From Strappy to Stiletto: Sandals in Vogue Throughout the Years

The spring forecast calls for sandals, “those great and classic flatterers of women’s feet” as Vogue put it in 1933. As snowdrops and crocuses poke through the thawed earth, the bloom falls off our romance with winter’s high-heeled boots (or comfy Uggs). No shoe is as simple—or seductive—as a sandal. The barest and oldest footwear in existence, it has been worn by Roman warriors and Vargas girls alike, and run the gamut from the flat, sand-between-your-toes variety to strappy, Marmont-ready stilettos. To see how this warm-weather classic has transformed over time, here’s a look at sandals in the Vogue archives.

Featuring covers, advertisements, articles, photographs, and illustrations in their original context, the Vogue Archive offers a glimpse of Vogue’s unparalleled record of fashion, social, and cultural ideas.

Vogue.com registered users have access to a selection of editor-chosen issues from the Vogue Archive. Vogue magazine subscribers have access to a selection of 36 issues, including the very first issue of the magazine from 1892. To access the Vogue Archive, go to voguearchive.com and use the Archive Login in the upper-right-hand corner.