Men’s dress sandals are a versatile footwear option that can take you from laid-back casual looks to an outdoor sporty vibe, effortlessly.
Gone are the days when sandals were thought of as casual slippers, only good for chilling beside the beach or at the gym. Today, men’s fashion sandals are a raging trend. From celebrities to men walking down the street everyone is head over heels for this new fashion wave.
However, with a wide range of men’s dress sandals, the chances of getting things wrong increase. So, we have created this ultimate men’s sandal 2023 guide to help you out in this styling quest.
Let’s begin!
What To Expect In This Article?
What Are Men’s Dress Sandals?
As per definition, any footwear that leaves all or most of the upper foot area uncovered is a sandal. Sandals are open-style footwear with thick soles and straps. Sometimes these straps go around the ankle to keep the foot tight in place with the sole. While sandals also can have heels, most men’s dress sandals are flat.
These are comfortable and stylish footwear specially designed for warmer climate areas to keep the feet cool and dry while protecting against the athletic foot and other foot infections caused by enclosed footwear.
Best Sandals For Men
While there are many designs and styles of men’s summer sandals available, not all of them are worth investing your hard-earned money in. Here are some in-fashion sandal styles for men that can take your casual outfit game, one step ahead!
1. Men’s Flip Flops
Men’s beach flip flops, or jandals whatever you name them. These sandals will remain the ultimate choice of footwear for a laid-back and relaxed vibe.
While most flip flops have foam or rubber soles which are only suitable for indoor lounging or some light and fun outdoor activities besides the pool or beach. However, do not try to be involved in some vigorous sports with flip-flop sandals as they do not provide much support to the feet and can result in a serious foot injury.
If you are planning to attend a casual dinner in your flip-flops then get yourself a more polished and sturdy pair to help you make a style statement with your outfit.
2. Mule Sandals
With the advent of fashion, men’s slider sandals became the trending fashion and took over the market with the storm, even the high-end shoe brands could not stop themselves from acknowledging their popularity.
While men’s mules are a popular street sandal style, spending a fortune on these casual sandals seems foolish. So, try to opt for a trendy economical pair to suit your everyday footwear needs.
Socks and sliders are somewhat of an odd combination, but it has become an acceptable combination these days. But, we recommend you go sockless for a put-together look.
3. Sports Sandals
Sports sandals, as the name suggests, are especially designed for outdoor activities. They have a simple and sleek design, aimed to provide proper foot support for walking and other activities.
If you are always on the run, a pair of good quality sports sandals will take you a long way, without compromising on comfort or style. So, you better save your usual flip-flops for poolside parties and get sports sandals for all your outdoor errands.
4. Huarache Sandals
If you are looking for the best leather sandals to cater to your smart-casual footwear needs, huarache sandals are the one for you. These leather men’s dress sandals have a similar design to loafers but with a woven and lightweight build, ideal for all your summer parties and casual office days.
Huarache sandals come in a wide variety of designs; including the minimalist style that has a sole attached with thin ropes having a sleek and sophisticated design similar to loafer shoes. If you want to keep it low-key without ruining your summer aesthetics, these sandals deserve a place in your footwear collection.
What To Wear With Men’s Dress Sandal Shoes?
We all love to wear sandals with our casual everyday outfits. But, styling dress sandals for men is a tricky business. So, you better be very cautious about the choice of your outfit. To cut the labor for you, here are all the ways you can wear men’s dress sandals.
1. Suit Separate
A formal blazer with casual pants has a very smart casual vibe. Back in the day wearing a broken suit combination with sandals was considered no less than a crime. But, is now a popular outfit combo for fashion-forward men.
While styling sandals with a suit separate go sockless and avoid flip flops style at all costs, as they are inappropriate to wear with a smart casual look. Additionally, smart men’s black dress sandals are a good choice to go with.
On the other hand, choose the right contrast of your suit separates. Go for dark trousers that coordinate well with your sandals and choose the blazer accordingly.
2. Chinos
If you think chinos can look good only with leather sneakers or dress shoes, then try wearing them with men’s leather dress sandals. Chinos with a t-shirt and sandals are an absolute classic streetwear outfit that you can never go wrong with.
Whether it is a casual work day or a fun-filled night at the club, wearing chinos with dressier sandals is all you need to be on top of your game. Black, grey, and other neutral tones make some of the best matches to wear with chinos.
