Our Favourite Red Sandals Right Now

Red sandals are one of those style acquisitions that pays to be bold. A good pair will announce themselves, and the tone of red makes more difference than you’d think. Proper red, with more of an inclination to blue than orange will read as classic rather than seasonal, and suit more skin tones than the tomato/coral variety that invades stores each spring. They should also be well made. A leather or leather’y upper with enough body to maintain the shape of the strap is key, because thin, floppy materials will crease and lose their richness after wearing a couple of times. Patent is lovely for catching the light but will mark easily so works better when the shoe is expected to be admired not worn miles.

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Heel height is where you decide which wardrobe you’re adding them to. A low block/kitten heel will lift an outfit with no effort at all. Black can do this too but when something’s red it feels like you’ve made more of an effort, with less effort. A taller, slimmer heel sends them straight into party territory and they work hardest when their not matched against neutrals or monochrome pieces. Let the colour shine.

Speaking of colours, a common mistake I see with red sandals are people trying to pair them with other brights. They really don’t need that company. Cream, camel, white, black and denim all allow the shoe to remain centre of attention, and a flash of red toe under a pair of pale linen trousers will look much more expensive than head-to-toe colour blocking.

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Daytime combos earn their place with a simple dress or smart shorts and shirt. Somewhere alfresco, relaxed with booze involved. Night time and they work just as hard with a simple slip dress or classy trouser suit, and don’t need any jewellery except maybe for some small studs. They also work for occasions that demand something slightly dressy. Weddings, long lunches, garden parties. The red does the heavy lifting when it comes to dressing up.

The sandals that earn a place in your wardrobe are the ones you can actually wear. Look for a decent footbed and a strap that isn’t digging into your foot after an hour of standing are the ones that get worn twice.