Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski: the 3 shoes to wear with capri pants this summer
Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski: the 3 shoes to wear with capri pants this summer
It sits somewhere between a full-length trouser and a short, and for a long time that in-between status kept it in fashion’s awkward middle ground. But the capri pant has fully returned for summer 2026, worn by Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, and Emily Ratajkowski in ways that feel contemporary rather than nostalgic. The silhouette is settled. The real decision now is what goes on your feet.
Three directions, three completely different outfits
The capri’s versatility is precisely what makes the shoe question worth thinking through. Worn one way, it reads retro and romantic. Worn another, it’s sharp and urban. The shoe is what tips it in either direction – and right now, three options are doing the heaviest styling work.
Flip-flops are the first, and they come in two very distinct versions this summer. The flat, understated Havaianas-style sandal keeps things effortless and beach-adjacent. The heeled mule-style flip-flop, which Hailey Bieber chose to wear with a polka-dot retro capri, elevates the same basic silhouette into something considerably more deliberate. Both work – the choice depends entirely on how much effort the rest of the outfit is doing.
The case for ballet flats and mules
Bella Hadid made the argument for ballet flats, pairing a red and white Vichy check capri with a backless top and scarlet flats that leaned directly into a 1950s Brigitte Bardot reference. The combination works because the flat shoe keeps the proportions light and the mood feminine without becoming overly dressed-up. For a summer afternoon in a coastal town, it is close to a perfect formula.
At the other end of the spectrum, Emily Ratajkowski demonstrated what happens when the capri goes fully elevated. Her all-black New York look – structured plunging jacket, matching black capri, and high-heeled pointed-toe mules from the Prada or Saint Laurent category – removed any trace of casualness from the silhouette entirely. The mule, particularly with a heel, is the shoe that transforms the capri from warm-weather staple into something that works from afternoon into evening.
The bottom line
Three shoes, three distinct outcomes: flat flip-flops for ease, ballet flats for a vintage-leaning femininity, heeled mules for a polished urban edge. The capri itself stays the same – the shoe decides everything else. Pick the version that matches where you are actually going, and the look lands.
