How to Style Dresses With Sandals Like a Fashion Pro This Spring and Summer

Dresses with sandals are a classic warm-weather pairing, but it’s easy to fall into what I call “the Reformation Trap.” You throw on your favorite sundress with a pair of strappy sandals and suddenly, it feels like you’re virtually indistinguishable from every other twenty-something at brunch or you look around at the other wedding guest outfits and realize, we’re all wearing the same thing.

I love casual dresses as much as any other girlie out there—but I consider it my professional duty, as a fashion editor, to inform you that there are other ways to interpret the unofficial spring/summer uniform.

Glamour‘s spring and summer sandal wish list

It’s the small, but hardworking, details that really make a look feel elevated—and this is especially true during the months when layering is limited. If you’re restricted to a dress and sandals (over, say, a sweater, jacket, scarf, beanie, and boots), then it’s crucial to pick pieces that stand out. Runway influences—like an unexpected color story, a sculptural silhouette, or a well-placed statement earring—can make even the most-worn spring staples, from your favorite worn-in Birkenstocks to the floral minis you know and love, feel straight off the runway.

So, when you start to feel yourself approaching the mid-spring style slump, reference the list ahead for the most interesting ways to wear dresses with a pair of sandals.

Leather Layering