Sandals Shoes
Welcome to Sandals Shoes, the one stop for all things women’s sandals in the United Kingdom. We feature ten of the most popular forms of sandals for ladies on the market today including flip-flops for women, sports sandals, flat sandals, heeled sandals, diamante sandals, gladiator sandals for women, ladies wedge sandals, ladies clogs, ladies mules and finally, Scholl sandals for women.
What Are Sandals?
Sandals are some of the most popular forms of casual footwear in the world today. The basic design usually revolves around an open style of footwear that features one or more straps that secure the wearers foot to the sole. However, today the category includes styles that are so diverse that it is often difficult to define. They are often used to keep the feet cool and dry and are particularly popular during the warmer months.
In countries that are warm all year round, they are often staple footwear for people of all ages. This is particularly true for countries along the Equator such as Malaysia and Singapore. In those countries, the basic sandal is often called “slippers”. Part of the reason why sandals are so popular has to do with their ease of use, comfort as well as their low prices in general.
History Of Sandals
It is thought that sandals were the most rudimentary forms of footwear invented by humans. As such, it is the oldest of all forms of footwear with the earliest records date back to almost ten thousand years ago. The basic function involved providing protection against the harsh surfaces we had to walk on. To that end, it not only protected our soles but also gave us a modicum of comfort during travel. The design was very easy to replicate which is probably why it was worn in almost all parts of the ancient world. Ancient sandals were made out of many materials including wood, leather and papyrus. The common flip-flop has its roots firmly within ancient Egyptian civilization. Now, let us look at some of the more popular variants on the market today :-
Flip Flops - Flips flops are the most basic form of sandals. It features a sole of varying thickness that has a single strap at the front meant for securing the foot. Due to its basic design, flip flops are often the cheapest variants on the market. In other parts of the world, they are commonly referred to as slippers. The more expensive versions are usually made out of leather or similarly priced materials. But for the most part, cheap foam and plastic sandals should cost you no more than a few quid for a pair.
Heeled Sandals - Heeled sandals include a very broad range of styles. They are very common for formal occasions such as weddings. The number of straps featured will vary but they are considered one of the more elegant variants for sale today. The range of styles can include strappy heels, diamantes and clogs. They are very common in metallic shades such as gold, silver, bronze or a mix of all three.
Gladiator Sandals - The first examples of gladiator sandals appeared during ancient Rome. They were they preferred footwear style for gladiators and traditionally came up as high as the knee. Today, they can be seen as a form of strappy sandals that are often flat soled. They range from ankle to knee high varieties. Not commonly sold as mens footwear, they are largely popular more for the fairer sex.
Wedge Sandals - These are essentially platform shoes that are sometimes called sandals. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that most wedges are open styled footwear. First invented in the mid 10th century by the famed Spanish shoes designer Salvatore Ferragamo, it has since been a staple of contemporary fashion trends. If you are looking for added height but are unwilling to sacrifice comfort over style, then wedge sandals are the perfect buy.
Sports Sandals – These types of sandals revolve around various athletic activities. For that reason, they are some of the most durable sandals available for sale on the market. They are built to withstand abuse and are usually more expensive as a result. Additionally, they often feature more than one strap to properly secure the foot to the sandal during these activities. Some of the most common sports sandals being sold today are walking and hiking sandals.