There’s an old adage that suggests you should always dress for the job you want, not the one you have. But with temperatures soaring high into the 30°s right now in London, I’m co-opting this slightly by dressing for the weather I want, not the weather I have. Doing anything right now feels like a literal chore, let alone pulling together an outfit that can keep me cool whilst looking stylish. Yet, as I stare into the deep void that is my wardrobe and have an existential crisis over everything I’ve ever bought before, Jennifer Lawrence is swanning around New York in the perfect heatwave-proof city summer outfit.
For her latest outing, the actress turned to a few trusted staples, proving that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to piecing together a balmy ensemble. (A fitting analogy, given she was riding a bicycle for the majority of this excursion) Taking to the streets, she wore a breezy oversized striped shirt from La Ligne, a pair of crepe trousers and a pair of divisive summer shoes.
To know Jennifer Lawrence is to know she always features one eccentric or unexpected element in her outfits. In this case, she ditched the summer shoes du jour, which, for the uninitiated, are either jelly sandals or sleek flip-flops for her go-to pair. The style in question are chunky suede slides from the luxury French footwear and accessories brand, Pierre Hardy. They also feature a silver buckle, which gives them an almost Western flair, despite the only terrain she was traversing being the concrete jungle of Manhattan. (As they say, save a horse, ride a Citi Bike.)
This is the third time Lawrence has been spotted in the flats, meaning they’re either her door shoe, a term that refers to the pair of shoes you keep by your entryway in case of emergencies or can easily slip into to run errands, or she’s working hard to give this once maligned style another chance. You see, these chunky sandals have a reputation for being slightly past their prime. A more unkind read would have people calling them ugly and orthopaedic. However, with Lawrence regularly reaching for them, I have to believe that there’s more to this pair than meets the eye. And with the mercury shooting up by the day, I’m willing to give anything that’s effortless and functional a chance.
Shop the Chunky Flat Sandal Trend:
Always imitated, always original.
For a more contemporary take, try the A.Emery Jalen sandals.
Clogs will certainly have their comeback—watch this space.
A more minimalist take.
Woven leather is such a covetable design element, spotted everywhere from Bottega Veneta to St. Agni.
Add dimension with this studded pair.
Slightly more affordable, but just as premium looking.