This feature tracks the unlikely rise of sandals, slippers and flip-flops as the must-have “ugly” shoes of summer, spotlighting how comfort and climate are reshaping menswear. From Alexander Skarsgård’s Valentino rockstud thong sandals to Indian-inspired designs and sleek luxury options, it curates versatile, breathable styles that move easily from desk to dinner without sacrificing style.
In true florals-for-spring fashion, the fashion world is absolutely losing its mind over - wait for it - flip flops (or sandals. Or slippers. Whatever you call them). I swear, the West yearns for a breathable pair of chappals to live through the rising temperatures. Don't ask Prada about it.
The interesting thing about this newfound sandal love is that it comes at a time when fashion in general has a crush on er, ugly shoes. Take the Tabis, for example (if you consider them ugly). Or how the pair of Valentino rockstuds from the first The Devil Wears Prada 2 teaser sent fashion internet on a collective meltdown. Which is, admittedly, a strange time for the very utilitarian slipper to make a comeback. But hey, you know what, between fashion and nature cycles, nature sort of always wins in terms of deciding what's gonna trend next.
And so while Jean Paul Gaultier might have had toe-ring sandals all ready for their spring 2026 collection (mind you, they didn't call it a Kolhapuri this time), Alexander Skarsgard showed up at the Sundance Film Festival wearing the utterly comfortable thong sandals (chappal, if you will). And not just any thong sandals: he wore the Valentino rock stud sandals. We love a guy who knows how to play with his trends.
All said and done, I did the research-as any good Samaritan would-and below are the various slippers you can try on to not break a sweat this season.
On a flip-flop in black goatskin with light gold-tone stud details, the Rockstud makes the case that the most dressed-down silhouette in a man's wardrobe isn't always an afterthought. Just ask our Saakrsgard brother from before.
This is as Indian sandal as an Indian sandal can get. Gully Number's 005 borrows the shape of the traditional wooden khadau and uses the Pitai Blue colourway (love the tongue-in-cheek name) to reimagine the most quintessential Indian sandal.
The double-buckle hardware and eyelet detailing on these give off exactly the kind of grunge that Dsquared2 does well. The brown belt-like straps give this utilitarian touch. Flat sole, open toe, no unnecessary bulk, but the cool never goes ouut of style.
There's a version of summer dressing where everything is just slightly more relaxed than it should be, and it looks better for it. These open-toe slippers in coffee brown genuine leather live in that version. The silhouette is clean, the round toe keeps it from veering too casual, and the soft footbed means you'll actually wear them for the entire evening without your sole crying for help.
There’s something so sleek and attractive in how Saint Laurent does simplicity, and these criss-cross flat sandals are proof. There's no hardware, no logo play, no attempt to announce that it’s the YSL: just clean crossover straps and a flat sole that works as well with tailoring as it does with a linen set.
Tom Ford putting his name on a thong sandal is very Tom Ford of the brand, especially when you think of the logo thong trend that the designer brought to the limelight. The black flat sole and open-toe construction keep it simple enough, and the metallic logo detail blends in well enough.