minimalists Are Playing Around With Fun Footwear

Beads, hardware, and more.

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A collage showing two pairs of black beaded sandals.
(Image credit: @courtneygrow; @elizagracehuber)

There's a time and a place for simple, or even "boring" fashion items. Summer in the city is not one of those times or places. At least in New York, the short period between June and mid-September is every New Yorker's designated "fun fashion" season, when you can store away the neutrals we're known for wearing, and debut statement alternatives that reflect the excitement we all feel when the sun finally comes out after a long, dark, and cold winter.

Standard tank tops suddenly become adorned with oversize flower brooches; skirts and jeans are decorated with silk printed scarves; and bags are in constant need of a companion, whether that's a Labubu or a beaded charm. My favorite summer-specific trend? Statement sandals decorated with colorful beads, leopard-print pony hair, metallic hardware, and more.

When I think of summer 2025's best statement sandals, one style comes to mind immediately: Khaite's viral Loop Flat Sandals, which come in a variety of heel heights (including no heel at all) and feature tiny rainbow-colored beads on two toe straps. They also come in white with clear beads. I love that they're playful and youthful but still sophisticated and elegant. The Loop Sandals are quickly becoming a favorite warm-weather style among fashion girls in New York and elsewhere. Oh, and they're also all over TikTok, in case you needed another reason to splurge.

Shop the viral beaded Khaite sandals:

But Khaite's beaded sandals are hardly the only buzzy summer shoes we're expecting big things from this season. Alaïa's leopard-print flats and wedges, Tory Burch's pierced slides, and Chloé's colorful jelly kitten heels are all making waves on city streets and beachside boardwalks everywhere, too. So next time you plan to throw on a pair of jeans and a tank top, remember to combine the duo with a statement pair of sandals. By fall, you'll be back to classic ankle boots and minimalist sneakers. While summer's still with us, have a little bit of fun.

Shop statement sandals:

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Eliza Huber
Eliza Huber
Associate Editorial Director

Eliza Huber is currently the Associate Editorial Director at Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2021 as a fashion editor after starting her career as a writer at Refinery29, where she worked for four years. During her time at WWW, she launched Go Sports, the publication's sports vertical, and published four (and counting) quarterly issues tied to the WNBA, Formula One, and more. She also created two franchises, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on new seasonal trends, up-and-coming designers, and celebrity style.