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):
Lets meet the kids…
Wear with: something floaty like a long maxi dress.
Wear with: shorts or 7/8th pants or jeans paired with a tee on day when you need to get shizzle done.
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.
Wear with: a slim leg pant and button up shirt.
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?
Wear with: the rest of your Pocahontas costume.
Ahhh yes, Mama Espadrille made this one on her own. Wear with: relaxed fit cotton pants and a tank for holiday vibes.
Wear with: a pair of slacks and a nice blouse. Ta-dah! Ready to head to bingo.
Wear with: your swimmers and a sarong or kaftan. Perfectly poolside.
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.
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.
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.
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
Loved this post for the giggles. I’m not a big fashion follower, but I appreciated the human and the graphics – well done. Can’t wait to have a chuckle as I spot some of these in the wild over Summer.
Thanks Angie – in the wild is right! They’re coming for us! x
I love how detailed your posts are! Couple of things. I actually really like the orthadrille. I laughed so much at the ‘baby got (no) back’. I also love the Leopardrille! Great share Andrea. Looking forward to meeting you at ProBlogger. Kate, Wondrous x
Onya Kate – full respect for lovin’ the orthadrille and leopardrille!! Thanks for swinging by the blog – can’t wait to have a real life rendezvous in the next few days! SQUEE!! x
I have been swooning over esparilles. I am loving the wedge ones and the lace ones. I love this post. I love how you mashed them all up. Great post Andrea!!!
I can totally see you in an Espa-festival this summer Steph. You’ll rock it! x