Forget flip flops! 2017 is all about the ‘slide’
FUNNY how a fashion trend that has you howling with laughter one season can be the thing you fall in love with the next.
There’s no better example of that than the curious rise of this summer’s hottest shoe, which is, I kid you not, the humble pool slide.
yes, that’s right. The flat, functional slip-on we used to wear in swimming pool showers is the must-have for summer 2017.
Oh, how we pointed and giggled when David Beckham was seen sporting his Adidas pair with socks, back in 2013. But it turns out he was simply ahead of the curve.
The slide’s ‘moment’, probably began that same year when Celine’s creative director Phoebe Philo debuted a furry, Birkenstock-inspired take on the look. It’s all part of fashion’s current obsession with re-imagining functional clothes — think pyjamas, track pants and other traditionally awful shoes such as Crocs — as covetable, luxury pieces.
But while the pool slide may have crashed in to our lives on a tidal wave of irony, it’s now evolved from frumpy to fun to fabulous. Witness the Miu Miu spring/summer catwalk show, which was a kaleidoscopic day trip to a Sixties lido.
The models sported brightlycoloured versions of the sandal, made of beach towelling and embellished with shells and starfish.
My advice? Stop pulling a face and embrace the shoe that’s way more stylish than its summer holiday cousin, the boring old flip flop. And with no between-the-toe blisters to contend with either.
SINCE its slide (sorry) into the mainstream, the choice of styles, colours and materials has exploded and there are several out there we can justify wearing at any time of day or night, for virtually any occasion. In fact, most of them are now far too pretty to ruin in the shower.
Smart versions like the leopard slide sandals, £118 from J. Crew ( jcrew.com) will definitely hold their own in the office. They’ll look great teamed with a simple, neutral work look.
And you’ll be comfortable — I support the longevity of any trend that means I can run around all day in a gloriously flat shoe. The bow satin sandals, £89.99 from Mango
(mango.com), are another dressy option that won’t have your boss wondering if you got lost on your way to the pool.
The key to wearing the slide to work is to make sure it has at least one thing about it that takes it well away from beachwear. Personally I’m drawn to chunkier versions of the trend such as the Oslo silver sandals, £24, by Office (office.co.uk). As far as I’m concerned, the metallic peps them up enough to save them from being too casual, so I’d definitely wear with a midi skirt and crisp, white shirt during the week.
On the glamour-slide front, I’m also a huge fan of the Wildside pair currently to be found in Russell & Bromley (russellandbromley.co.uk).
Designed in calf leather with faux-pearl studs on a gold flatform they’re a great mate for simple jeans and T-shirt, but work equally well with a chic black maxi dress for a night out. At £255, however, they won’t be going anywhere near the pool this summer!
Zara is doing particularly well on day-to-night slides at the moment. I love the sparkly, beaded watermelon pair (£29.99) ditto the gorgeous black, embellished numbers and the beaded, plaited pair (also both £29.99).
I’m sure in ten years’ time, we will all look at photos of ourselves in our sparkly slides and wonder what on earth we were thinking. Until that day, however, let’s remember how torturous heels are and just enjoy these while we can. Jo Elvin is Editor-in-Chief of Glamour magazine