Chic, Sand-Proof and Sophisticated—No Coastal Escape Is Complete Without One of These 6 Best Beach Shoes

You’ve curated an assortment of bikini styles, started packing the mesh bag that’ll be holding all your seaside essentials—read: high protection sunscreen and a meaty read you can sink your teeth into while relaxing on the sand—and organised what linen trousers or balmy minidress will serve as your cover-up. Now, all that’s left to do is choose the best beach shoes.

Be it the Amalfi Coast, Côte d’Azur or even a little closer to home in Cornwall, no watery escape is complete without considering the footwear you intend to take away. In my experience, which includes being raised on Sydney’s beaches and basically growing up wearing Havianas, the best beach shoes will check several boxes.

The primary concern is to protect your soles from sharp rocks, boiling sand and any marine life that may sting you, like blue bottles or sea urchins. On many European shores, especially, beach shoes must also be water-friendly, meaning that sleek leather or suede styles are unacceptable choices.

Less crucially, though still an important factor, the best beach shoes will also be chic enough to elevate ensembles from being a simple thrown-on look to something more altogether thoughtful. When your holiday calls for hours spent in the ocean, planning and styling outfits is off the agenda. As a result, your beach shoes will need to play double duty. Not only must they shield you from the elements, but they also have to help you dress up for the local tavernas, weatherboard restaurants or breezy aperitivo bars you’ll no doubt be visiting as soon as the sun has gone down.