3. Jeans
Sandals are effortless shoes with a jeans combo. Being a casual clothing affair jeans go perfectly well with almost all sandal styles. However, washed-out slim-fit denim pants inherently make a wise choice to adorn with men’s leather sandals.
Wearing a light summer knit shirt with your jeans and sandal outfit is all you need to complete this ensemble in style. Throwing over a few accessories like a watch and sunglasses would be a plus here.
4. Beachwear
Sandals especially flip-flops and sliders are the best matches for your beachwear needs. Whether you plan to bask under the sun with a swim shorts outfit or want to pull off a laid-back beach holiday look, these sandals will cover you for all your beachwear footwear needs.
However, for a more put-together beach party look, you can try wearing strappy sandals, having a much dressier vibe than sliders. With this look, it is easier to transition between the bar and the beach without putting a lot of thought into your look.
5. Suit
Undoubtedly, suits and casual dress sandals are a perfect blend of smart and casual elements. However, they are not appropriate shoes with a suit combo for business casual or semi-formal occasions.
The best way to go with a suit and sandal combo is to pair them with cotton or linen summer tailorings. The color contrast is crucial. So, opting for leather men’s dress sandals is the perfect pair to give out a polished and thought-out vibe.
6. Shorts
Shorts and sandals are a perfect combination to slay all your casual summer events with a chic urban vibe.
The choice of your shorts can vary in length, depending upon your taste in fashion. However, cotton Bermuda shorts paired with a button t-shirt and slightly chunky leather sandals remain absolute classic shoes with shorts combination to create a style statement.
7. Socks
With rapidly changing fashion, there are various fashion trends that break into the fashion world and gain acceptability whilst being absolutely against the standard dress code rules. Wearing socks with sandals is also one of those trends.
While you can wear socks with those flashy men’s white dress sandals and pair them with your t-shirt and shorts outfit, we do not endorse this fashion trend as much.
8. Tailored Slacks
While sandals will not be your first choice to wear with tailored trousers, they definitely deserve a place in your smart footwear collection. Slipping into your tailored slacks with smart Italian leather dress sandals is an absolute style statement that will make you slay your casual dress-up game effortlessly.
However, for styling your trousers with sandals make sure they are of a considerate length with taper hems and end just right above the sandals for a complete look. Additionally, go for black and brown leather chunkier thick rubber sole sandals for a polished and sturdy look.
FAQs – Men’s Dress Sandals
Men should wear sandals in a relaxed and laid-back environment like chilling beside the beach or pool on a summer afternoon or as casual loungewear. These footwear styles are not suitable for vigorous outdoor activities because of poor foot support and protection against injury.
Yes, wearing jeans with sandals is a trendy outfit combination. You can try experimenting with different sandals like sliders, chunky sole sports sandals, or strappy Italian dress sandals to pick the one that suits your needs. However, wearing jeans with flip-flop sandals is a big no.
For checking the fit of the sandals, make sure the back of your foot sits slightly away from the sandals strap. If you are going for backless sandals or sliders do not make your heels sit at the edge of the sandal, instead choose a size up to let your heel fit on the sole properly.
There is no hard and fast rule about whether or not you can wear sandals to work. It all depends upon the work environment. If your office dress code allows relaxed and more laid-back footwear, you can surely try wearing sandals with your workwear for a smart polished vibe.
Sandals are an appropriate footwear option to wear in extremely hot weather. People prefer to wear sandals to let their feet breathe and to prevent getting affected with athletic feet and other infections, which mostly occur because of poor ventilation in leather shoes.
Conclusion
Men’s dress sandals are a wardrobe staple, appropriate for hot summer weather. Men’s fashion sandals are often thought of as hard-to-style footwear because of the extremely casual vibe. However, with the right choice of dress sandals for men that suits your style, you can be on top of your fashion game.
Out of all the other men’s sandal styles, men’s beach flip flops, sliders and sports sandals are some of the in-style sandals these days. You can pair them with your jeans, shorts, blazers, and chinos for an effortlessly chic casual vibe.
Just got a pair of thrifted brown dress sandals and found this article helpful. Would also like to see some image examples to better imagine the suggestions described in the writing. Thanks for the tips!