the ultimate summer sandal

DISCLAIMER: Apologies for the delay in posts yet again - I've been away for the last few weeks with very dodgy internet and no way of developing any film, so haven't been able to post anything new. I wrote this post over a month ago and COMPLETELY forgot to post it! I know Summer is now well and truly over in England, but these shoes were incredibly well loved and well worn this year, so I thought they still deserved a post of their own in mid-September... enjoy!

Whenever Summer rolls along, I often try to plan outfits around a pair of statement shoes in the hopes that I can whip my spindley designer heels out of their boxes and magically transform myself into Carrie Bradshaw. But alas, this isn't New York - this is London we're talking about, often raining or extremely sticky, and much more surface area than that of Manhatten. This year, funnily enough, the weather has been unlike any British summer I can recall. Consistently hot, very very little rain, and not as sticky as usual. So I wanted to invest in a pair of summer sandals that could see me through the whole season, would go with any outfit, and would be a little easier to walk in. Enter, 'the red shoes' - the ultimate summer sandal.

This particular pair that I will be sharing with you lot are these beautiful faux snake sandals from Topshop. These are potentially some of the most affordable shoes I own at a whopping £29 (£26 with my student discount!) and are surprisingly comfortable and easy to walk in. The heel is only 2.5 inches so they’re perfect if you want to wear them for the whole day as they will barely pinch. I sized up for myself as I have wide feet (I usually wear a 38/38 1/2 so I purchased these in a 39) and this proved extremely helpful as the front strap was even more roomy, perfect for hot days when your feet swell up a tad. I never really delve into Topshop’s shoe section, but honestly, I’m surprised at the level of comfort and style in this pair, so I’m definitely going to be looking into their collection more often from now on.

Top - Whistles / Jeans - Whistles / Sunglasses - Rayban / Sandals  - Topshop (attached version is the wide fit style, which was not available when I purchased the shoe)

I have been loving wearing these sandals to brighten up really simple everyday looks. They look brilliant with a pair of barrell leg jeans (see above) or with vintage Levi's and a printed t-shirt or vest (see below). Having said that, they also look great with more evening looks as well. I wore them to my boyfriends graduation in a black sparkly Whistles jumpsuit, and for dinner with a black Armani suit and leopard print vest, and they were such a comfortable and uplifting option. This style of sandal is perfect for a Summer in the city - they're versatile, comfortable and don't substitute on style. I can't wait to keep styling these year after year (although I wouldn't be surprised if I had to repurchase these as they were very cheap, but frankly I would be happy with up to five pairs on rotation considering how often I wear them!) There are also lots of other colour options available on the Topshop website in this style, including leopard print and dusty pink suede, so if red isn't quite for you, I'm sure there'll be something else that is. Here are a couple of outfits I've been wearing these sandals with over the past few weeks: