Four Shoe Styles That Should Be On Your Radar For Summer
Plus how to style them (including sixteen summer outfits!)
*This post is sponsored by Nordstrom and contains affiliate links.
For those of us who consider the end of the school year as the official start to summer, it’s time to start thinking about your summer wardrobe. Now, summer dressing can get a pretty bad rep. The limits on layering leave less room for creativity for sure; however, there are some things you can do (and wear) to keep those summer fits looking cute as ever. One way (and quite possibly the most impactful) is to consider your footwear. If the rest of your outfit has to be pretty basic (ain’t nothing wrong with basic in my book though), the shoes you choose can really level it up.
So, in partnership with Nordstrom, I’m giving you the four shoes I would strongly consider having in my summer wardrobe to make my outfits more interesting plus different ways to style them. If you love an outfit collage, get ready, because you’ve got several coming your way. All the items here can be found at Nordstrom (yay for the one stop shop!)
OPTION ONE: JELLIES
Yes, they’re back, and, as a millennial who grew up in the 80s and 90s and who also is very nostalgic, I’m here for it. There are several styles to choose from from your basic clear ones to colorful options to the all black edgy varieties. Pick your poison! I’ve spent way too much brainpower considering which ones to purchase, and I finally landed on this pair from Jeffrey Campbell. Below I’ve got four ideas for styling your jellies. For something like this, where the item is super trendy and niche, I prefer to keep the rest of my outfit very classic.
Outfit One:
Cotton On Haven Long Sleeve Shirt
Mango Zoey High Waist Denim Shorts
Jeffrey Campbell Jellz Slip On
Freja New York Carolina Faux Leather Shoulder Bag
BaubleBar Interlocking Hoop Earrings
Outfit Two:
Toteme Espera Rib Stretch Organic Cotton Tank
Open Edit Wide Leg Linen Blend Pants
Mango Natural Fiber Convertible Shoulder Bag
Jeffrey Campbell Jellz Slip On
Open Edit Pendant Slider Necklace
Outfit Three:
Nordstrom Short Sleeve Shift Dress
Jeffrey Campbell Jellz Slip On
Rebecca Minkoff Megan Leather Tote
St. Moran Brown Lucite Bangle
Outfit Four:
Madewell Flare Sleeve Cotton Cardigan
Open Edit Pleated Bermuda Shorts
Jeffrey Campbell Jellz Slip On
Coach Brooklyn 28 Shoulder Bag
Jenny Bird Florence Hoop Earrings
MORE JELLIES TO SHOP
OPTION TWO: STATEMENT SNEAKERS
Sneakers are getting a colorful makeover this summer. You want to make your outfit pop; a bright sneaker will do the job. The most ‘on trend’ styles have a slim profile which I actually prefer to the chunkier styles of a few years ago. To be honest, I found this category of shoe the hardest to put together because while I think you could just throw on some denim shorts and a tee with your sneakers and call it a day, I wanted these looks to feel a bit more styled. My preference (but perhaps not yours) is to go with a cropped pant over a full length option since the latter results in a lot of heaviness at the bottom of the leg. I also really love a sneaker + skirt or a sneaker + dress situation which is a classic example of ‘the wrong shoe theory.’
Outfit One:
Madewell Easy Stripe Long Sleeve Top
Open Edit Everyday Pleated Linen Blend Shorts
Vince Oasis Sneaker
Land’s End Open Top Long Handle Canvas Tote Bag
Jenny Bird Florence Hoop Earrings
Outfit Two:
Favorite Daughter Organic Cotton T-Shirt
Open Edit Cotton Poplin Maxi Skirt
Vince Oasis Sneaker
St. Moren Brown Lucite Bangle
Madewell Handwoven Leather Shoulder Bag
Outfit Three:
Mango Mimoi Cotton Open Stitch Sweater
Mango Tempoli Pleat Front Linen Pants
Vince Oasis Sneaker
Mango Canvas and Faux Leather Bucket Bag
BaubleBar Interlocking Hoop Earrings
Outfit Four:
Cotton On Haven Long Sleeve Shirt
Mango Claudia Crop Slip Fit Jeans
Vince Oasis Sneaker
Coach Brooklyn 28 Shoulder Bag
Jenny Bird Florence Hoop Earrings
MORE SNEAKERS TO SHOP
OPTION THREE: FLIP FLOPS
Flip flops don’t exactly make a statement compared to the other three shoe options I’ve listed here, but they are pretty much THE SHOE for Summer 2025 so I couldn’t not include them. Just let your pedicure make the statement instead. The minute the weather hits 60 degrees, I’m wearing my flip flops. I like pairing them with trousers and full length denim in the spring and then with pretty much everything in the summer. Because they are so minimal, they are by far the easiest shoe to style. I’ve put together four looks for summer below, but you could pretty much wear flip flops with ANYTHING. The pair I’m styling here are from Tkees.
Outfit One:
Madewell Easy Stripe Long Sleeve Top
Mango Zoey High Waist Denim Shorts
Tkees Lily Square Toe Flip Flop
Madewell Handwoven Leather Shoulder Bag
BaubleBar Interlocking Hoop Earrings
Outfit Two:
Favorite Daughter Organic Cotton T-Shirt
Open Edit Wide Leg Linen Blend Pants
Tkees Lily Square Toe Flip Flop
Madewell Handwoven Leather Tote
Adina Reyter Paint The Town Red Jade Necklace
Outfit Three:
Cotton On Haven Long Sleeve Shirt
Recess x Zella Courtside French Terry Shorts
Tkees Lily Square Toe Flip Flop
Rebecca Minkoff Megan Leather Tote
Jenny Bird Florence Hoop Earrings
Outfit Four:
Mango Valvi Mixed Media Maxi Dress
Tkees Lily Square Toe Flip Flop
Mango Canvas and Faux Leather Bucket Bag
BaubleBar Interlocking Hoop Earrings
SHOP MORE FLIP FLOPS
OPTION FOUR: WOVEN FLATS
The sister to mesh flats, open weave flats have become very popular in the last few months. You’ll see these woven shoes in an array of textures and styles. I’ve chosen a mule version to style here, but they also come in a regular ballet flat or mary jane style. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, always be thinking about texture when putting together outfits. Or just wear these woven flats and don’t think about it at all. These instantly elevate your summer looks.
Outfit One:
Mango Vivian Stripe Suit Vest
Open Edit Everyday Pleated Linen Blend Shorts
Freja New York Carolina Faux Leather Shoulder Bag
Sarto by Franco Sarto Tomika 2 Mule
Outfit Two:
Toteme Espera Rib Stretch Organic Cotton Tank
Mango Claudia Crop Slip Fit Jeans
Sarto by Franco Sarto Tomika 2 Mule
Mango Natural Fiber Convertible Shoulder Bag
Adina Reyter Paint The Town Red Jade Necklace
Outfit Three:
Nordstrom Button Up Shirt
Recess x Zella Courtside French Terry Shorts
Sarto by Franco Sarto Tomika 2 Mule
Coach Brooklyn 28 Shoulder Bag
BaubleBar Interlocking Hoop Earrings
Outfit Four:
Madewell Flare Sleeve Cotton Cardigan
Mango Zoey High Waist Denim Shorts
Sarto by Franco Sarto Tomika 2 Mule
Rebecca Minkoff Megan Leather Tote
Jenny Bird Florence Hoop Earrings
SHOP MORE WOVEN FLATS
If you’ve been dreading summer dressing, I hope this post changed your mind on the subject! Your summer looks definitely don’t have to be boring, but sometimes simple fits are what summer calls for. It’s an easy, slow, and casual time of year. Embrace it!