It began with Crocs, then ballet flats, and now footwear shoppers have come full circle embracing comfort in the form of footbed sandals. However, these are not your basic Birkenstock-type sandals.
Unconventional outsoles and fashion-forward upper treatments reveal footbed sandal’s chameleon-like traits. On the athletic end, aggressive treads pump up the sandals’ volume and profile. White and silver help modernize, and studs and chain embellishments toughen up the staple. For traditionalist, natural leathers, embossed floral and medallion motifs, and soft shades of dusty rose and caramel make a bohemian statement.
While most footbed sandals are flat and simple in structure—slide and thong silhouettes rule the roost—others take a more extreme approach with platforms, wedges and vulcanized versions. Others are entirely covered in leather, disguising comfort features.