Summer Footwear Trend: Espadrilles

The Espadrille

Now when some of you look at the title of this article, you’ll probably think “what the hell are espadrilles?”. Have they got anything to do with fashion or are they some sort of strange accessory? Well I shall share the secret – they’re shoes.

The classic English stereotype of sandals and socks can be massively avoided with this type of summer footwear. Summer footwear has certainly changed across the years, from the socks and sandals look, to the plimsolls and no socks look, to the current canvas slip-on look which is my favourite out of them all. Slip-ons are perfect footwear for walking around the house, on the beach, and general holiday footwear. Light, comfortable and stylish, slip-ons are my footwear of choice this summer.

There is a vast range of summer slip-ons on the menswear market for all of us to look dapper in this summertime, and they all differ in some way. Whether it’s colour, material or shape, it means there is a style which will suit all of us out there. So read on and find out what shapes and styles you prefer. I am also going to suggest some items that will complement the look we are aiming for. And then you’ll know what you are looking for when browsing through the masses and masses of shoes available online nowadays!

Classic Styles

The classic espadrille is made of canvas, with a fibrous sole. They are comfortable for walking around in, and a perfect summer shoe for those who want to look stylish whilst wearing something practical. Have a look at some of my choices of plain espadrilles this season:

Style these espadrilles with:

• Short sleeve white t-shirt.
• Roll up denim shorts.
• Printed vest.

Printed Styles

To make things more interesting, there are various printed espadrilles this season which have a variety of patterns on them. These prints can range from geo-metric to checks to nautical themes. Stripes are a key pattern for this season, and are one of the most popular designs for espadrilles. Thin stripes or thicker stripes, the choice is yours. Here’s a selection of printed espadrilles:

Style these espadrilles with:

• Drop crotch trousers.
• Checked shirt.
• Cotton shorts.

Leather Styles

Recently, there have been alternative materials used to create espadrilles on the men’s market. For a smarter version of the usually casual footwear, espadrilles have been produced in leather. They have a more refined feel to them and can even be worn to formal occasions when the temperature is up and you don’t want to wear the usual “stuffy” shoes. If your looking for some variety on the traditional leather sandals, have a look at some of the current leather espadrilles:

Style these espadrilles with:

• Tailored shorts.
• Tailored shirt.
• Trilby.

Espadrilles are both stylish and practical, and are the perfect summer shoe for all occasions. Use this guide to your advantage and go and get yourself a pair of shoes with the funny name.

Matthew Burt.

Editor Addition

Now I am not a massive fan of the traditional espadrilles because I see them more of a practical shoe rather than “fashion”. However after having to publish and edit this article I did a little searching of my own and found some pretty nice canvas styles which cost a little more but you can tell just by the construction and shape of them that they should be regarded more of a casual shoe that can be worn like any standard plimsolls/canvas trainer. Take a look: