It's nearly summer, people. Hurrah. Day one of summer shoe-wearing (with NO SOCKS) is a pretty momentous day for us - it's the marker of festivals, picnics, beaches and generally having a nice time in the sun (are you listening weather god?). Book a pedicure and get yourself summer shoe-ready.
As an aside, for the best pedicures in London go to Cowshed and Aveda. If you're in Bristol try Nails Inc and in Edinburgh head for The Beauty Quarter Salon for O.P.I.
1. The Espadrille
Chanel and Valentino have produced the most lust-worthy espadrilles of them all. Naturally, the Chanel beauties have completely sold out but, fear not, we can still take part in the espadrille love-in as the high street has done a lot of very good pairs, too. Good old Topshop's zebra print pair are on our shopping list, as are Jimmy Choo's sequinned set.
2. The heel thing
Dolce & Gabbana showed huge wedges with bunches of grapes and porcelain faces, Céline showed very abstract metal heels and Mary Katrantzou’s were covered in perfect pretty flowers. The key rule here is anything goes as long as the heel is high and covered in something interesting. Just make sure the rest of your outfit doesn’t try and overtake.
3. The slider
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you won't be able to avoid pool sliders this summer. Flat, chunky and probably not a shoe for the boys - but don’t worry about that – this is a shoe style you need to have in your life because, quite frankly, they're very cool. J.W.Anderson's super-sleek white leather sliders set the bar high, but you don't have to spend a fortune. We're big fans of the classic Nike slider (it comes in pink, too) - very understated cool. To add a dash of femininity, look for a pair with chunky jewels and touches of sparkle. Zara, Marni and Miu Miu are you're go-to for a slider with a bit of sparkle.
4. The fashion trainer
Need we say more? They're a massive fashion hit already and it's only May. The world is your oyster as far as this trend is concerned, just try not to make them look too practical, i.e. don’t wear jogging bottoms with them, or sporty shorts, rather, mix with denim, leather and pleated cotton. Try NIKEiD and customise your own pair.
5. The wedge
The humble wedge is a summer staple, and totally deserves a place on this list. They are super easy to wear, are perfect for garden parties, outdoor weddings (and anything else involving grass and/or sand) and have a certain 'Hello summer' vibe to them. Chloé's distressed canvas and cork pair get a whopping 10 out of 10 from us.
6. Metallic moments
Summer metal is everywhere. All of the above shoe styles come in the most shiny and sparkly metallic finishes. So, if in doubt, make sure it shines and you're half way there.
Now, please sun, try and shine for a long time this summer as we've got a lot of footwear to get through.
