The T-bar sandal trend was overlooked for a long time, but now it's everywhere

I’m going on vacation in the next couple of weeks, so to say I’m looking forward to it would be an understatement. I started packing last month (and by packing I mean loading clothes into suitcases, still) and have been ordering and trying on swimsuits for the past two months to find the perfect cossie. All for a 4 day trip. But one of my biggest priorities is getting my sandals broken in again.

After months of wearing trainers and ballet flats, putting my feet back in sandals was an eye-opening experience. Since last September, part of my foot has been rubbed and as a result has developed a large number of blisters that need to be calmed down. The main culprit is sliders, his sandals, which tend to cause the most friction because they have an open back and little support. Of course, this is the style I like the most.

As the panic started to settle in and walking around dragging them around for a few days wasn’t very appealing, I ordered a new pair of sandals. I knew it was a risk, but I knew I needed more support. So I bought T-bar sandals, a style I hadn’t considered in a while. And lo and behold, it was a huge success.

Featuring a strap that runs from the toe through the top of the foot to the ankle and is secured in place with an ankle strap, T-bar sandals have long been noted as a practical and comfortable footwear solution for summer, and more provides the functionality of It has more support than other silhouettes. What I’m trying to say is that sandals haven’t always been that popular and have lost out in popularity to other sandal trends (like sliders and thongs). But that all started to change. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a lot of fashion people wearing the trendy T-bar sandals. So it can’t be a coincidence.

From minimal flats to woven leather heels, there’s an undeniable chic vibe to this sandal shape. I tried them on with shorts and dresses and found that the vertical straps actually elongate my legs, which at 5′ 3″ is much appreciated. T-bar sandals are also in abundance on the market, with high streets and designer shopping districts stocking chic sandals in a range of colours, fabrics and heel heights. My favourites are Reformation’s barely there shoes, but Sézane’s white heels also caught my eye as a great option for evening shoes or wedding guest shoes.