The Secret Style Hack to Ankle Strap Sandals

Let's Talk Shop. (As in, "Shoe Shop".)

Having been a shoe designer for over 20 years, I've heard the "shortening of the legs" myth surrounded by ankle strap shoes many times.  I'm here to rebuttal it and put an end to this hypothesis.  I'm also going to tell you why our chic ankle strap flat sandals and heels do just the opposite when styled correctly. 

How do I choose the most flattering ankle strap sandals? 

Pssst... you're gonna wanna move in a little closer for this. Are you ready??  It's not the ankle strap itself that appears to shorten the visually elongated sultriness  of your legs, it's the design!  You heard me correctly, it's the actual design, or aesthetic of the shoe. 

You want to look for a style that is well-balanced in its design. With ankle strap sandals and heels, you'll want to look for styles that have balance and harmony between the ankle strap and the top of the shoe itself (this is referred to as 'the vamp'). When these elements don't flow, along with the heel and height of the shoe, it can create illusions that just aren't flattering. 

What should you wear with ankle strap sandals?

Here's where it gets tricky and challenging. The first necessity is a full length mirror. You've got to be able to assess this asset of an image in order to make a confident decision in your style choice!

Since it's June and I'm writing this in summer, let's start with hot weather attire. With flat ankle strap sandals, I love pairing them with tailored short shorts (not denim). You want a nice clean look as in the photo above. Another cute look is wide leg chinos, or denim which will hide the ankle strap but creates a very alluring and eye-catching open-toed look.

Wearing tan leather sandals with denim creates complimentary hues with eye-catching allure.

Where do I find cute ankle strap sandals?

You can find cute ankle strap sandals that I designed and made in northern Italy in the collection at louearlshoes.com. These ankle strap heels and sandals accommodate a variety of foot widths. The leather I used is alkaline-dyed which creates a beautiful aging patina over time. Check out the topstitching detail and the oversized round metal studs, they'll surely turn heads!