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If you read our style advice regularly, you’ll know we’re big advocates of pieces that let you do more with less. A simple navy wool suit, a pair of straight-leg indigo jeans, a well-made wool overcoat. These are pieces you can style up and down, wear across the majority of your wardrobe, and fall back on no matter where in the incessant churn of the trend cycle you find yourself. Summer shoes are no different.
A good, versatile summer shoe can work in a wide range of contexts and look like it belongs whether it’s paired with a linen suit or thrown on with swim shorts and a faded old tee. Think loafers, leather sandals, simple canvas plimsolls and the like.
With summer in full swing now, we’ve decided to highlight the styles we feel hit the mark perfectly. So, if you’re in the market for some footwear to carry you through the warmer months, these are the styles we think you should consider.
Brown Suede Loafer
Velasca
Velasca Ost
Myrqvist Lysekil II
Todd Snyder Italian Suede Penny Loafer
Loafers have been trending hard for a few years now, but they’ve always been a strong choice. Before the NYC fashion influencers with their moustaches and aggressively cropped button-downs, the loafer was still there, quietly keeping well-dressed guys appropriately shod for any summer setting where a sneaker felt insufficient.
To get the most out of it, go for brown suede. This ups the versatility over black leather, letting you pair it with casual fits and dressier getups alike.
Strappy Walking Sandal
Teva
Teva Original Universal Riptape Sandals
Bedrock Cairn Evo 3D PRO Sandals
Terrex Hydroterra Light Sandals
When you’re dealing with serious heat, the sort that makes air conditioning a necessity rather than a luxury, sandals are really the only way if you want to spend long periods outdoors.
Whether you’re having a beach day or exploring a new city on foot, a quality walking sandal is going to be much more comfortable than even the most breathable pair of sneakers.
Brands such as Teva, Bedrock and KEEN all have excellent options that won’t leave you looking like an ageing geography teacher, which is always a bonus.
Brown Leather Deck Shoe
Velasca
Velasca Bilanzér
Sebago Portland Leather Boat Shoes
Sperry Tacoma Leather Boat Shoes
Love them or loathe them, deck shoes are perfect for summer. If you can get past the frat-boy connotations, what you’ll discover is a shoe that quickly softens into almost slipper-like comfort, can be popped on and off quickly and works with everything from soft tailoring to resortwear.
Go for brown leather for maximum versatility, and check out OG brands like Sperry and Sebago. For something a bit different, Yuketen has some softer, handmade versions, and make sure to take a look at B.O.T.O. – a newcomer to the scene that takes the classic template and updates it with contemporary details, such as BOA-style dial lacing.
Minimalist White Sneaker
Myrqvist Oaxen
Velasca Amis
Reiss Finley
Leather Low-Top Trainers
We’re old enough to remember a time when Common Projects Achilles Lows and Adidas Stan Smiths dominated the pavement at Fashion Week. Their cool factor dwindled over the years, but they never went away, and now a new generation of tastemakers, jaded by years of maximalist footwear design, are returning to these stripped-back styles.
They’ve always been great, versatile summer shoes, but now they’ve got their street cred back too. Wear them with shorts, cargos, tailored pants – you name it. Just exercise caution when dabbling in tailoring. If the suit leans casual, it might work, but for anything more structured and/or formal, a proper pair of shoes is probably a safer option.
Suede Retro Runner
New Balance
Dries Van Noten Leather-Trimmed Suede Sneakers
Asics Lyte Classic
New Balance 471 Sneaker
Another sneaker that can work well during the summer months is a retro running shoe. Particularly one with lots of nice suede panelling, mesh and perhaps a splash of colour too. They tend to offer more comfort than the aforementioned minimalist white sneakers, with the added opportunity to inject a bit of personality into your outfit.
New Balance, Asics and Nike are usually a safe bet.
Black Leather Fisherman Sandal
Velasca
Kleman Babord VGT
Velasca Merican
Grenson Quinton
If the strappy walking sandal feels a tad outdoorsy for your tastes, a fisherman sandal offers a smarter alternative. The woven leather upper provides much of the same ventilation while giving the shoe enough structure to hold its own with tailored trousers, linen suiting and polished summer separates.
Black is the most versatile option – sleek enough for evening drinks, understated enough for everyday wear – and it also avoids looking overly precious after a few knocks and scuffs.
Look to heritage names like Kleman and Grenson for some of the best examples.
Simple Canvas Plimsoll
Novesta
Suitsupply Off-White Sneaker
Canvas
Vans Authentic Shoes
Superga 2390
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. A plain canvas plimsoll has been a summer staple for decades because it just works. It’s lightweight, breathable, easy to pack and pairs effortlessly with everything.
White is the obvious choice, but ecru or even black can be even easier to keep looking fresh over the course of a holiday. Not that it really matters though. After all, this is one of those special pieces that gets better the more trashed it becomes.
Superga, Novesta and Vans all make excellent versions that prove you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a proper piece of timeless design.
Espadrille
Velasca
Velasca Inguriatt
Castañer Parker Canvas Espadrilles
Autry Sandy Espadrilles
The espadrille is one of those shoes that only really makes sense for a few months of the year, but when the weather is right, nothing else quite scratches the same itch. With its woven jute sole and lightweight canvas or suede upper, it’s practically purpose-built for Mediterranean afternoons and extreme heat.
Keep things simple with neutral colours and understated branding, and wear them with linen trousers, tailored shorts or relaxed drawstring pants.
Brand-wise, Castañer is the OG, but for a modern spin, check out Autry’s Sandy, which blurs the line between espadrille and sneaker in the best way possible.