I spent about four years buying black sandals in the wrong order. Bought the delicate, strappy one first because it photographed well on a hanger, wore it twice, both times spent the evening walking like I’d been recently injured. Then bought the sturdy one out of spite, the sort with a proper block heel and a footbed that doesn’t punish you for standing up at a party, and that’s the one that’s been to two weddings, a work thing in a car park in July, and a christening where I stood on gravel for forty minutes without incident. Order matters. Comfort first, then decide how delicate you’re feeling.
What I actually love about black sandals as a category is that they do the thing black clothing generally does, which is get out of the way and let everything else make sense, but with your feet involved, which raises the stakes more than people admit.
A good pair has some structure to it, a strap that sits where your foot actually bends rather than where the designer hoped it would, and a sole with enough grip that you’re not doing the little skid dance on tile floors outside restaurants. Skip anything that needs breaking in for an occasion you only get once.
Styling wise, they’re the least fussy decision you’ll make about an outfit and I mean that as praise. Bare legs with a slip dress for anything after 6pm.
With trousers, cropped, so the strap detail actually shows rather than disappearing under fabric like it never happened. With denim they do the job of making an outfit look considered without you trying, which my colleague Priya once described as “cheating but allowed.”
Occasion-wise, this is your summer wedding shoe, your garden party shoe, your dressed up dinner where you still have to walk from the tube shoe. Anything with a heel enough to feel like effort but a footbed that means you’re not sitting down by ten. I’d avoid the very flat, very minimal ones for anything involving cobbles, grass, or a night that ends later than planned, learned that one properly the hard way, ruined tights and all.
Top Picks
TAYLOR’S PICK
FARMRIORaffia Embroidered Icons Kitten Heeled Sandal, TUCAN BLACK / 7 1/2
$258.00 FARMRIO
HARPER’S PICK
LIFESTRIDELifeStride Shoes Nalani Dress Sandal (Black Faux Leather) Fabric 6.0 W $69.72
$52.99 LIFESTRIDE
MADISON’S PICK
DR. SCHOLL'S SHOESDr. Scholl's Men's Gaston Fisherman Sandal Black Leather DRSCH 10.0 W
$65.00 DR. SCHOLL'S SHOES
RILEY’S PICK
MARISSA COLLECTIONSTriana Sandal - Black / Crystal
$350.00 MARISSA COLLECTIONS
DIANE’S PICK
FRANCO SARTOFranco Sarto Shoes Franco Enrica Sandal (Black Leather) 5.0 M Square Toe, Slingback, Buckle Closure
$115.00 FRANCO SARTO
SHOEMALL.COMMiz Mooz Dorra Women's Black Sandal EURO 41
$129.95 SHOEMALL.COM
SHIEKHGirls Bubble Charm Sandal Black Sandals 3 Black
$19.99 SHIEKH
SHOEMALL.COMJ. Renee Paladino Women's Black Sandal 6.5
$119.95 SHOEMALL.COM
SHOEMALL.COMSoftwalk Camano Women's Black Sandal 12 W
$124.95 SHOEMALL.COM
LARROUDEMiso Sandal In Beige Raffia and Black Trimming - 5.5 / Beige
$99.00 LARROUDE
MARISSA COLLECTIONSTriana Sandal - Black / Crystal
$350.00 MARISSA COLLECTIONS
FRANCO SARTOFranco Sarto Shoes Franco Enrica Sandal (Black Leather) 5.0 M Square Toe, Slingback, Buckle Closure
$115.00 FRANCO SARTO
FARMRIORaffia Embroidered Icons Kitten Heeled Sandal, TUCAN BLACK / 7 1/2
$258.00 FARMRIO
DR. SCHOLL'S SHOESDr. Scholl's Men's Gaston Fisherman Sandal Black Leather DRSCH 10.0 W
$65.00 DR. SCHOLL'S SHOES
FRANCO SARTOSarto By Franco Sarto Shoes Sarto Etta Sandal (Black Leather) 7.5 M Slip On Fit, Square Toe, Slip
$110.00 FRANCO SARTO
FARMRIOSea Flat Sandal, BLACK AND CUOIO
$228.00 FARMRIO
W CONCEPT (US)Ella Weaving Strap Sandal (GIS-46247)
$158.00 W CONCEPT (US)
LARROUDEMilan Flat Sandal In Beige Raffia and Black Trimming - 11 / Beige Raffia and Black Trimming
$290.00 LARROUDE
FRANCO SARTOFranco Sarto Shoes Franco Taziana Espadrille Slide Sandal (Black Snake Print Faux Leather) 6.5 M Round Toe, Platform Heels, Wedge Heels, Buckle Closure
$135.00 FRANCO SARTO
TEVATEVA Toddlers' Hurricane XLT JR Sandal in Black, Size 6T
$45.00 TEVA
TEVATEVA Women's Terra Fi 5 Universal Hiking Sandal in Blue/Black, Size
$120.00 TEVA
LARROUDEAnnie Sandal In Black Leather - 5 / Black
$99.00 LARROUDE
−68%
SHIEKHWomen Vintage-10 Flat Sandal BLACK Sandals 7.5 BLACK$24.97
$7.99 SHIEKH
−57%
SHIEKHWomen Free Thong Sandal Black/Gold Sandals 5.5 Black/Gold$34.86
$14.99 SHIEKH
−29%
DR. SCHOLL'S SHOESDr. Scholl's Women's Just Cute Wedge Sandal Black Fabric DRSCH Leather 6.5$70.41
$49.99 DR. SCHOLL'S SHOES
−24%
LIFESTRIDELifeStride Shoes Nalani Dress Sandal (Black Faux Leather) Fabric 6.0 W$69.72
$52.99 LIFESTRIDE
−34%
LIFESTRIDELifeStride Shoes Bali Sand Wedge Sandal (Black Fabric) 9.0 W$84.83
$55.99 LIFESTRIDE
−14%
DR. SCHOLL'S SHOESDr. Scholl's Women's Free Day Platform Sandal Black Faux Leather DRSCH 9.0$69.76
$59.99 DR. SCHOLL'S SHOES
−24%
LIFESTRIDELifeStride Shoes Janet Strappy Dress Sandal (Black Faux Leather) 6.5$89.46
$67.99 LIFESTRIDE
−30%
LEAMRockstud wedge sandal$647.54
$453.28 LEAM
