Espadrilles: Good For Your Summer Sole
We’re in the hottest month of Summer and aren’t we ready for a little shakeup in our style??? Something cute, chic and also… PRACTICAL!
It’s time we talk about the espadrille.
So where did the espadrille come from? Well… here’s your little, very brief 😂, history:
The espadrille goes back a LONGGGGG way… like, more than 4,000 years ago. It actually originated in the Pyrenees region between Spain and France (also near Lourdes🤗), where they were made by local craftspeople using (of course) local materials.
The word "espadrille" derives from "esparto," a type of tough grass used to make the soles of this warm weather footwear. I can attest that, if you experience the ones casually sold at 30 euros a pair in the South of France, they have very much that “grassy” feel.
By the 13th century, these shoes had become popular among the soldiers of the King of Aragon. Can you imagine a king in espadrilles?! What a different world that paints in my head!
Now how did we get from the King of Aragon to today?
Well, to skip a lot of history to get to the point 😂, espadrilles became very popular – and more mainstream in the United States – in the 1940s. Fashion houses took advantage of Hollywood celebrities like Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and, of course, Grace Kelly (see more here for Grace Kelly inspo!) wearing these chic and practical shoes.
And why are they soooo practical?
Well, they have an airy, lightweight, absorbent feel that makes them perrrrrrfect for Summer. In fact, while strolling the markets along the beach in Southern France, I see almost more espadrilles than sandals. For real! Because they are so absorbent, you don’t have to worry about slipping or sliding all over the place. Plus (apologies to our otherwise beloved menfolk🤗) we needn’t be privy to everyone’s little piggies in their sandals😂.
So let’s run through MORE reasons why these are your new favorite Summer shoes!
They add “a bit of something” to your Summer Look when you’re tired of sandals.
Numerous comfortable options for soles that are easy to find and on sale (Eileen Fisher, Naturalizer…)
Easy to wash. Since they’re made of cotton canvas, if something gets on them, just dunk ‘em in something like OxiClean and scrub with a toothbrush.
They really make great travel shoes. You can wear them on the plane then, go from the beach to the beach club, to a casual bite to eat that evening.
Probably the most important reason I like them now is that you CAN wear them in the water, but just go for a cheaper pair like the Amazon ones. This Summer, I never went in the water without them and they were fantastic! Easy to wear in the water AND just a few hours later you would have NO idea that I had been swimming in the Mediterranean wearing them. They dry quickly, thanks to the jute and cotton. This is the one that worked really well for me to go into the ocean. They dry quickly and have no trace of going in the ocean!
Here below are a few that I recommend for you to shop!
Question: What’s YOUR Summer Go-To shoe?!