This is how I’m elevating my sandal game this summer.

It's time to elevate the sandal game, my friends. This is a good time to realize that while the trend may have returned, it hasn't returned in the same fashion. Tevas: yes. Busted up nasty-ass Tevas: only for those situations where no other shoe should venture. Birkenstocks: yes. The same Birkenstocks you wore in college: maybe with the pajama pants you wore in college, but that's about it.

We're grown-ass women, we may have no fucks left to give but we still give a shit and we both deserve it and show we deserve it by caring for our feet and what adorns them.

It's Time to Care for Your Shoes Properly

If you don't have a shoe care kit, you need to make one. There's no better time than now to start thinking about closet longevity. If we buy well and care for those purchases well, they will last longer and also be more enjoyable to wear for a long span of time. If you don't know anything about shoe care, head to your search engine of choice and search for [type of footwear] care to find the best methods.

• Birkenstock makes a shoe care kit. It's less than $20. If you wear the sandals, this is a way to keep them looking and smelling better longer.
• Jason Markk is a B Corp that sells a variety of shoe care kits and individual products. At the time of publishing, Jason Markk is not on Goods Unite Us; Donor Secrets states the last donation by the CEO was in 2022 to the RNC and wasn't astronomically large.
• If you have shoe care recommendations, do share them in the comments below!

If you have fussy feet, I get it, and I think it is even more imperative to get the best you possibly can afford with a return policy that let's you truly see if they won't destruct or cause destruction, and maintain the fuck out of those shoes so they look as good as possible and are replaced before a good friend tells you it's time.

Is this easy? No. But is it easy to go shopping again and again for something that seems harder and harder to find? In 2025, if it's in good condition and fits well, it can also be stylish.

They always said you can determine a man by his shoes. I used that saying 20 years ago on Wardrobe Oxygen to explain that one should care for their shoes to earn more respect from others. In 2025, I am using it to illustrate how it can determine if you stopped caring about yourself, or caring about what others think.

Feet are important, and we're at the age where we are feeling the effects of not caring enough when we were younger. I survived perimenopause and a pandemic; I deserve shoes that bring me both comfort and joy.

Joy isn't stinky, busted-up shoes or new but not quite right shoes. Self-care can be polishing up and caring for your shoes that care for your feet. It can bring more comfort and joy than new. And in 2025, it's also considered stylish.

Rewearing is a Celebrity-Endorsed Style YES

Don't believe me? Look at all the celebrities on the red carpet wearing dresses from 20 years ago, even dresses from their own closets worn on past red carpets. Heck, they're turning the dress backwards to give it a second look and second life and fashion critics are applauding. New isn't chic, and discomfort is never chic.

Discomfort can be aching arches, blistered heels, callused pinkies, odor, amateur repairs, worn soles, and souls worn thin from general dislike of the shoes. (I'm sorry, I had to.)

Either replace what you have that is perfection, or go with a bit more modern of a look that won't be dated by 2027. This summer, I think a brown leather sandal is a smart choice. Hardware should not be jewelry, minimal to zero embellishment. The style should feel timeless and elevated.

It is okay if they look like “comfort” shoes. A molded footbed is chic, as are cork styles like Birkenstock sandals and soft leather and wide straps.

If you can't afford designer, go with something that you have no idea what the brand is. Keep it simple, keep it looking like it could be from DSW, from The Row, or custom-made for you on a trip overseas.

New or old, take care of these shoes. They're not cute if they're all busted and grungy. Get that shoe kit, and get to know your local cobbler. This is the most stylish thing you can do in 2025.

The Best Vintage is the Vintage Already in Your Closet

I'm serious, the new, “Oh it's vintaaaaaaage” is, “Oh, I bought these 23 years ago.” And to have it 23 years old and looking good enough to ask you where you got them, that's baller.

That being said, nobody looks stylish with busted-up feet. No need to go get gel polish and some nail art, but your feet need to look like you care about yourself. Exfoliation, moisture, and buffed nails is the minimum in 2025. If you're not good at it, get a professional. If it's been a while, that professional may be a podiatrist first. No shame in the self-care game; feet matter for health, comfort, and longevity as well as appearance.

Other sandal trends are happening in 2025, and there are far more chic, luxurious, or cool options, but we grown-ass women know it's stupid to sacrifice our feet for fashion, and we've seen that the It Brand or It Silhouette, especially for shoes, can change quite quickly over a few years.

Keep it simple, sweetheart, and provide them the love and care they deserve and you will be that woman in the silk skirt or linen trousers or vintage jeans with those sandals that could be DSW or The Row last spring or last decade.

A closet with a history is a closet with style. History isn't from time spent, but the events that shaped that time. You do not need new to be fashionable in 2025; modern fashion is about showing you give a damn about yourself. My friends, let's start this summer from the ground up.

To shop the entire collection of shoes featured in this article, visit my boutique page on ShopMy or follow me on LTK.