The Summer of the Espadrille Spawn

August 8 2015

Last summer, I wrote a post entitled ‘the ugliest shoes summer ever did see‘ and shared some of the less-than-beautiful, albeit comfortable, shoes that had debuted for the season. We talked about how to make them work with your summer outfits and then all together crossed our fingers and toes that next season the story would be better.

I can’t say that it’s better this season, but there sure is a story!

The humble espadrille has had a busy off-season! You see, Mama Espadrille had a lot of cold lonely nights in the back of the shoe cupboard during the winter and went looking for some company. She found it. Mama Espadrille got up to all sorts of shenanigans; with lots of late nights cavorting with the other styles of shoe in the shoe cupboard! The result? A seemingly infinite parade of illegitimate espadrille babies!

Yep, no pure-breed papers here, people. These espadrilles are decidedly half cast. And while there is an espadrille created for nearly every occasion, they are not created equal. In this story, not all the babies are beautiful.

Before you see for yourself, a note of technical accuracy: the jute rope sole is the defining characteristic of an espadrille – the uppers vary widely in design (as we’re about to see). But of course, the espadrille that we’ve seen the most in the past is the classic (aka Mama Espadrille):

Classic Black Espadrille

At the centre of the scandal – Mama Espadrille: flat base, covered-in upper, often canvas.

Lets meet the kids…

Espadrootie

The Espadrootie aka Country Road’s Jazzy Jute sandal, $89.95

Wear with: something floaty like a long maxi dress.

Converspadrille

The Convespadrille aka Seed Heritage’s Gracie Lace Up, $89.95

Wear with: shorts or 7/8th pants or jeans paired with a tee on day when you need to get shizzle done.

Gladiespa

The Gladiespa aka Seed Heritage’s Jill Tie Up Wedge, $129.95

Wear with: a shorter dress and a double dose of confidence for an occasion you want to show off your pins. That’s where the attention will be in these shoes.

Platformadrille

The Platformadrille aka Country Road’s Kiera Suede Platform, $119.95

Wear with: a slim leg pant and button up shirt.

Espaslingback

The Espaslingback aka Seed Heritage’s Lydia Sling Back, $89.95

Wear with: something black? I genuinely devoted several full minutes to trying to come up with a good pairing here. I’m just not sure. Suggestions?

Pocahontadrille

The Pocahontadrille aka Seed Heritage’s Tahlie Fringe Bootie, $149.95

Wear with: the rest of your Pocahontas costume.

Baby Got No Back

The Immaculate Conception aka Seed Heritage’s Elsa Espadrille, $39.95

Ahhh yes, Mama Espadrille made this one on her own. Wear with: relaxed fit cotton pants and a tank for holiday vibes.

Orthadrille

The Orthadrille aka Seed Heritage’s Ginger Tie Up, $89.95

Wear with: a pair of slacks and a nice blouse. Ta-dah! Ready to head to bingo.

Espalide

The Espaslide aka Witchery’s Alethia Espadrille, $99.95

Wear with: your swimmers and a sarong or kaftan. Perfectly poolside.

Leopardadrille

The Leopardrille aka Witchery’s Winona Espadrille, $89.95

Wear with: ? I got nothing. Witchery says they’re “perfect for leisurely days spent in style”. Sounds a bit like they’re at a loss too.

Espavans

The Espavans aka Nine West’s Oranges (heh?), $119.95

Wear with: I’m a big Nine West fan (did you catch the five pairs of Nine West pump ‘Martina’ I snuck into this post?) but these are truly hideous. My best advice is try not to wear them at all. There is absolutely a better option for you out there. See you on the sale rack, Espavans.

Wedgadrille

The Wedgadrille aka Country Road’s Sandi Leather Wedge, $179.95

Wear with: navy – wouldn’t these look gorgeous with a navy midi or dress and a tan belt or handbag? Great with earthy colours too and office-friendly.

Espankle Strapadrille

The Espankle Strapadrille aka Sportsgirl’s Alice Ankle Strap Espadrille, $69.95

Wear with: a floral midi and a tucked in shirt or tee.

 

That’s it! (For now, who knows what other children are going to come out of the woodwork! Espathongs? Moccadrilles?) I’m partial to the Wedgadrille particularly with all the gorgeous navy hues around this season, but am thinking I’ll otherwise stick with the classic.

Are you going to mix it up with the new generation? Which are your favourite styles and how will you wear them? Or are you a bit afraid like me? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! 

6 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.