The '90s Shoe Trend Celebrities and Fashion People Are Bringing Back for Another Summer

Growing up in Sydney afforded me a few luxuries, but none more useful than being privy to the ascent of the biggest footwear trends of the past few years: flip-flops. In Australia, owning a pair of flip-flops—or as we call them, thongs—is like a rite of passage. You’d pick up a pair of candy coloured Havaianas from your local surf store as a child before graduating into a more mature black hue that could serve you through endless beach days in the summertime as well as more established occasions like dinners and movie dates.

Both settings were equal in their demand for wearing the best flip-flops, with there hardly a reason not to slip them on before running out the door. So, when I first saw elevated flip-flops adopted by the celebrity style set back in the early 2020s, you can imagine that I wasn’t surprised to see this trusty sandal recontextualised in a high fashion arena.

To me, these outings were more a case of Hollywood picking up on what I had known all along. By design, flip-flops are imbued with a laid-back elegance. Synonymous with hot climates and sandy coastlines, flip-flops have a languid essence that both relaxes and elevates a capsule wardrobe all at once.

Consider them like the footwear alternative to the raffia tote or woven leather bag you take away on holidays—a refined and simple design that instantly reminds you of warm nights, a sense of effortless and a time where the only accessory you needed was a glass of rosé. Nowadays, flip-flops have taken on a new meaning.

Thanks to endorsements from the prolific style savants like Ashley Olsen, Zoë Kravitz and Jennifer Lawrence, the best flip-flops have become a streetwear staple that dictates one’s insider knowledge. To those aware of the power these humble flats hold in making you look both put together and at ease, they know that the style to shop this summer is no longer The Row's two-toned platform Ginza flip-flops, but the rubber and ribbon Dune variation already spotted on Hailey Bieber after a pilates class in Beverly Hills. (They might be £670, but price aside, they’re proof of how in-demand flip-flops have become.)

But how did the once polarising shoe worn by everyone from gym-going dads to grandmothers at the spa go on to court the most elite shoppers and, in turn, gain the favour of chic women across fashion’s capitals? First, take a look at my edit of the best flip-flops around, then proceed to read up on all-things flip-flops; how to style them,

Shop the Best Flip-Flops of 2025

• Best Overall Flip-Flops: A.Emery The Kinto Sandal, £130
• Best Chunky Flip-Flops: Reformation Eden Platform Thong, £178
• Best Designer Flip-Flops: Toteme Croco-Embossed Flip Flops Black, £350
• Best Leather Flip-Flops: Emme Parsons Meta Leather Flip Flops, £473
• Best Jelly Flip-Flops: Ancient Greek Sandals Saionara Jelly PVC Flip Flops, £120
• Best Thin Flip-Flops: Sleepers Tapered Flip-Flips, £34
• Best Heeled Flip-Flops: H&M Kitten-Heeled Sandals, £23

Are Flip-Flops in Style in 2025?

Given that flip-flops are so widespread, I can understand why you might be wondering if flip-flops are actually still in style in 2025. For context, flip-flops first reemerged after the pandemic, when the likes of Coperni and Givenchy brought out chunky platform styles that played into Y2K fashion fixation of the time. Quickly after, minimalist designer brands like A.Emery and Toteme soon piqued interest for more muted dressers who wanted in on the trend. These sleeker and slimline styles suited being worn with oversized shirts and pleated trousers along with strappy slip dresses, bringing a more muted ‘90s fashion edge to the trend.

Of course, it’s not surprising that these chicer shapes took off in popularity, given that some of the best flip-flops (and styling examples) are from the decade. In 1997, Calvin Klein sent his gauzy midi dresses down the runway alongside a pair of leather flip-flops.

Elsewhere in Manhattan, the brand’s publicist, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, was wearing flip-flops with low-rise indigo denim jeans and three-quarter length black tops as part of her off-duty uniform. In 1999, flip-flops hit the masses after Jennifer Aniston infamously wore a raised style with hip-cutting red cargo pants while out in Los Angeles with Brad Pitt.

In 2022, any notions that flip-flops were reserved for grabbing smoothies or strolling along the beach were dismissed when The Row paired flip-flops with tailored culottes and blazers as part of the brand’s pre-fall 2024 collection.

This shift from cruisy loungewear to polished office-appropriate attire just furthered their appeal, proving that the best flip-flops were versatile enough to oscillate between both modes of dress. With the right pair of shoes, you could look as elegant as you did on an island in the Mediterranean as you did navigating the underground on your daily commute in London.

What Are The Best Flip-Flops?

There are countless styles of flip-flops to choose from, including the sumptuous jelly sandals offered by Ancient Greek Sandals to classic leather styles. Ultimately, the best flip-flops don’t require you to spend a fortune on them.

Along the high street, there are expensive-looking options from the likes of Mango, Arket and H&M. Zara has just collaborated with Havaianas on a limited capsule collection of rubber flip-flops, rendering the timeless style in a more contemporary square-toe finish.

M&S are offering a velvety option that fulfils my need for a suede sandal this summer, but I’ve also got my eye on a snakeskin iteration from Ayede with thin straps and a python print covering.

How to Style Flip-Flops

What makes flip-flops the sandal du jour is how versatile they are. In warm weather, you can style with slinky sheer tops and structured shorts or cotton skirts and leather jackets. Come cooler days, layer a thick knit over neutral jeans to bring an unexpected twist and an element of intrigue. I’ve spotted so many people in and around Europe wearing flip-flops in the lead up to summer.

In the Who What Wear office, we’ve already been discussing what pair will be the best for the season ahead. Considering what can survive 10,000 steps without rubbing toes and will still look graceful, I’ve been called on as the resident flip-flop expert to find which style will reign supreme. After scouring luxury labels, independent designers and the most luxe options on the high street, uncover the best flip-flops to shop, ahead.

Celebrities Wearing Flip-Flops

Style Notes: Zoë Kravitz wears The Row's Swan flip-flops while out in New York in 2021.

Style Notes: Jennifer Lawrence wears flip-flops while attending the premiere of Anatomy Of A Fall at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Style Notes: Ashley Olsen wears The Row's Constance flip-flops while out in New York in 2021.

Style Notes: Hailey Bieber wears The Row's Dune flip-flops while out in Los Angeles in 2025.

Style Notes: Emily Ratajkowski wears Axel Arigato flip-flops while out in New York in 2024.

Style Notes: Kendall Jenner wears The Row's Dries Van Noten platform flip-flops while out in Los Angeles in 2022.

Flip-Flops on the Runway

Style Notes: PVC flip-flops on the Chloé spring/summer 2025 runway.

Style Notes: Fur flip-flops on the Ferragamo spring/summer 2025 runway.

Style Notes: T-bar flip-flops on the Christopher Esber spring/summer 2025 runway.

Style Notes: Mary Jane flip-flops on the Miu Miu spring/summer 2025 runway.

Style Notes: Leather flip-flops on the Issey Miyake spring/summer 2025 runway.

Style Notes: Classic flip-flops on The Row pre-fall 2023 runway.