Forget Flip-Flops—8 New Sandal Trends It Girls Are Wearing Now to Manifest a Stylish Summer
Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Hailey Bieber are making this pedicure season one to remember.
My favorite It girls are sharing more pedicure inspiration this month than they have all year. I have 2026 sandal trends to thank for that. Fresh coats of polish are no longer hiding under high-vamp flats or sneakers. Instead, rising summer trends like heeled flip-flops and naked sandals are all the motivation I need to get to the salon.
Flaunting freshly-painted pedicures beneath the flip-flop trend was one of my favorite summer 2025 pastimes. Hailey Bieber must've known, because she revived her go-to thongs for round two this season. The only difference? The black leather kitten heels she wore nonstop last year now stretch a few inches higher.
Speaking of shoe trends back for seconds, Selena Gomez was one of the first VIPs to dip her toe into the toe-ring sandal trend for summer 2026. She didn't join Jennifer Lawrence or Kendall Jenner in giving her big toes the Y2K treatment last year. But Gomez's wedged pair in March proved it's never to late to board the toe-ring bandwagon—especially when Calvin Klein, Celine, and Jean Paul Gaultier pioneered its runway return.
It seems VIPs are just as excited for pedicure season as I am. Open-toe sandals seized A-list shoe racks weeks before their first summer pedicures dried down. So ahead, dip your toes into eight of 2026's most celebrity-approved sandal trends. I already booked a standing pedicure appointment at my local salon to test them out. You will, too.
The Heeled Flip-Flops Sandal Trend, Worn by Hailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber remains loyal to The Row's take on the heeled flip-flops trend.
If you thought Bieber's affinity for heeled flip-flops would stay in summer 2025, think again. Her beloved, black leather thongs are back and higher than ever. So far, the Rhode founder has styled the three inch-ers with the capri pants trend and cigarette jeans, but they looked the most luxe beneath a vintage Gucci LBD on March 23. Fellow style agenda-setters from Gabrielle Union to Kendall Jenner have similarly worn (and re-worn) similar pairs this spring.
The Two-Tone Sandal Trend, Worn by Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence's The Row Dune Sandals look good as new in 2026.
Yes, fashion search engine Lyst named The Row's Dune Sandal the "Hottest Item" for the entirety of Q2 in 2025. However, Jennifer Lawrence doesn't let an It shoe pass her by that quickly. She took the $690 red bottoms out of storage as recently as April 15, alongside an equally recognizable Dior by Jonathan Anderson bag. It's only a matter of time before fellow Dune devotee Zoë Kravitz re-wears the status symbol, too.
This time around, The Row has some healthy competition in the two-tone thong department. Balenciaga, Ottolinger, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alberta Ferretti, and more are following the Olsen twins' multi-color lead in the sandal department.
The Toe-Ring Sandal Trend, Worn by Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez tapped into the toe-ring sandal resurgence in mid-April.
I wasn't sure if summer 2026 would resurrect the toe-ring sandal trend, but Selena Gomez's dinner outfit on April 20 confirmed: They're back. She chose wedge sandals with chocolate brown bands around her big toes. The brand behind her sandals still remains a mystery, but the worthy replacements below could complement any jeans trend in your denim drawer. Gomez's straight-leg style included.
Emma Stone also styled her toe-ring sandals with jeans, while Kendall Jenner's sleeveless sundress made them a touch more formal. Who knew the toe-ring styling opportunities would be so endless?
The Crossover Sandal Trend, Worn by Aubrey Plaza
Aubrey Plaza declared the crossover sandal trend pregnancy-friendly.
If Aubrey Plaza's crisscross Celine sandals felt familiar, that's because similar silhouettes were all over Alaïa, Miu Miu, and Ulla Johnson's recent runways. According to fashion editor Lauren Tappan, they're one of summer's easiest shoe trends to dress up or down. Pair them with a micro-mini dress à la Plaza for a fun and flirty 'fit, or layer them beneath your jeans trend of choice.
The Platform Sandal Trend, Worn by Zendaya
Zendaya twisted the heeled flip-flops trend on its head with a platform The Row pair.
Long before Zendaya flip-flopped through L.A. in platform sandals, Tappan spotted similar pairs on Balenciaga, Tibi, and Prada's Spring 2026 runways. When you take away The Row's $990 price tag, Z's flip-flop outfit is surprisingly easy to emulate. Couple a classic long-sleeve with linen trousers, then add some height with platform slides. They don't need to stretch as far as Lizzie McGuire's sandals, either. Humble one-inch soles will do.
The Block-Heel Sandal Trend, Worn by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift was spotted in NYC wearing block-heel Christian Louboutin sandals.
Sure, the skinny stilettos on Jenner and Bieber's flip-flops look sleek, but are they stable in sand? Not exactly. Enter: Taylor Swift's block-heel sandals from Christian Louboutin. Her "goes with everything" brown pair featured not one, but three straps for extra security, two atop her vamps and another around her ankles. Swift and her on-sale Staud sundress could've strutted to the nearest beach and had zero issues wading the sand.
Two weeks later, Swift returned to New York City, another pair of block-heel sandals in tow. This time, the black, double-strapped slides boasted The Row tags beneath her tailored trousers and peplum button-down. She's the latest celebrity shoe collector to upgrade to thicker heels, following Anne Hathaway, Florence Pugh, Sophia Bush, Halsey, and more. Even Aubrey Plaza's crossover sandals doubled as a block-heel endorsement.
The Naked Sandal Trend, Worn by Rihanna
Rihanna offset her full-coverage outfit with the naked sandal trend.
Believe it or not, there's a nakeder sandal trend than flip-flops on the market. Rihanna modeled it on May 12, beneath an extra-long pair of black pants. Every element of the wedge heels—including slim, peep-toe straps and a sky-high heel—was crafted from transparent PVC. She's the latest footwear risk-taker to bare it all beneath naked sandals, following Chrissy Teigen, Zoë Kravitz, Charlize Theron, Demi Moore, and Katy Perry.
The Slim Sandal Trend, Worn by Hannah Einbinder
Hannah Einbinder graced the Cannes Film Festival in the skinniest of sandals.
The exact opposite of platform sandals is trending this season, too. Extra-slim shoes looked skinnier than ever on Miu Miu and Diotima's runways. Then, Hannah Einbinder gave the silhouette a proper Hollywood close-up at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Straps beneath her toes and around her ankles couldn't have been thicker than one-millimeter wide. Yet, the Hacks star didn't wobble once during her Alaïa-clad photocall.
