Chic Dressers Are Pairing Their Summer Dresses and Denim Shorts With These Trending Sandal Colours
Not black, not tan—I know you have taste if you wear one of these 5 sandal colours this summer.
It doesn’t require a trend forecaster or a fashion expert to confirm what shoe style is reigning supreme this season—sandals. Where their insights are more valuable, however, is when it comes to discussing the leading summer sandal colour trends of 2026.
This period of time is one of extreme vibrance, from the scintillating teals and turquoise of the Costa Smeralda—a stretch of Italy that literally translates to the “Emerald Coast”—to the fluorescent orange cocktails dominating pub gardens in East London and the high octane shades taking over beaches across the South of France. It’s inherently balmy and intrinsically saturated, and there are no exceptions when it comes to the footwear styles we wear throughout these months.
So far, much of the focus has been on unpacking the specific types of sandals that are trending this summer. We’ve waxed lyrical about the rise of jelly thongs, spoken at length about the upswing in red-and-black flip-flops and even chronicled the increase in interest towards the once-tacky beaded sandal trend. Still, little attention has been paid towards the specific summer sandal colours that are emerging.
That’s where we enter the conversation. Over the past few weeks, we’ve observed a major shift away from discerning neutrals like tans, moles and blacks and towards saccharine shades that more accurately reflect the undertone of the season. Because if your plans are to frolic around in verdant greenery, escape to some scintillating cove or just enjoy the blue skies that hang overhead, why not entrust your sandals with the same vivid hues? Without further ado, uncover the 5 key summer sandal colours that are trending in 2026, as per the authority of fashion editors, ahead.
5 Key Summer Sandal Colours That Are Trending in 2026
1. Muted Gold
Style Notes: It’s not just the ascent of the “casual tiara” that proves that fashion is getting the princess treatment. The most compelling evidence in this case is Chloé’s incredibly covetable jelly mules, which have aptly been described as the grown-up version of the dress-up shoes you’d wear as a child when pretending to be your favourite Disney royal. As such, it’s no surprise that muted gold sandals have noticed an uptick. Like if Belle from Beauty and the Beast were given a pair of Amina Muaddi flats, these sandals are glitzy, regal and accessible.
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2. Crisp White
Style Notes: Despite being a universal shade, white is a tone that often gets maligned when it’s featured in a shoe. “Cheap”, “tacky”, and “dated” are just some adjectives used to describe white pumps, heels and loafers. But this summer, white is proudly emerging as one of the biggest sandal colours to favour. Of course, when the shade was appointed as Pantone’s colour of the year, should there be any reason to doubt the return of the elegant white sandal? Arguably requiring a little more tender, love and care to keep clean, polished options from Toteme, Christen and The Row cement why they’re a worthy investment.
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3. Chocolate Brown
Style Notes: Across every category, there is this subversive sense of wearing shades antithetical to the season you’re in. We’ve seen this already with the rise of khaki jeans, burgundy bags and cobalt trousers, and now, we’re noticing a penchant for wearing chocolate brown sandals in summer. A softer, albeit still deep, shade, the colour offers a subtle brightness and contrast to harsh black shades. You’ll see this in the revered A.Emery Jalen sandals, Le Monde Beryl Valetta suede sandals and Saint Laurent Babylone logo-embellished lace-up suede sandals.
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4. Capri Blue
Style Notes: Blue is to summer like Matthieu Blazy is to Chanel—a perfect pairing. This season, we’ve seen cobalt reign supreme, featured in the French maison’s 2026 Métiers d'art collection, Lucy Williams’ recent collaboration with With Nothing Underneath and new swimwear brand Rashi World’s first drop. However, when it comes to sandals, things are looking a little lighter, with the capri blue colour already seen at Versace, Alaia and Tory Burch taking over. Shop it in Ancient Greek Sandals’ iconic Iro sandals and Jimmy Choo’s new jelly flip-flops.
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5. Sherbet Pink
Style Notes: Forget powder pink. This shade is taking a more sugary approach this season, emerging in a mouth-watering and sickly-sweet shade. London-based accessories brand Dear Frances has led the charge with a saccharine iteration of its beloved Balla mesh flat, but you’ll also find this blush-worthy hue at Reformation and Manolo Blahnik, too.
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Sydney-born, London-based journalist Ava Gilchrist is Who What Wear UK's SEO Writer. An authority on all things style, celebrity and search related, she produces insightful fashion features, first-person clothing reviews, talent profiles and comprehensive trend reports chronicling the latest happenings from the runways, zeitgeist and red carpet. In her spare time, she can be found trawling vintage boutiques and hunting down the city's best dirty martini.