How to Wear Suits With Flat Sandals
The Summer Outfit I Didn't See Coming — and Can't Stop Wearing
Maybe it's a reaction to the school dress code I grew up with, but as an adult, I'm quite the opposite of a uniform dresser. I admire women with a go-to look, but that's very rarely me. Usually, I'm cobbling together an outfit, guided solely by the dress code, my mood — maybe hormones — and a leap of faith. It makes things fun (if a little chaotic), and keep things interesting. So while I know there's a simpler life out there, I had all but decided it wasn't for me, until I spied a street style trend taking over in Copenhagen, and most recently, Australia Fashion Week.
Apparently, suits styled with flat sandals is the coolest combination my wardrobe's been missing. Quite literally, it's breezy and easy in the heat, but figuratively speaking, it's also fresh and fashion-forward, and style-savvy without appearing overdone (one of the main requirements for my wardrobe). I remember seeing flip-flops styled with suits at Tibi's Spring 2019 show and admiring the effortlessness of it all.
Seeing the street style set bring it to life was the reminder I needed to make the look my own. I love the way the suit — a piece of clothing so often associated with buttoned-up businessmen and boardrooms — becomes laid-back and undone. It's the suit on holiday! Add flat sandals of any kind and the whole vibe softens, the silhouette relaxes, and it doesn't look at all like something you'd wear to work (you could, of course!), but something that begs to be worn for an occasion far cooler than that.
The formula is easy, but the impact is major. It's the look of someone who knows fashion and dresses well. It's uniform dressing at its best, and I'm all in this time. Read on for the looks that convinced me, and you might just be ditching your Summer dress for the freshest iteration of the suit thus far.
Laid-Back Suit Vibes Get Just the Right Finish With Ankle-Strap Gladiator Sandals, Don't You Think?
A Red Suit Is Intriguing, Yes, but Even More So With Birkenstocks in Place of Heels
Birkenstocks With This Easy Suit Strike Just the Right Balance of Stylish and "I Don't Really Care"
You Wouldn't Think to Pair a Fitted, Belted Jacket and Trousers With Fluffy Pool Slides, but Maybe You Should . . .
Rework the Work Look Just by Replacing Heels or Boots or Pumps With Something Way More Relaxed
A Little Ankle, a Lot of Jacket, and a Simple Slide Is "Business" Casual in All the Right Ways
Rethink Menswear With a Whole New Footwear Angle
A Black Suit and Coordinating Black Slides Is Understated but Not Unnoticed
That Suit! Those Chanel Sandals! Alexa Chung Is on to Something Here . . .
This Whole Ensemble Is a Minimalist Dream
Don't Overcomplicate a Kooky-Printed Suit; Just Add Slides
Buttoned-Up on Top, Pool Slides on Bottom
