While you’re squirreling away your winter boots and dusting off your warm weather sandals, there’s no reason you can’t give your shoe collection a bit of a reboot. Summer heat means you’ll be traversing everything from boardwalks and sandy beaches to cobblestones and museum parquet. What’s the best way to handle all-terrain walking without sacrificing style? Slip on a pair of our wedges and you’ll be set whether you saunter, sashay or sprint from one destination to the next.
Toms Savannah Women’s Wedges
Toms Savannah Wedge
Trend: Texture
In addition to their ubiquitous flats and new ballet flats, charitable cobblers Toms are giving wedges a chic makeover. Available in a multitude of materials, patterns and colors — including linen, pinstripes and houndstooth — our favorite for the summer heat is the Savannah ($79), which blends a hot, red hue with a basket-weave texture that lends a bit of a hand-hewn vibe to an already stellar casual shoe. Of course, snagging a pair of these wedges will give a child in need a pair of Toms classics, too.
Available at www.toms.com
Sperry Top-sider Harbordale Wedge Sandal
Sperry Top-sider Harbordale Wedge Sandal
Trend: Nautical
Leave it to a Sperry, a label known for its relationship to seaside life, to craft the perfect wedge for the yachting set. The Harbordale ($108) takes classic wedge elements such as a cork-wrapped wedge and pairs it with nautical staples such as bold stripes and brass hardware. The best part? Sperry’s known for their rubber sole with Waving-Siping (which creator Paul Sperry modeled after the paws of his cocker spaniel, Prince). It will give you traction on dry land or a wet boat decks alike. Fashion and function, indeed.
Available at www.sperry.com
J. Crew Marci Patent Wedges
J. Crew Marci Patent Wedges
Trend: Tangerine
It’s no surprise to regular shoppers that J. Crew would embrace this year’s Pantone color: Tangerine Tango. After all, Jenna Lyons and J. Crew catalog models alike have their pouts painted in tangerine-tinged color no matter the season. The brand’s shoe pick for the summer, the Marci Patent Wedge ($198), is in the hot color, too. Standing at a mere three inches tall, it’s the perfect set of training wheels if you’re still earning your high-heel sea legs or just want an easy shoe to reach for to add a punch of color to your summer outfits.
Available at www.jcrew.com
Marchez Vous Claudette
Marchez Vous Claudette
Trend: Polka dots
In 2011, after an entire lifetime dealing with uncomfortable shoes, Yeardley Smith — the voice of Lisa Simpson — decided to take matters into her own hands (and feet) and launch a line of footwear. The result is a whimsical, fun brand that embraces quirky materials and designs that are both comfortable and fashionable. The Claudette ($395) is a great way to add a dash of dots to your summer wardrobe. The linen-wrapped wedge might look like more fashion than function, but Smith’s added a poron lined footbed for extra cushion and an adjustable ankle strap to make sure everyone can achieve a perfect fit.
Available at shop.marchezvous.com
Chloé Cutout Leather Wedges
Chloé Cutout Leather Wedges
Trend: Cutouts
Chloé is a label beloved as much for its shoes as its clothes, and every season, they release wedges that send shoe fanatics’ hearts racing (and create mile-long wait-lists). Taking a cue from the eyelet dresses and lace-trimmed pieces that made them a go-to for the boho-chic young Hollywood set, the Cutout Leather Wedges ($595) are a super girly take on the summer wedge. The intricate white leather straps are the perfect pair for summer pastels, cutoff denim and more, while the extra five inches you’ll get from the wedge are a boost you won’t get from anything else.
Available at www.net-a-porter.com
Photos courtesy Toms, J. Crew, Sperry Top-Sider, Marchez Vous and Net-a-Porter
