Sandals are one of the most popular designs of footwear worn during the summer. The term sandals is an umbrella for a wide variety of footwear types such as flip flops, wedges, slides, gladiators, and dress sandals, to mention a few. Slingback sandals are one of the increasingly popular sandals worn when the weather is warmer or even when it’s chilly in some cases (with stockings underneath of course). Read on for more details about this particular type of sandal that might just be what you need in your wardrobe.
What are slingback sandals? A slingback sandal is a design of women’s footwear that is distinguished by a strap that goes behind the ankle or heel.
They can be made from a wide range of materials, including synthetic, leather, and suede. Heel types featured in slingback sandals range from thick wedge-type designs to stiletto-thin varieties. You can pair these sandals with dresses, skirts, shorts, or pantsuits to add a feminine and elegant appearance to your whole look. Like with other types of footwear that have open backs, you may experience problems with your foot slipping out of your slingback sandal as you walk. To solve this issue, you can try spraying your feet with hairspray before slipping into the sandals. Another solution that has been proven to work is making use of double-sided tape to keep your foot in place.
Women love a fashionable high heel, and classic slingback sandals are popular today as ever. This shoe can be styled in a variety of ways, therefore making a great addition to your wardrobe. Here is a look at the various aspects of this sandal.
The design of slingback sandals
Slingback sandals are characterized by the strap that goes behind the heel or ankle. They come in a wide-ranging variety of styles from dressy to casual, with heel height ranging from high to none. The heel types also vary, and they include:
- Platform heels – Platform slingback sandals feature a platform that is found under where your toes rest. As a result, they are more comfortable to walk around in as compared to sandals that have pointed fronts.
- Kitten heels – Kitten heel slingback sandals are comfortably low and often just thin as stilettos. They are much easier to walk in and often considered to be training heels.
- Stiletto heels – Stiletto slingback sandals feature tall, thin heels that require quite a bit of balancing to be able to walk properly. They tend to draw attention to the legs and make the wearer seem thinner. However, they are notorious for being very uncomfortable especially when you are on your feet for extended periods.
- Cone heels – Slingback sandals that feature this type of heel have a slim base and a wide sole, taking the shape of an ice cream corn.
- Wedge heels – Unlike with other types of heels, wedges have no distinction between the sole and the heel. Despite being elevated, wedge slingback sandals are comfortable as your weight is evenly distributed on the footbed, making it easy to walk in them.
How to style slingback sandals
Slingback sandals are always a safe bet to allow you to pull off an elegant style. They are perfect for any summer day, whether you are out and about on a casual day or for a business casual event or even for a date night at a fancy restaurant. Here are some tips on how you can pair them with various outfits.
1. Dresses
Dresses never fail to pair strikingly with high-heeled slingback sandals. Whether the dress you intend to wear is a bandage little black dress or a sophisticated sheath, a pair of color-coordinated peep-toe slingback sandals will show off your legs perfectly.
2. Skirts
Consider combining black patent slingback sandals with a sleek form-fitting pencil skirt. Flouncy pleated and A-line skirts can also be matched beautifully with this style of sandal. To express more of your personality in your outfit, try pairing your skirt with bold and brightly colored slingback sandals – just make sure that the color of the skirt and that of your sandals don’t clash. Alternatively, opt to pair a plain skirt with slingback sandals that feature feminine details like bows, ruffles, and embellishments for a playful but flirty look.
3. Pantsuits
Pair a sleek pantsuit with a polished slingback sandal. Look for neutral-colored pairs such as tan, grey, or black to keep your outfits both stylish and versatile. A cobalt or fuchsia pantsuit will pair beautifully with nude or black slingback sandals. On the other hand, if your closet is made up of neutral-colored pantsuits in blacks and ivories, you want to go for colorful slingback sandals that will add that pop of color to your whole look. Both low and high slingback sandals will look great with pantsuits, so choose a heel height that suits the setting (and your hem length, of course)
4. Shorts
When the weather is perfectly warm, consider combining a floral slingback sandal that features a wedge heel with a pair of jean shorts and an ivory or pastel blouse. You can also try pairing silk shorts in black or any other neutral color with a bright-colored slingback – think tangerine or hot pink. Leather shorts are very trendy as well and can be worn during the summer or on a mild fall day. Opt to pair them with charcoal black peep-toe slingback sandals and a slouchy t-shirt to achieve an edgy and fashion-forward look.
How to keep your heels from slipping out of your slingback sandals
For one reason or another, your feet may slip out of your slingback sandals as you are walking. This is not only embarrassing but can also cause you to stumble as you walk. Here are some tips on how you can resolve this issue.
1. Skip using heavy lotions
One of the reasons why your feet may be slipping is due to excessive use of heavy lotions that leave your feet damp long after you have applied them. The dampness will, therefore, result in a lot of sliding as you walk. To avoid this, try skipping heavy lotions on the days you intend to wear slingback sandals.
2. Use talcum powder on your feet
As you might know, your feet sweat quite a bit, and accumulation of the sweat can cause a lot of slipperiness. To reduce the moisture, try applying a thin layer of baby or talcum powder to the footbed of the slingback sandals. Brush off the excess powder once you wear the shoes.
3. Spray your heels with hairspray
Before wearing your slingback sandals, spray the bottom of your feet with hairspray. This works because hairspray will make your feet sticky and consequently keep the sandals in place as you walk.
4. Use double-sided tape
If your heels keep slipping out, use some double-sided tape on the footbed of the sandal so that it sticks to the shoe as well as your foot. However, unlike hairspray, double-sided tape can be easily seen and tends to become less sticky as you release heat from your body and sweat. Therefore, you will need to keep a roll of the tape in your purse to make replacements if you opt to use this technique.
5. Try wearing the slingbacks with no-show foot liners, insoles, or cushions
You can also try using ball-of-foot cushions that will keep your feet from sliding down or moving forward as you walk. Double up as needed. Alternatively, you can also position a half insole insert in the area of the sandals where the balls of your feet rest. This will keep your foot from constantly sliding forward and away from the sandal strap. If the ball of the foot is not the problem, you can try inserting a rubber strap insert into your slingback sandals. You will find a wide selection online, and they are quite cheap. These rubber straps are self-adhesive, so all you need to do is peel off the backing and then stick them on the inside of the straps where you feel it is loose.
6. Add a hole in the strap of the slingback
If your leather slingback sandals stretch out and end up becoming slightly bigger, you can try punching a new hole in the sandal strap. Put the slingback on, pull the strap as tight as you want it to be, mark on the inside of the strap where the buckle will go and punch a new hole using a revolving leather hole punch. If you are wary of doing this on your own, opt to take the sandals to a cobbler to do it for you instead.
7. Buy the right size sandals
In some cases, your feet may be sliding out of your slingback sandals because the shoes are simply too big. For such situations, you will want to switch the sandals for a pair your size if the store where you bought them from has a return policy. Otherwise, avoid wearing them as they will only cause you to lose balance as you walk.
Final thoughts
Slingback sandals are stylish and classic footwear that have managed to stand the test of time and remain fashionable even today. This can be attributed to their versatility which allows you to pair them with a wide variety of outfits and wear them out to different occasions. They are a great choice for those that appreciate laidback yet elegant footwear.