Shoes

14 Splurge-Worthy Designer Sandals and 14 Less-Pricey Alts That Are Just as Chic

Allyson Payer  Tue, 13 Jun 2023  Who What Wear

If you’re a shoe lover, this story is for you—no matter what your footwear budget may be. Given that we're about a week away from the official start of summer, the most relevant type of shoes to discuss is sandals. As someone who lives in the hot and humid South, I can barely even stand to wear sneakers in the summer, let alone any sort of flat or heel that doesn't let your feet breathe. So yes, sandals are important to me.

For this particular shoe roundup, I chose some of the chicest designer sandals of the season. But as lovely as they are, spending close to $1k for a pair of sandals can be a tough pill to swallow but not to worry—I scoured the internet and found similar (far less expensive) styles for each chic designer pair, so go ahead and scroll on to pick your summer shoe poison.

True story: I check on these beauties on a daily basis.

They may not have the coveted Prada triangle logo, but they're just as versatile.

Khaite has basically singlehandedly brought back the snakeskin trend this season.

Love the minimal vibes at play here.

These are the quiet luxury It sandals of the season.

Another simple and chic pair that'll go with everything.

Given the raffia craze, it comes as no surprise that these are a summer 2023 It shoe.

These honestly look just as luxe.

Just imagine the compliments these will get.

Reformation makes some of the best sandals in the game.

Among the fashion crowd, this pair is considered a classic at this point.

Zara always nails the affordable alts.

These are impossible to not stare at.

I expect these will sell out any day now.

You're likely to want to wear these every day, making them especially splurge-worthy.

The Nordstrom reviews for these comfortable flats are exceptional.

These have become such a classic.

These have been in Zara's inventory for years, which is telling.

These are positively timeless.

I want to take these on vacation.

These cult favorites are especially trendy right now, given the grommet moment that's happening.

Mango grommet sandals are a very worthy substitute.

I love pretty much anything featuring Loewe's anagram logo, and these new It sandals are no exception.

The Birkenstock name speaks for itself.

These chill sides would look as chic in the city as they do on vacation.

A very similar vibe, just sans the designer logo.

Leave it to The Row to make the most elegant ankle-wrap sandals on the planet.

Another very chic ankle-wrap option.

Next up, 7 designer logos that'll be trendy forever.