I Thought I'd Regret Buying These $45 Sandals, But I Wear Them All the Time Now

As I highlighted recently, I honestly never thought I’d lean into the double-strap-sandal trend so much. In the sandal realm, pool slides reigned supreme in my eyes. That said, after spotting a few of my favorite style setters going all-in on the Birkenstock look, in particular, I started warming up to the idea. Yep, so much so that I just purchased the $45 Birkenstock Arizona sandals.
While there is a range of Birks out there, I liked this specific style best because the price point was just right. Plus, they’re comfy and classic yet modern, and I think they bring a cool twist to a look. In fact, I particularly like pairing my Nike crew socks with them for a fresh vibe. They’re now a permanent fixture in my summer shoe rotation.
What do you think? Are you into the Birkenstocks? If so, or if you’re interested in trying them like I was, keep scrolling to check out how fashion people and I are wearing the $45 sandals now. You’ll also find more inspiration with some other two-strap-sandal silhouettes at various price points.
Voilà—here are my go-to Birkenstocks in black, complete with my favorite coordinating Nike tube socks.
Shop the sandals:
Check out how fashion people are wearing the sandals:
Style tip: Enhance your sweats ensemble with white socks and sandals.
Style tip: Show off your Birkenstocks with cropped jeans and an unexpected crop top–and-blazer pairing.
Style tip: Darker sandals will pop even more against a monochromatic clothing situation.
Shop more colors:
Check out more outfit ideas with other two-strap sandals:
Style tip: Tucking a slouchy white blouse into denim shorts feels so right now—especially with Birks.
Style tip: While just about any shoe style would work with a printed maxi dress, sporty sandals keep the silhouette current.
Style tip: The sandals here bring a low-key element to this polished outfit featuring trendy Bermuda shorts.
Style tip: Keep it effortless and chic with a ribbed dress–and–sporty sandal duo.
Style tip: While comfy, this ensemble is also forward with the track jacket, leggings, and pulled-up tube socks with sandals.
Shop more from the Birkenstock x Proenza Schouler collab:
Next, check out more affordable slide sandals.

Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent 10 years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises.
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