The humble flip flop has played an essential role in everyday living, though you have to admit, they’re not exactly what you would call tres chic. They’re great for after pedicures and quick trips to the store, not so much as the final touch for an outfit. For beach and poolside ensembles, yes, but not for weekends in the city.

If your excuse of wearing flip flops all the time is that it’s too hot to wear other kinds of shoes and they’re easy to put on, have I got news for you. There are so many types of sandals out there that are just as effortless to slip into that are way more fashionable than flip flops. And the best part about these sandals is that they won’t give you any blisters between your big and second toes!

And have you noticed that every time you choose to wear your flip flops, the rest of the ensemble seems to match the lackluster quality of your footwear?

So let your flip flops take the back seat for a change, and try on these comfy, contemporary sandals to keep your outfits on point this summer!

1. Bow Slides

Forget those blister inducing bow ballet flats; bow slides are where it’s at. With shoes like Bow Slides from KW, you can still look sophisticated while wearing what are essentially slippers. You can dress these slides up with wide leg pants, or wear them in a more casual manner with some jeans (skinny or loose, the choice is yours) and a feminine blouse. Whatever you do, don’t go for any ripped or distressed jeans, since they’ll clash with the aesthetic of the bow slides.

2. Cork Sandals

More elevated than flip flops and more down-to-earth and cooler than your average strappy sandals, these cork sandals are as easy going as they get without resorting to ill-favored tsinelas. Cork Sandals from OEM and from an assortment of other brands give your outfit that beachy vibe that’s still appropriate for the metropolitan setting.

3. Espadrille Sandals

The canvas on espadrille sandals feel so good against your feet. Plus, they are much more breathable than leather and materials normally used on sandals, and they’re certainly more comfortable than the rubber on flip flops. They come in all different styles, but Espadrille Sandals from Audestore are almost like your alternative to ballet flats. Because the fish mouth style opening and the heel strap, it’s best to wear shorter bottoms, or at least cropped, fitted pants so that you can show off those small details.

4. Flat Mules

In need of work shoes that keep your feet comfortable all day but still says you’re a professional? Shoes like Flat Mules from OTHER are designed to pair with your work separates, such as palazzo pants, pencil skirts, and black jeans. With flat mules, you’ll never get that achy feeling that you normally do with heels, and you can easily slip out of your shoes when you’re sitting at your desk, in case you want to stretch those feet or let them breathe a little.

5. Platform Sandals

Everyone has been completely infatuated with 90’s fashion trends over the the last couple of years, and with good reason! Remember the iconic platform shoes made famous by the Spice Girls? Not saying to go too crazy with 6-inch platforms, but Platform Sandals from Kleinshop would do just fine. Match these with any casual getup featuring jeans, regardless if you’re channeling the decade with a frayed denim skirt or mixing fashion eras with mom jeans. Whichever jeans outfit you decide on, these platform sandals will maintain the cool and casual nature of it, without making it too dressed down like lounge wear.

6. Slide Sandals

Last but not least, there are sandal slides. Similar to the bow slides, these are made for those that aren’t too fond of little feminine details, but rather enjoy sleek slipper sandals that look nothing like the ones you use at hotel pools, such as Sandal Slides from KW. The key is to avoid sandal slides with a thick, rectangular strap. You want to go for ones with interesting shapes in a muted tone, so that they can be treated as nude flats. You can also opt for silver or metallic pink if you feel like the nude sandal slides are a little too flat, in terms of color.

Happy Fri-yay! Who’s excited for the weekend?

The end of the workweek is something we always look forward to, as we shed our 9-to-6 persona so that we could just chill all weekend long. Switching gears like that normally means we ditch our office wardrobe for our laid-back pieces. And by laid-back, I don’t necessarily mean a ratty t-shirt and pajama shorts. That is, unless your plans consist of binging on takeout and Netflix.

For the rest of us that have plans of being out and about, we like to wear easy, breezy pieces that will last us through to the evening, if necessary. Perhaps one of the most popular items that check off all the boxes is the midi dress.

A one-piece outfit that can be found in a myriad of styles for various occasions, midi frocks boast of the perfect length for comfort; it’s neither too short that you risk showing more than what you bargained for when the wind comes sweeping in, nor is it too long that you end up trapping heat in your skirt. It’s completely effortless, until you put it on and realize you’re not entirely sure what shoes would be appropriate for this kind of hem.

The length tends to throw people off, as the midi places a stronger focus on footwear in comparison to other hems, with the maxi almost completely covering your feet, while shoes are secondary to the mini as more attention is paid to the dress itself.

Don’t let the midi intimidate you! Your shoe collection is full of options that would do your midi frock justice.

Here are a few midi-and-shoe pairings to hopefully give you some inspiration for styling your dresses:

Striped midi with white leather sneakers

Happen to have a white striped frock? Whether it’s the Summer striped halter midi dress, off-shoulder midi, or a backless long-sleeve, stripes are a perfect match for the casual white sneaker. What is perfect about white kicks is its ability to match with any midi, but it works especially well with prints, patterns and anything loud, as the shoes dial back the craziness of the piece. Thus, any time you want to dress down a midi, Casual leather sneakers should do the trick.

Basic t-shirt midi with flat slides

Maybe you’re more into solid hues and basic silhouettes. If you have the Cap sleeve jersey bodycon midi dress or anything similar, try going for something simple, such as flat slides. Although you can totally dress these up with some peep-toe pumps, Mocha two straps sandals are totally made for a chill weekend. Think of slides as the slippers you can wear outside of the house, the alternative to your flip flops that you should really be only wearing at the beach. Plus, with slides, you never have to worry about snapping your tsinelas and awkwardly walking to the closest shoe store to replace them.

Midi scarf dress with strappy sandals

As for your scarf midis, or dresses that look like a combination of separates, go with strappy sandals. Heeled sandals are a great pairing with the Korean soft touch midi dress, especially if you need an outfit slightly dressier than the previous two. If you’re still not the best in walking around in heels, go for the High heel block sandals. The chunky heel offers more stability and comfort than thinner ones. Flat lace-up sandals are also another option, though some people prefer heeled sandals for the sake of elongating their legs.

No matter if you choose a kitten heel, high heel, or a flat sandal variety, the key is in the detailing at the ankle. The only kind of sandals you want to avoid with midis are gladiators. These sandals look much better with knee-length and mini hems, as they showcase enough leg for the gladiators to be on full display.

There you have it! These shoes prove just how easy it is to style a midi dress. With options such as white sneakers, slides and sandals, there’s no reason to panic when choosing accessories for your favorite off-duty piece.

Got any other shoes that you like to wear with a midi dress? Tell us about it in the comments below!