The further we get into summer, the less bothered we are about footwear that requires any sort of effort. As much as we love the look of knee-high boots and strappy heels, they are simply too much faff while we sweat our way through one heatwave after another.
There are a few golden rules for finding the ideal summer shoes: they need to be supportive to our arches, with enough grip to hold down our toes and prevent any slipping and sliding on a sweltering day. Most importantly, they should go with pretty much any outfit, from jeans and a T-shirt to floral dresses.
The trusty black strappy sandal checks all the boxes. This wardrobe essential balances versatility with comfort, and the variety of styles has evolved far beyond the ‘ugly sandal‘ prototype. Ahead, you’ll find our edit of the best black strappy sandals to shop right now, from chic gladiators to chunky fisherman sandals. Your feet will be very grateful indeed.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Warehouse Double Buckle Sandal, $, available at Warehouse
H&M Wedge-Heel Sandals, $, available at H&M
ALOHAS Buckle-Up Sandals, $, available at Anthropologie
Per Una Ankle Strap Sandals, $, available at Marks & Spencer
Porte & Paire Leather Sandals, $, available at Net-A-Porter
Teva Midform Infinity Sandals, $, available at Office
AllSaints Atlanta Sandals, $, available at AllSaints
Dr Martens Black Sandals, $, available at Schuh
Vagabond Strappy Flatform Sandals, $, available at ASOS
Free People Fisher Wedge Sandals, $, available at Free People
Whistles Leather Sandals, $, available at Selfridges
Nike Black Sandals, $, available at Farfetch
Suicoke DEPA-V2 velcro-strap sandals, $, available at Matches Fashion
CAT Footwear Progressor Buckle, $, available at CAT Footwear
Levi’s Cadys Low Slippers, $, available at Levi’s
iets frans Sport Sandals, $, available at Urban Outfitters
Dr Martens Vegan Gryphon Sandals, $, available at DR MARTENS
Teva Midform Universal, $, available at Teva
Ganni Sandals, $, available at 24S
Tommy Hilfiger Chunky Sole Hook and Loop Strap Sandals, $, available at Tommy Hilfiger
Monki Faux leather sandals, $, available at Monki
Vagabond Erin Leather Sandals, $, available at Vagabond
Even&Odd Platform Sandals, $, available at Zalando
Prada Black Nomad Logo Sandals, $, available at Browns
Rider R Next Black Sandals, $, available at Urban Outfitters
Issey Miyake Black Bounce Padded Sandals, $, available at Browns
UGG Australia Lennox Sandal, $, available at UGG Australia
Jeffrey Campbell Olivia Flatform Sandals, $, available at Free People
Cecile Bahnsen x Suicoke April Velvet-Bow Suede Sandals, $, available at Matches Fashion
Zara Chunky Sandals, $, available at Zara
Arket Chunky Leather Sandals, $, available at Arket
Ganni Hiking Leather Sandals, $, available at Matches Fashion
Stuart Weitzman The Zoelie Sandal, $, available at Stuart Weitzman
H&M Platform Sandals, $, available at H&M
H&M Leather Sandals, $, available at H&M
Nike Canyon Sandals Women’s, $, available at JD Sports
Vagabond Lori Chunky Sandals, $, available at The Hut
The Row Bare leather sandals, $, available at Net-A-Porter
Topshop Strippy Black Heeled Sandals, $, available at Topshop
Maryam Nassir Zadeh Maribel 85 Ankle Strap Caged Sandals, $, available at Farfetch
& Other Stories Strappy Knotted Heeled Sandals, $, available at & Other Stories
Intentionally Blank Intentionally Blank Willow Black Sandals, $, available at Urban Outfitters
Rafa The Simple Sandal, $, available at antibad
TKEES TKEES Jo Suede Sandal in Austen, $, available at Revolve
Schutz Evenise Slide Sandal, $, available at Nordstrom
Charles & Keith Asymmetrical Strappy Block Heels, $, available at Charles & Keith
Neous Venus Faille Sandals, $, available at Net-A-Porter
Mango See-through Heel Sandals, $, available at Mango
By Far Thalia Leather Mules, $, available at Net-A-Porter
Bershka Heeled Sandals With Tubular Straps, $, available at Bershka
Proenza Schouler Cylindrical-heel Wrap-around Leather Sandals, $, available at MatchesFashion.com
Zimmermann Kitten Sandals, $, available at Shopbop
Zara Methacrylate and Vinyl Scrappy Sandals, $, available at Zara
Reike Nen String Two-Tone Leather Sandals, $, available at Moda Operandi
H&M Leather sandals, $, available at H&M
Aldo Vigodia, $, available at Aldo
Dorateymur Black Suede Easy Sandals, $, available at SSENSE
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