The T-Bar Sandals Trend Was Overlooked for So Long—Now It's Everywhere | Who What Wear

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I'm going on holiday in less than two weeks and to say I'm excited would be a massive understatement. I started packing last month (by packing I mean piling my clothes up into my suitcase but still) and have been ordering and trying on swimwear for the past two months determined to find the perfect cossie. All for a four-day trip. One of my biggest priorities, however, has been breaking in my sandals once again.

After months of wearing trainers and ballet flats, slipping my feet back into a pair of sandals was an eye-opening experience. Parts of my foot were rubbed in ways they haven't been rubbed since last September and, as a consequence I wound up with a tonne of blisters that needed soothing. The main culprit being slider sandals, which, owing to their open back and next to no support, tend to cause the most friction. Of course, this is the style I seem to have bought into most.

With panic beginning to settle in and the prospect of hobbling around for a few days being very unappealing, I ordered a brand-new pair of sandals. A risk, I know, but I knew I needed some with more support. So, I bought a pair of T-bar sandals—a style I haven't considered in a long while—and, what do you know, they were a success.

Featuring a strap that goes from the toe all the way up to the ankle across the top of your foot and fixed in place with an ankle strap, T-bar sandals have long been heralded as a practical and comfortable footwear solution for summer, offering more support than other silhouettes. What I would say is that they haven't always been that popular, falling out of favour to other sandals trends (case in point, sliders and thongs). However, that's all began to change. In the past couple of weeks, I've seen so many fashion people wearing the T-bar sandals trend. So much so, there’s no way it can be a coincidence.

From minimal flats to braided-leather heels, there’s something undeniably chic about this sandal shape. Trying mine on with shorts and dresses, I found the vertically positioned strap actually elongated my legs, which my 5’ 3” welcomes. The market is filled with T-bar sandals, too, with chic pairs cropping up on the high street and designer shopping circuits, in a variety of colours, fabrics and heel heights. My favourite has to be Reformation’s barely-there pair, but Sézane’s white heels have also caught my eye as a great evening and wedding guest shoe option.

Below, I’ve shopped out the best of the T-bar sandals trend for you; all you need to do is choose between flats or heels.

Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her own Who What Wear UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.

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