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Summer sandals come in many forms — from wedges to mules and everything in between — but if you’re in the market for a bit more polish and textural intrigue, consider the best fisherman sandals that are trending all over street style for summer 2024. These leather-strapped caged sandals are supremely easy to team with your favorite summer dresses and denim shorts and make for a breathable, versatile shoe you can pack for a vacay getaway or wear for a week’s work of tailored outfits at the office.
Fisherman sandals are defined by thick leather straps woven into T-bar, caged uppers that close at the toe. The durable style, in fact, dates back centuries, when fisherman and sailors wore them as protective footwear for labor, as their lattice-like weave allowed them to drain water fast and dry quickly under the sun. While fisherman sandals are a timeless, long-existing footwear choice for summer, they weren’t deemed so fashionable until last year, when they emerged across designer runways like Celine, Prada, and Max Mara. In quick order, they made appearances in street style looks of it-girls like Taylor Swift, Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, and Lorde, with the trend’s best-selling breakout star being the thick-strapped caged sandals from The Row.
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More affordable brands like Dr. Martens, Melissa, and Reformation have introduced a slew of new caged sandal releases that are just as stylish and invite attitude, from Y2K-inspired jelly uppers to sleek “quiet luxury” refinement. And, although traditional fisherman sandals don minimal rubber soles, contemporary iterations by Crocs, Alohas, and Loeffler Randall have innovated the style with chunky platforms, block heels, and even beachy raffia uppers.
Beyond their strong-woven straps and lightweight design, fisherman sandals make for a well-worthy addition to your rotation for their pure versatility. You can style these caged sandals with crisp white crew socks (a go-to for Bieber alongside a white tee and denim shorts) or leave your feet bare to allow the leather caging to frame a fresh pedicure. Plus, the clean leather construction and hardware buckles on fisherman sandals position them as polished summer swap for loafers and dress shoes — or you can lean into their original design and wear them as beach or boat shoes that are simple to wipe clean and easily transition from day to night.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best fisherman sandals to add to your summer capsule wardrobe that’ll last you many seasons to come.
What testers say: “I have tried on many pairs of Dr. Martens shoes in hopes of finding a pair that I would love and find comfortable — but none have ever fit the bill until now. The leather on these sandals is soft. It does not cut into my skin and is easier to break in than other sandals. They are so nostalgic and remind me of my junior high years! I look forward to wearing to wearing them all summer long.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $150
What testers say: “I am thrilled about my new clear Possession shoes from Melissa. I wore them without socks this weekend and they were super comfy and also so cool looking. I will also wear them with colorful socks. These are the shoes of summer!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $55.20
What testers say: “These are great if you have wide feet/ high instep. I have plenty of room in these. I range in 9.5 to 10, these are a bit roomy in a 10, which is fine because I plan on wearing these all year with socks and tights. I also love the velcro buckle. Very comfortable from the first wear on.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $52.49
Price upon publish date of this article: $248
Price upon publish date of this article: $350
What testers say: “Love them!!! They’re super comfy — no blisters and no rubbing. They have the look of a sandal without being too open. The craftsmanship is clean and they fit true to size right out of the box.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $140
Price upon publish date of this article: $1,090
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Meet the Author
Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes and edits shopping content on the best-rated footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She regularly reports on shoppable footwear trends that appear across runways, red carpets, celebrity street style, and TikTok FYPs.
