TikTok's Saying Flip-Flops Are Dead—Meanwhile, These 3 Sandal Trends Are So Coming Back
From woven to wedge.
Maybe we have hit peak flip flop. The casual shoe has taken over the footwear discourse for the last two summers but it does seem that on social media, the girls have grown tired. And there is some hesitation by those who live in New York about the trials and tribulations of going toes-out in a big city.
But flip flops aren't the only sandals around. Actually, there seems to be a revival of some older styles we haven't seen in a while. Clogs have been having a come-up as have woven styles and wedges. They all look a little different than you remember, and most feature a much smaller heel height than they did in the '90s and 2000s. So they're far more manageable to wear but give a bit more height than the flop. Below, three of our favorite sandal trends we're happy to welcome back into our closets.
Wedge Sandals
Wedge sandals can be scary when you think about the ones that were popular in the '90s. Too tall to walk in and often constricting, they were a shoe trend most millennials shuddered at the thought of returning. But the wedge sandal we're seeing people gravitate towards now still feels retro but also sleek, with a far more do-able height that doesn't feel intimidating.
Clog Sandals
Clogs were everywhere until they weren't but now they're back again. The great thing about the shoe is that you can absolutely slip them on but they still give you a nice little lift. Not to mention they often feature subtle hardware that adds more dimension to an outfit wihtout much effort.
Woven Sandals
Texture in general is a major 2026 trend, with fringe already popping up everywhere from the red carpet to the streets of Paris. And while fringed shoes aren't necessarily a thing due to the difficult-to-manage nature of constantly stepping on long strands of fabric, woven shoes add a similarly nice feel. Some are made with raffia whereas others just have woven leather that'll remind you of your favorite beach bag.

Tara Gonzalez is a senior fashion and social editor at WhoWhatWear. where she is interested in exploring the intersection of fashion and culture and why we are drawn to wearing the things we wear and what that says about the world we live in. Previously she worked as a senior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. When she isn't writing trend deep dives for WWW, she's working on her newsletter on Substack, Cult Classic, which explores the very best fashion in film and television. She has a degree in creative writing from The University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and pug Bjork, the later of which has a very extensive collection of dog-sized Sandy Liang sweaters.