In an effort to practice more sustainable shopping habits, we’ve taken to avoiding flash-in-the-pan fashion trends in favour of investing in pieces that won’t date and can be worn season after season. Take a bandana scarf dress, for example. Should it fall out of favour for day-to-day wear close to home, it will still have a place in our summer capsule wardrobe, even if just as a holiday beach cover-up.
That’s the thing with the amped up fashion cycle and the never-ending microtrends that emerge from the runway, high street and social media in equal measure – it can be hard to spot the looks likely to stick around. Luckily, shoes (along with jeans) often tend to fall outside of this cadence with a longer shelf life.
Case in point: the rope sandal trend. First ignited in the luxury fashion space via Miu Miu’s spring/summer 2024 collection, when the Italian fashion house sent models down the runway sporting footwear with paracord straps, the gorpcore design is officially back in a big way for the third summer in a row.
Adding a subtly sporty feel to any outfit (football season ticket not required), the rope sandal achieves the perfect balance between pretty and practical. Coming in an array of colourways from neutral blacks and creams to punchy bright hues that liven up even the most minimal of outfits, rope sandals often feature an ankle strap that makes them far more substantial than your flip-flops. Not to mention they are versatile too, chic enough to wear with a floaty midi dress for work, while pairing effortlessly with a T-shirt and jeans – ideal attire for heading to the park.
Of course, you don’t have to break the bank. The high street has no end of styles available to shop right now. Top of our wish list is this Marks & Spencer pair. Featuring a red chunky flecked rope atop a contoured footbed, they nail the look for just £30!
M&S Strappy Footbed Rope Detail Sandals
Below, find more of our favourite rope sandals available to shop now:
Xero Shoes Genesis Packable Sport Sandals
ASOS DESIGN Cross Strap Rope Sandals
Next Cobalt Blue Rope Sling Back Sandals
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Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
