"I counted five," Kate mouthed from across the subway car after a group of women cleared out at the Abbesses metro stop. This investigatory tallying up became the everyday sort of conversation-slash-competition between my friend and I on our recent monthlong trip to Paris this summer. Five of what, you wonder? Not baguettes. Not croissants. Not berets. Birkenstocks. You see, when traveling to Paris (especially as a fashion writer), there’s a certain type of dress one assumes to witness. Neutral color palettes, sleek wardrobe staples, all-around effortlessness; this is why when I saw Parisians everywhere—and I mean everywhere—marching around in Birkenstocks, I was shook. Where were the ballet flats? The espadrilles? As a New Yorker, I believe I’ve mastered the art of deciphering locals from tourists, and believe me when I say these were real-deal Parisians in America’s beloved but also admittedly ugly footwear staple.
Now, of course, the way these Birkenstocks were styled was undeniably Parisian. I saw them paired with suit separates, cotton shirts, sleek denim, and other wearable summer ensembles like floral skirts with camisoles and the ilk. As someone who’s retired their Birks for the time being, I have to admit it inspired me to give them another go. I’ve always considered the ugly sandals trend to be something that didn’t quite extend to the French; perhaps it’s because it seemed too outlandish for their je ne sais quoi way of life or because the very notion of an ugly trend just didn’t seem fitting. Whatever the reason, I was proven wrong this summer.
Taking to Instagram, I tried to locate Parisian influencers to see if Birkenstocks were under my nose all along. Turns out, it seems to be more of a locals’ street style trend sort of situation (so Instagram is not flooded with images of Parisians in Birkenstocks despite the fact that the *actual* streets are).
However, I managed to unearth a couple of chic examples as well as evidence of a few other ugly sandals cropping up, like flip-flops and Dr. Martens. Continue ahead to see how Parisian women tackle ugly sandals and shop your favorites for the remaining summer temps (or your next warm-weather holiday away).
One of Instagram’s more established Parisian influencers, Camille Charrière, shows how a pair of chunky slide sandals can look quite chic worn with a suit. A chic way to dress down this formal pairing.
If you’re already open to the idea of ugly footwear, then meet the fall equivalent of Birkenstocks: Crocs. They’re comfortable, classic, and sure to stir up some lighthearted controversy.
This summer we’ve seen a huge revival of flip-flops in a chic context. Try the trend with an easy-peasy slip dress.
Slide into a pair of Dr. Martens’s clunky sandals for a quick contrast to whatever more delicate situation you’ve got going on up top.
Voilà! More flip-flops but this time in a monochrome palette.
If you’re wearing sand-colored Birkenstocks, wear them with a long trench coat to transition into the autumn months.
Despite the inevitable cool down that fall is about to bring, you can still wear your Birks with a pair of socks. As seen above, it actually looks quite stylish.
Up next: These will be the biggest ugly trends for fall 2019.
Source: Who What Wear – Nicole Kliest