Jewelled Sandals, Anklets and Shoe Charms—5 Elegant Trends That Put Your Best Foot Forward
Our take
The resurgence of embellishment on footwear – jewelled sandals, anklets, and those playful shoe charms – signals a beautiful shift in how we approach summer style. The playful directive to "get the dogs out" isn't merely a whimsical invitation to bare our toes; it’s an acknowledgement of a collective desire for joyful self-expression after a period of considered minimalism. This trend taps into a deeper longing for sensory pleasure and a return to ornamentation, moving beyond purely functional dressing. We’ve seen a move toward elevated basics for a while; this feels like the antidote – a deliberate layering of detail that speaks to a personal narrative. It’s a reaction to the quiet, almost austere, aesthetic that dominated recent seasons, and a welcome embrace of maximalism in a carefully curated way. Interestingly, this echoes a broader trend toward prioritizing personal details, a sensibility we also see reflected in the increased focus on bespoke nail polish shades, as highlighted in From Margot Robbie to Zoë Kravitz, These Are the Nail Polish Shades Celebs Actually Wear, further demonstrating this desire for unique, personalized touches.
The key here is the evolution of luxury. It’s no longer about overt displays of wealth, but rather the considered curation of beautiful, individual pieces. This isn't about throwing on anything sparkly; it’s about selecting meaningful adornments – a vintage charm, a delicate anklet that catches the light – that enhance the overall aesthetic. Celine’s summer campaign, with its sun-lounger imagery, perfectly encapsulates this mood – a feeling of effortless chic where the details elevate the experience. This resonates with the broader conversation around scent, too, as we explored in Perfume Not Lasting in the Heat? This Is My Secret to Smelling Good All Day. The focus is on layering and enhancing, rather than relying on a single, dominant statement piece. The styling of leggings, as discussed in Both Gen Z and Millennials Agree: If You're Going to Wear Leggings This Summer, Wear Them Like This, This and This, also demonstrates this shift – a move away from rigid rules towards creating personalized, comfortable looks with thoughtful layering and details.
This trend’s significance lies in its ability to democratize personal style. While high-end jeweled sandals certainly exist, the charm and anklet element allows for a more accessible interpretation. A simple pair of everyday sandals can be transformed with a few carefully chosen additions, allowing anyone to participate in this trend regardless of budget. It speaks to a growing appreciation for self-expression and a move away from dictated trends towards individual curation. It’s a return to a sense of playfulness and joy in dressing, an understanding that fashion can be a vehicle for personal storytelling and a reflection of one's inner world. The emphasis isn’t solely on the shoes themselves, but on the narrative they convey – a glimpse into a personality, a mood, a memory.
Ultimately, the rise of jeweled sandals and shoe charms suggests a broader cultural shift toward embracing sensory experiences and celebrating individuality. It’s a move away from the muted tones and minimalist silhouettes of recent seasons and a confident step into a world of joyful adornment. The question now becomes: how will this trend evolve as we move beyond summer? Will it inspire a year-round embrace of embellishment, or will it fade as the seasons change, leaving behind a lingering appreciation for playful, personalized style?
I sincerely hope that, at the time of reading, you’re prepared to “get the dogs out”, a tickling expression that’s no joke post-solstice because, even more than most summers, it’s the year of putting your best foot forward—i.e. adorning your toes, ankles and even shoes in all manner of guises.
Celine’s summer campaign is an indicator of what you’re likely to see on the beach, with a sun-lounger shot that showed a pair of legs, criss-crossed feet and toes accessorised with either a chunky stack of rings or (get this!) miniature silk scarves. Phoebe Buffay’s school of thought when it comes to rings, except for your toes, is how you might summarise it, with a maximalist approach so eye-catching that you might even break your rule about not posting your feet on Instagram.
Or, if you prefer a covered approach, may I cast your eyes to Dior's Haute Couture autumn/winter 2027 runway. Hot off designing Taylor Swift's wedding dress, Jonathan Anderson’s recent collection featured bedazzled heels emblazoned with appliqué feathers and draped beading designed by footwear aficionado Nina Christen. This was, if nothing else, a masterclass in how accessorising your feet is as important as accessorising any other part of the body.
BFF dressing also includes toe rings and anklets (Tessa Thompson opted for double-stranded beads in Manhattan’s Midtown), sandals that incorporate their own hardware and shoe charms that can personalise a pair of boat shoes or gladiators, all of which add interest to where it counts this summer—your extremities.
5 'BFF' Shoe And Jewellery Trends
1. Toe Rings
Style Notes: Your gateway to wearing a toe ring might be a simple band (Anni Lu’s ridged design, for example), offering a no-muss, no-fuss approach that will complement rubber flip-flops—minimal and suited to all moods—to perfection. Alternatively, you can go “statement”, either stacking or opting to anoint one toe with a princess-coded crystal by Chan Luu (Swarovski’s prong-set stone will give your pinky bragging rights by the pool—just saying).
Shop Toe Rings:
2. Anklets
Style Notes: Far from being a trend or passing fad, some tastemakers have been wearing anklets—multiple anklets, in fact—like a uniform. Ramya Giangola, strategist and consultant, is one such individual—and her anklet game (and “pile it high” mantra) is unparalleled. Shannon Bond’s cubic zirconia anklet is impressively chic; wear it loose, tickling the ankle bone, for a louche mood or stack it with something beachy (Arket’s turquoise anklet, say) to create a “just back from Hydra” impression.
Shop Anklets:
3. Bead-strung Sandals
Style Notes: Occasionally, one pair of sandals wins summer. This year belongs to Le Monde Beryl’s Beaded Thong, which, available in ice blue or black, adorns your foot without you lifting a finger courtesy of a beaded T-bar. Marianne Symth (pictured above) is a fan, wearing hers with cargo pants for easy city dressing, as is Jalil Johnson, who styles them with ankle-cropped white trousers to show off their assets.
Shop Bead-strung Sandals:
4. Hardware Sandals
Style Notes: Your BBF quota can easily be fulfilled with a sandal that’s self-adorned, preferably with hardware that mimics a toe ring or anklet—and does the hard work for you. Amanu’s sandals come with bands of gold or silver, either curving over the top of the foot or the big toe, to create jewellery for your feet. Tory Burch, meanwhile, has the ultimate party sandal for summer 2026, a thong design with an upper that’s formed of square metallic plates, joined together for a vibe that’s disco-tastic.
Shop Hardware Sandals:
5. Shoe Charms
Style Notes: I met a friend while on holiday who had, rather ingeniously, upgraded her classic leather boat shoes. She used charms she’d collected over the years from Pandora, sliding a collection of trinkets—including a miniature camera—onto their laces. It’s such an easy way to repurpose pendant necklaces you no longer wear, adding sentimental value to a favourite pair of sneakers or leather ankle-tie sandals via an initial, a star sign or even a starfish.
Shop Shoe Charms:
Read on the original site
Open the publisher's page for the full experience