Let's start this post off by establishing that gladiator-inspired sandals, or gladiandals if you will, are EXTREMELY difficult to pull off. Few people wear them with confidence and even fewer get the look right.

That said, as I strapped on a pair of sky-high, and inarguably fierce gladiandals at Bloomingdale's on Friday (shout out to Danielle, shoe genius, HOLLA!) I knew that they were a must have. That, and the fact that everyone's favorite eternal bob-wearer and royal editrix of Vogue has thrown them at me with such a vengeance that I know I won't be able to escape the trend for at least another season.

Moving on, after purchasing said shoes, my mind immediately drifted to the many ways that I would have to reinvent my wardrobe to work with this tricky trend, from toenail colors to jewelry. I knew if there was one place to seek fashion inspiration for an item like gladiandals, it was by carefully monitoring the crowd in everyone's favorite hipster haven - Bucktown.

Shall we begin with the don'ts?

Oh, honey. We of the height-impaired variety must stick together and ankle straps are simply not kind to us. For shorter frames, choose a gladiator with a heel to propel you upward instead of pulling you down.

Even girlfriend behind her seems to be confused by this look. I'm all for adding in a splash of color, but these shoes just seem all out of place with this otherwise monochromatic ensemble. I keep looking at this and thinking, is that a t-shirt? A dress? Should I have chicken tonight or sushi? I've already moved on...

To:

If I could avert my attention from her painfully-constricted and nearly-visible lady bits for just a minute, I would note that I really wanted this look to work. I sort of covet her legs, and yet, I'm still in pain.

Looking back on my quest for gladiandal greatness, at this point I had become both discouraged and lacking in my own confidence in foraying into this trend.

Until this:

Hello, adorable and effortless! My new friend Jessica's look is simple and chic and the shoes become an interesting detail without overpowering her outfit - or her frame. Jessica nabbed this adorable Sam Edelman version from Nordstrom. Love and love.

Just when I thought that my mission was complete, I spotted another "do" that I had to share.

I loved Christine because she looks so fresh and summery, and her gladiators (purchased at Aldo) finish the look off with a perfect touch of the Urban Outfitters brand of cool. Perfect for a day of spending on Damen or drinks alfresco. SUCCESS!

After all this shoe scoping, I think I need an alfresco drink myself...and an evening of pondering if it's too soon to change my toenail color to black. Ciao for now!

• Print
• E-mail
• 
• Related

Jamie Plaxco
Jamie Plaxco hails from Houston, Texas. She currently lives in Wicker Park with her husband Kellen and her two dogs, Nelli and Abbey. She graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Journalism and minor in Political Science. Jamie currently works as a Public Relations account executive when she's not honing her fashion skills, and finds most of her fashion inspiration in her mom's wardrobe - and in the pages of Vogue. More