The shoe you wore to the playground in the late '90s just got a luxury upgrade—and this summer, it's not asking for permission

Even though summer hasn't officially arrived in NYC, the weather app says otherwise. And the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/meryl-streep-street-style-press-looks-fashion-devil-wears-prada-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">street style</a>? It's screaming about it. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/designer-kitten-heels-jimmy-choo-khaite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sandals</a> are out—and not just any kind, but the translucent, slightly squeaky ones you thought you'd left behind somewhere between third grade and your first pair of heels.
Nobody saw this coming. Or maybe we all did, and just didn't want to admit it... Either way, they found their way back in.
And here's the thing about <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/jelly-sandals-are-summer-2025-biggest-shoe-trend-shop-now-chloe-the-row-jimmy-choo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jelly sandals</a>: they are, objectively, a weird shoe and a bold decision to make. Plastic, see-through, usually candy-colored. It's exactly the kind of thing that, if someone described it to you without a photo, you'd politely say "no thanks." And yet, every summer, without fail, something happens. You see them on the right person, in the right light, with the right outfit—and suddenly you have a full revelation. Everything makes sense again.

Loewe Spring/Summer 2026. Courtesy of Loewe.

Chloé Spring/Summer 2026. Getty Images.

But this year, the jelly shoe is doing more than just coming back—it's making a case for itself. The version that gave you blisters on the way to school has been replaced by transparent mules, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/how-to-style-flip-flops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flip flops</a>, and kitten heels.
Smoky, printed, ruffled—call them whatever you want, they'll show up anyway. Super bold à la <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/bergdorf-goodman-window-display-loewe-spring-summer-2026-collection-where-to-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Loewe</a>, or quietly classic à la <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/valentino-kering-eyewear-new-york-event-spring-summer-2026-eyewear-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valentino</a>. Because there's something about a shoe that doesn't take itself too seriously that makes everything else feel lighter—and that, more than any runway moment, is what keeps us coming back.

Loewe Jelly Shoes

Gucci Jelly Shoes

Farm Rio Jelly Shoes

Ganni Jelly Shoes

As for how to wear them: simpler than you think. Every route works, and they'll all lead you somewhere good. On the minimalist side, keep it relaxed and refined—a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/midi-dress-how-to-style-spring" target="_blank" rel="noopener">midi dress</a> and a jelly mule, wide-leg trousers and a clear <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/kitten-heel-boots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kitten heel</a>. Let the shoe do the talking and keep everything else in its lane.
But if you're feeling bolder, lean into the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/wrong-shoe-theory-tiktok-styling-trick-fashion-hack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrong shoe theory</a> and mix them with more color, pattern, and experimental silhouettes. The jelly sandal doesn't need to be justified. It just needs the right weather—and a willingness to remember that getting dressed is supposed to be fun.

Jelly Sandals are the Unexpected Nostalgic Trend Taking Over Summer 2026 Style

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