THE JOURNAL
Ways To Wear is a series about versatility and how, with a few judicious purchases and a bit of lateral thinking, you can make the contents of your wardrobe go that much further. With summer just around the corner, what better time for us to focus on one of the foundations of the men’s warm-weather wardrobe, the humble sandal?
Sandals are burdened with more than their fair share of negative associations, the old “socks and sandals” stereotype being perhaps the most damaging. Cast aside hackneyed attitudes, invest in a good pair – three of which you’ll meet below – and, last but not least, get yourself a decent pedicure and you are sure to land on your feet.
Versatility is the name of the game here. The three pairs of sandals we’ve picked out for your consideration are good enough to wear all summer long. To provide a little direction, we asked our fashion editors to pick out an outfit to wear with each pair.
01.
The classic
Birkenstock’s two-strap Arizona sandal is popular for a reason. It’s comfortable, it’s hard-wearing and it goes with anything. OK, not quite anything, but you catch our drift. It’s available in a huge variety of colours and materials, and even boasts a catalogue of high-fashion crossovers from brands including Rick Owens and Fear of God. We’ve played it safe here by opting for navy blue suede uppers on a classic cork footbed.
Few colours go together as well as navy blue and white, so it’s no surprise that these Beachcomber cargo trousers from Polo Ralph Lauren are the perfect partner to our sandals, bringing a real “August in Montauk” vibe to our outfit, which is echoed up top by a Breton-style T-shirt from Brittany’s Armor-Lux.
A word of warning: while the nautical look is a timeless option for summer, it’s easy to overdo it. This salmon-pink linen shirt from the Indian artisanal fabric specialist Karu Research keeps things from veering into Jean Paul Gaultier perfume-bottle territory, while a few carefully chosen accessories and pieces of jewellery do the rest.
02.
The fisherman
Think of the fisherman sandal as a grown-up version of those jelly sandals we used to wear as kids. Less of a bold statement than the gladiator sandal but more substantial than the huarache, it represents a happy medium between strappy sandal and summer shoe, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for something lightweight and breathable, but you’re not quite ready to go fully toes-out.
In the hands of The Row, the ultra-minimalist New York label, it’s sublime. Forget mackerel, this is a fisherman who deals exclusively in lobster and turbot. We’ve dressed it up accordingly, pairing it with pleated linen shorts from the Neapolitan tailoring house Kiton, a TOM FORD tank top and a wonderfully laid-back chore jacket from SMR Days.
A baseball cap from Brunello Cucinelli, Santos sunglasses from Cartier Eyewear and a leather-trimmed canvas tote bag from TOM FORD reinforce this outfit’s theme of low-key luxury, while keeping the colour palette neutral leaves us room to brighten things up with a few choice accessories. A candy-coloured watch from laCalifornienne and a large-cut orange sapphire necklace from 42 SUNS do the job in this case, providing you with all the bling this look needs.
03.
The hiker
We’re going full retro for look three with the Nike Air Deschutz +, a technical sandal released in 1992 under the Oregon sportswear brand’s ACG or “all-conditions gear” diffusion line. Originally designed for action sports such as kayaking, we’ve redeployed it here as part of an outfit that’ll cover you for everything from city breaks to summer festivals. All conditions indeed.
Putting to bed once and for all the outdated notion that socks and sandals are a fashion faux pas, we’ve styled them here with a pair of smiley socks from the cult Japanese casualwear brand KAPITAL, which deserve a spot in every man’s underwear drawer. Meanwhile, a pair of denim shorts from Acne Studios and a long-sleeved logo T-shirt from Gallery Dept. form the rest of the basic outfit.
Finishing things off is a dusty pink zipped jersey sweater from the Los Angeles basics brand Abc. 123., a cross-body bag from Master-Piece, a cap from Danton, sunnies from KENZO and an elegantly simple signet ring from Tom Wood.