Gladiator sandals - Why?

[ManhattanMama]

I just don't "get" it.

There was a lady in my lift this morning wearing bronze gladiator sandals with a floaty white linend dress - she honestly looked like she was on her way to a toga party.

Who decides that such a specific style should come back into fashion?

[francagoestohollywood]

Stylists. They are the culprits. They are evil.

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

I love them, they hide a multitude of imperfections on my feet whilst still allowing my feet to remain cool on hot days.

I rejoice that they are trendy and available in loads of different styles again this year.

If it wasn't for gladiator sandals I'd be hiding my feet in much more closed in shoes and feeling them getting sweaty on hot days.

I wear them with floaty skirts or cropped trousers, probably wouldn't pair them with a floaty white linen dress !

[getmeouttahere]

Gladiator sandals do my fairly average feet NO favours AT ALL.

All the straps seem to dig in the wrong place, esp if your feet swell in the heat.

Awful on me. I prefer Birkenstocks or good old flip-flops.

I LOVE the sound that flip-flops make when you walk.

[maidamess]

The magazines decide and us mugs buy them.

[Spidermama]

I don't get it either. I saw a picture of Elle Macpherson on the school run with a pair. She also had on a Mayan design-type warrior woman skirt and she looked utterly risible.

[getmeouttahere]

I saw that too spidermama.

She looked like she was trying waaaayyyy too hard.

She is lovely but I sense a hint of desperation there as she advances along her 40's.

< mee-owww > lol

That Danish supermodel knocks spots off Elle IMHO, the trouble is I can't remeber her name but she always looks very classy but cool.

Anyone help me remember?

[mamalovesmojitos]

helena christensen.

i love gladiator sandals. i think they look fab!

[Spidermama]

I wore some crazy clothes in my day and am not averse to radical design concepts, but these sandals do look very foolish. I'm sorry but they do.

Perhaps it's soemthing to do with the warrior look on people who are soooo not warriors.

[Spidermama]

Elle Macpherson.

[getmeouttahere]

Yep, Helena Christensen.

She is very lovely.

I am not jealous.

Nope. No way.

Not one little bit.

At all.

[DirtySexyMummy]

I presume when you say magazines and stylists decide on seasonal trends, you are not being serious..

Designers create collections for fashion houses. These collections are shown at fashion weeks, and from there, it is always easy to pick out key trends for the season. For example, Alexander McQueen, Dior, Marc Jacobs and Chanel all had gladiator sandals in their SS08 collections.

Queue fashionistas everywhere looking for gladiator sandals, this includes stylists, who style celebrities, and buyers who buy for high street stores. So, suddenly you see the trend everywhere.

Many are subtle, this season there is a lot of floaty and rara miniskirts, structured ruffles and layers, prom dresses, waist and above belts, layering, boots, gladiator sandals, oversize bags, neon.. I could go on for a while. But, most of those things are things you would see a bit of normally.

Gladiator sandals are slightly more unusual, a little like the SS06 collection which saw the comeback of the maxi dress, which has now featured heavily for many houses for 3 years running, and looks set to stay for the next few at least.

Hope this helps.

PS - I love gladiator sandals

[Spidermama]

Get you DSM.

[getmeouttahere]

OOOOhhh

Dirtysexymummy, do you work for Grazia magazine perchance ?

[DirtySexyMummy]

No, I wish

[francagoestohollywood]

DSM, actually one of the most important figure in the days before the fashion shows is the stylist, who is hired and paid lots of money, to decide which outfits will be shown at the show, in which succession and how the "look" will be styled.

All the most important designers have their stylists, the most important stylists are actually usually British and working for various magazines. Most of them started in indie magazine, like I-d, dazed and confused etc.

They are paid a lot of money. They also work with the designers a few months before the fashion shows and together they decide on the trends.

Or at least this is what used to happen when I worked in fashion, a 1000 yrs ago

[discantus]

Its a plot by the fashion industry to keep the gullible public buying the latest unflattering fashions, which they'll then cast aside for the next hideous creation the following season in the mistaken belief it will somehow make them look like Kate Moss.

I can just see them all now, sitting together in their ateliers going "Well done on the skinny jeans guys, i've never seen so many muffin tops waddling around! Now what else can we do to make them look totally ridiculous and earn some hard cash in the process?.... Got it! Gladiator sandals! Can't wait to see all theose cankles walking around thinking they're hip!" Then sending out their robot Moss in the designated gear before sitting back and watching the orders flood in.

Cynical, moi?

[shhhh]

Sorry but I think they look awful..on anyone.....
Kate moss...euugghh..and even fern cotton had a pair on recently and looked awful..

[southeastastra]

i had some white ones from h&m in 1983, they were so cool

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

Oh lordy have just seen the knee length ones in the link. NO WAY !

I was only talking about the ankle high ones.

[DonutMum]

Bleurrgghhhh. I said the same thing a few weeks ago. Someone came up with a lovely phrease - blee!

They are effing awful and hideous items. I'd rather go barefoot. AT least my subscription to Grazia has finished - then God - so I don't have to be told that they are the height of fashion any more. Numpties.