Send my condolences to last summer’s ‘It’ shoe.
Monochromatic looks are having a major moment. Just this week, Anne Hathaway wore head-to-toe cerulean blue, Rihanna matched her new hair color to a butter yellow dress, and Lupita Nyong’o made me think Barbiecore might be back with her pastel pink pantsuit. Every look was undeniably chic, which is kind of the appeal of monochromatic dressing—but there was one matchy-matchy moment I became immediately obsessed with: Zoe Saldaña’s all-red ‘fit.
When the actress stepped out in New York City, she looked like a tall glass of red wine. Her satin dress—a muted berry color—cut low in the front, creating a dramatic deep V-neck that was perfectly balanced by the elegant tulle that poked out from below the body-skimming number. Saldaña then added a matching topcoat over the dress, and finished the look with a pair of strappy heeled sandals in a deep, oxblood hue. And while there wasn’t an element of this outfit I wouldn’t love to own, it was her summer-ready shoes I might actually need.
Vagabond Jonna Leather Strappy Kitten Heel Sandals
Buy on Zappos $140
Modatope Strappy Heel Sandals
Buy on Amazon $50
Heels have never and will never be out, but for the past few years, we’ve been leaning more toward practical dressed-up styles; it was hard to go out without seeing a pair of flats, loafers, or Mary Janes. This winter, however, we started to see the pendulum swing back in the other direction as more and more people swapped those shoes for slingback pumps—a style Saldaña just proved we’re wearing into summer.
Her sandals featured a thin strap across the bridge of her foot, a slingback (and front) detail that wrapped around her ankle, and a tall, skinny heel. As silly as it might feel to call a shoe sexy, these strappy ankle-breakers were just that—and I’m fully prepared to wear them now through September.
Heeled sandals are far from new, but after last summer’s biggest footwear trend being flip-flops, the classic style now feels really fresh. They’re sleek and outfit elevating, whether you’re wearing them with an equally chic dress like Saldaña or using them to dress up a pair of relaxed trousers. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy to style. The thin, barely-there straps and skinny heels can practically go undetected if that’s the goal or could offer a small pop of color without dominating a look—they’re the icing on top of an already really good cake.
Saldaña’s strappy heels are the sexy sandals my wardrobe needs for summer nights. Shop more styles inspired by her shoes, below.
Get the Look:
Open Edit Tawney Sandals
Shop now: $70; nordstrom.com
Jeffrey Campbell Fluxx Sandals
Shop now: $130; nordstrom.com
Vince Julian Kitten Heel Sandals
Shop now: $330; bloomingdales.com
Frame Le Ozzie Ankle-Tie Sandals
Shop now: $160 (Originally $398); nordstromrack.com
Banana Republic Strappy Heeled Sandals
Shop now: $90; bananarepublicfactory.gapfactory.com
Coach Kelsey Sandals
Shop now: $225; coach.com
Proenza Schouler Red Square Strappy Heeled Sandals
Shop now: $625; ssense.com
Bibi Lou Simple Strappy Kitten Heel Sandals
Shop now: $170; anthropologie.com