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Dad sandals: The unlikely footwear trend you need to know about this summer

'They’re so bad, they’re good'

Thursday 30 May 2019 13:29 BST
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(Anna Sui/Teva)
(Anna Sui/Teva)

After years of stoically wearing six-inch heels, the trend for functional footwear has all but defined the contemporary fashion landscape.

From the enduring athleisure trend marked by a rise in streetwear to the pervasive feminist fashion revolution largely driven by Celine’s former creative director Phoebe Philo, it should come as no surprise to learn that this season’s sartorial prodigy is surprisingly practical.

Since the late Sixties, when hippies adopted the Birkenstock as part of their free-loving outdoor uniform, so-called “dad sandals” have surged in popularity on the fashion scene, adorning the feet of everyone from Alexa Chung and the Olsen twins to Cara Delevingne.

In fact, the style has proved so popular that in 2018 the brand sold a staggering 25 million pairs of its iconic cork-soled sandals while its sales tripled between 2012 and 2016 to roughly $800m (£627m).

Evidently, there is no ignoring the fact that dad sandals have officially crossed over from functional to fashionable.

The latest indication of this lies in the resurgence of a style that goes by several aliases – hiking, trekking and tourist sandal among them.

Characterised by its soft, comfortable foot bed, Velcro straps and wipe-clean surface, this is a footwear hybrid that harnesses the same ironic appeal that transformed Birkenstocks and dad trainers into sartorial statements.

Just like when things are so bad, they’re good, dad sandals are so "unfashionable" that they’re actually pretty cool.

So that a shoe synonymous with ageing outdoorsy types has officially become one of the most in-demand wardrobe staples.

Dad sandals have crossed over from functional to fashionable (Rex)

Dad sandals are now produced by some of the most esteemed fashion houses in the industry, with offerings from the likes of Gucci and Prada leading the way at luxury online retailer Matches Fashion.

“For spring/summer 2019, we have seen the trend around the trainer inspire a sportier version of sandals. Chloe, Gucci and Acne had stand outs in this trend, which has brought a sense of newness to the season and appeals to the fashion pioneering customer,” Cassie Smart, head of womenswear buying at Matches Fashion tells The Independent.

“We recently launched Suicoke – a new brand for us – and exclusives from Prada, and both have been really popular as the thicker sole makes them great for the city.”

Cecilie Bahnsen's spring/summer 2019 garments were worn with pearl-decorated sandals by Suicoke (Rex)

But like most things in fashion, dad sandals aren’t anything new. In fact, Dr Annebella Pollen, principal lecturer and academic programme leader in the History of Art and Design at the University of Brighton, says they date back as far as the late 19th century when socialists, especially of the utopian kind, “sought to transform all aspects of living, including dress and diet, as part of their politics”.

“They were great enthusiasts for sandals. Social reformer and poet Edward Carpenter, for example, described boots as 'leather coffins for the feet',” Pollen tells The Independent.

“He made his own sandals (always worn with socks) and also wore examples brought back from India. His footwear caused alarm – Sheffield locals had never seen them outside of the pages of illustrated bibles – and he was thrown out of the British Library reading room for wearing them.”

Soft Tee, £8, Monki; Tri Walk, £65, Clarks; Straight Jeans By Boutique, £55, Topshop; Stone Woven Straw Cross Body Bag, £15.99, New Look; Alice Band, £6, H&M

Pollen adds that many of the ideas of of leisure, comfort and liberation at this time carried through to the renaissance in sandal-wearing of the Sixties and Seventies.

“Hippies saw sandals as a means of freeing the feet and being close to the earth, and feminists wore the flat styles as an opposition to the tight restrictions places on women's bodies and lives,” Pollen explains.

“The hiking sandal as currently in vogue is the inheritor of some of these anti-fashion practices, as seen in recent pool sliders and socks styles, and the move of Birkenstocks from the garden path to the catwalk.”

The dad sandal has also become a part of booming style scene on social media, with everyone from fashion editors to influencers documenting their take on the tourist sandal for the ‘Gram.

Shell God-Tone Earrings, £29, Selfridges; Two-Tone Stretch Belt, £19.99, Zara; The Row, Egon Ruched Leather Sandals, £625, Matches Fashion; Linen Mix Tiered Shirt Dress, £55, Warehouse; Folded Leather Tote Bag, £175, Cos

Alexis Foreman, a creative consultant and blogger at Style Memos, explains that the hiking sandal fits neatly into her wardrobe because of it derived from the comparable ugly trainer trend.

“I think part of the reason they’re popular is because the dad trainer has already paved the way. Both in terms of aesthetic but also wearability,” Foreman says.

“Those of us that have invested in the trainer trend are used to a way of dressing that compliments so called ‘ugly’ footwear but also enjoy the fact that they’re so comfortable.”

Rachael Clifton, a lifestyle blogger that goes by the alias Bubbly Aquarius, agrees, adding that for her it’s often a case of the uglier the better.

Waffle Knitted Top, £79, Whistles; Teva x Anna Sui, Flatform Universal Sandal, £128, Free People; Joseph, Billie Pleated Skirt, £645, Net-a-Porter; Natural Beaded Oval Crossbody Bag, £29.99, Zara

“Everybody loves a dad sandal because they’re so bad they’re good, like a guilty pleasure you can’t help but enjoy,” Clifton says.

“When on the hunt for an ugly sandal the most important aspect is a Velcro fastening in my opinion. Yes you want chunky and a bit rank, but the addition of a Velcro strap really takes them into dad (possibly even grandad) territory.

“I just invested in some Teva’s and my boyfriend said I looked like an old man going on a hike (they’re insanely comfy for walking in to be fair) so I’d say job done!”

As for how to wear them, both Foreman and Clifton agree with fashion stylist Anna Berkeley that a contrast between masculine and feminine is key with this trend.

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“For me I like to wear mine with something feminine as the juxtaposition of the two really appeals,” Berkeley explains, adding that a pair with flexible soles is also a must.

“If you don’t have any flex in them they become really uncomfortable as your feet slap against the floor in one movement. Not fun.”

When it comes to which brands are worth investing in, Teva – one of the most notable purveyors of this footwear trend – is a frontrunner, while some of the most popular names among insiders for more fashion-fashion options are Arizona Love and Suicoke.

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