Summer 2025 Shoe Trends the Fashion Crowd Is Obsessing Over

The summer 2025 shoe trends are a variety show, featuring a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a whole lot of fun. Not only does the motley mix of summer shoes create a rather entertaining spectacle—dare-devil clogs and high-flying pumps followed by quirky retro sneakers and sultry slingback heels that leave you wanting more—but the shoes trending this summer ensure everyone in the crowd leaves satisfied.

Classic headliners that are always great additions to off-duty beach outfits are back and better than ever. By Malene Birger showed leather flip-flops to replace the ones you’ve worn beyond repair, and The Row’s easy slides are no-brainers for when it’s too hot to fuss around in a heel. Then come the more experimental acts: Ferragamo’s Maximilian Davis, for one, trimmed his thong sandals with candy-colored fringe and set them on a spherical cork heel. 2025’s belt-buckle trend that’s cinching tote bags, tank tops, and summer dresses also finally makes its way down to the foot, with Khaite and Balenciaga fastening D-rings and silver clamps to open-toed sandals.

In sum, the shoe trends setting the stage for summer 2025 have something for every kind of shopper, from the traditional and minimal to the adventurous dressers seeking something new. Get a leg up on the shoes stylish women will be wearing all season with the well-rounded edit ahead.

Thong Song: The Remix

A proper list of summer shoe trends always includes thong sandals in some form. But this season, designers upped the flip-flop ante through thoughtful design tweaks, both aesthetically and architecturally. From sandals rendered in snakeskin and unexpected color combinations and straps sculpted up to the ankle and elongated into boot hybrids (Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri was clearly feeling inventive for the fashion house's Pre-Fall 2025 show), summer's thongs are flashier than your usual rubber-flip flops.

Bucklemania

Strap in for yet another season ruled by the belt buckle trend. Manifesting as hardware-heavy women's loafers (Ferragamo takes the lead here) and clasp-front clogs (Ganni, a maven for shoe trends, works its magic, with Balenciaga not too far behind), fashion's bucklemania secures an even tighter grip.

Vintage Kicks

Fashion is currently in thrall to vintage-inspired sneakers, and its fascination with footwear from decades past takes off at a quicker pace this season. Summer 2025's iterations featured slender sneakers crafted from must-touch suede and natural colorways reminiscent of the 1970s. (Think: chocolate browns, maroons, and olive greens.) Gucci's cherry red brushed leather low-tops and Ferragamo's mahogany ballet sneakers are sure bets for seasonal front-runners.

Prep Your Pedis

You typically expect designers to focus on the more "popular" parts of the body, like waistlines cinched by an hourglass jacket or shoulders shown via a cut-out sleeve. Attention has shifted this season, somewhat unexpectedly, to the toe. From peep-toe shoes that show all ten digits—or, if you're Demna at Balenciaga, that show everything but the big toe—to toe ring sandals with built-in hardware, summer '25 is the season to set up recurring visits at your nearby nail salon.

Out-of-the-House Slippers

You have your house slippers that live indoors and only go out when you need to empty the mailbox or your Pomeranian needs to pee. This summer, designers give you equally comfortable slip-ons that are meant to go beyond your bedroom. Start with Ulla Johnson and Max Mara's open-backed ballet flats or The Row's leather slides that, admittedly, look a lot more luxurious than the ones you took home from a recent hotel stay.

Fringe Benefit

For several seasons now, brands have taken great care to focus on craft-forward details. Case in point: the proliferation of fringe in this summer's shoes. Designers have taken full advantage of the movement-friendly decal, attaching tassels and pom-poms to their best fisherman sandals at Emilia Wickstead and lace-up Oxfords at Valentino, plus the strappy heels at Maria McManus.

Wrap It Up

There is something innately provocative about a shoe that laces up the ankle or wraps around the toes. Really, it's the BDSM silhouette of the footwear scene. This season, designers explored all avenues for the perverse style. Danielle Kallmeyer, for one, sent out both kitten-heeled strappy sandals and stringy, wrap-around thongs set on flat soles.