Discover Summer 2026's Defining Shoes
Every spring brings a fresh round of trend forecasts, and every summer ends with most of those trends in the back of the closet. The shoes that actually get worn are the ones that work across a real week. A wedding on Saturday. A flight on Tuesday. A long walk somewhere hot. Dinner that started as an afternoon stroll. These are the trends we believe in: the ones built to outlast the season they arrived in.
This is the Coclico approach to summer footwear: a considered wardrobe of pairs chosen for a lifestyle rather than a single moment. Below is the thinking we use to build a summer shoe wardrobe, seven trends shaping the season, and answers to the questions we hear most often in our Mott Street, NYC shop.
Made in Spain in limited quantities. Individuality comes standard.
How to build a summer shoe wardrobe
A good summer wardrobe is built less by occasion than by how a shoe meets your everyday. There are a handful of distinct ways a warm-weather shoe can move with you, and most people draw from four or five styles each season that build a signature uniform, which beats a closet of single-occasion shoes every time.
A city sandal carries you through long walking days and into dinner without changing. A glove-fit flat works equally well under a trapeze dress or paired with jeans. A clog or wedge gives you height for the evening and downtown cool for the morning. A slide is the shoe you reach for without thinking. Build from there, edit as the season unfolds.
The right wardrobe is not a list of trends. It is a way of thinking about the proportion of shoe to outfit, the rhythm of your week, and the pairs that earn their place across all of it.
Spring/Summer 2026, in seven trends
The Glove Shoe
The cleanest silhouette of the season also happens to be a Coclico specialty. A well-made glove-fit shoe is not a flash in the pan; it is a way of life around here. Fit-as-luxury is finally having its moment across the runways, catching up to a shape we have been making for decades. The Rolls-Royce of the glove shoe is the sacchetto construction, an age-old shoemaking technique in which the upper is hand-sewn to a soft inner sock before lasting. We utilize a signature sacchetto construction across many of our flats and pumps. The result is glove-like from the first wear. Let the line of the shoe finish the line of the outfit. The Celeste T-Strap and the skeleton-lined Icy pump are season anchors, joined by the Cabnal Pointed Ballet Flat and the Haim Loafer.
The Slide
Some might say the slide is back because 90s minimalism is back. We'd say the slide never really went away. The polished-meets-practical wardrobe has always run on it: the shoe you reach for first, the one by the bed, the one packed at the top of the carry-on. Coclico designs slides across heights and constructions: flat slides on flexible soles, mid-heel slides for evening, wedge slides for lift, clog slides for substance. Closed-toe mules slip into the same logic. The slide rewards a wardrobe that doesn't try too hard.
The Metallic Neutral
Show me you're a neutral without being boring. Our Carbon Iridescent, a shimmering blue that shifts with the light, works as easily with jean shorts as with a black dress. Iridescent Carbon along with pewter, gold, and lake foiled suedes show up across silhouettes, from city sandals to wedges to evening kitten heels. Many are available exclusively at coclico.com and our Mott Street shop. A metallic that earns daily wear changes the math on every other shoe in your closet.
The Classic Clog
Cue the fanfare, it's officially clog season, and this year the silhouette has taken on a life of its own as a runway superstar. Coclico ranks among the original brands of the Downtown and Brooklyn clog uniform; clogs remain a Coclico specialty and identifiably ours at a glance. Sandalized for summer, our clogs are sculpted from solid wood sourced in certified renewable German forests, shaped and smoothed by hand. The clog adds an in-the-know flare to any outfit.
The City Sandal
A good shoe takes you places. A great shoe takes you everywhere. The city sandal is designed for days that go off-script, dressed up, dressed down, walked in six ways from Sunday. Padded or set on a footbed, finished with the kind of straps that hold without asking too much. Cool and considered, the city sandal is the easy partner to a well curated wardrobe. The Roxy Fisherman Sandal is the hero of the group, joined by hand-stitched styles across sandals, clogs, and platforms in the Uncommon Thread collection.
The Soft Strap
Luxurious, seamlessly comfortable sandals, these are the strappy sandal you don't take off three hours in. Tubular straps feel twice as nice; our range of tubular styles features a doubled-over, hand-stitched layer of soft leather configured to adapt to the individual wearer. Experience a molded, custom-feel fit on the very first try. A sandal that goes the distance without sacrificing the editorial edge.
The Wedge Sandal
The wedge is the season's sculptural shoe. After several summers in the shadows, the silhouette is back on the runway in confident, architectural form. Coclico wedges blur the lines between functional design and wearable art. Sculptural forms built for the rhythm of the city. Carved from solid wood sourced in certified renewable German forests and Portuguese cork for a big statement that leaves a small footprint. Quiet height, real presence, and a summer wardrobe staple that earns its place across day and evening.
Common summer shoe questions
What shoes are best for walking long distances in summer?
Walkability in a summer shoe comes from a sole that flexes with the foot, a fit that holds without asking too much, and a balance between heel and toe that lets you stride. A glove-fit flat, a low heel or wedge with good surface contact, a tubular-strap sandal, a slide on a footbed, and lightweight raised footbed sandals all do this beautifully.
How many pairs of shoes do you need for a summer trip?
A trip of any length comes down to the three-shoe rule. One pair for long walking days, one that works for dinners and evenings, and one that slips on without thought. Each earns its place by moving easily across cobblestones, boardwalks, and the spaces in between. Choose pairs that overlap in function and any one of them becomes the answer to most outfit questions.
Should you wear socks with sandals?
We love how it looks. A fine-rib sock in a contrasting or metallic tone adds a graphic line at the ankle, extends a sandal into cooler weather, and makes a summer shoe more transitional. The pairing reads intentional rather than thrown together. Coclico stocks Maria La Rosa socks at the Mott Street shop and online, including metallic and statement styles designed to live alongside our sandals.
Are leather sandals comfortable in hot weather?
A well-made leather sandal is breathable and conforms to the foot over time. Vachetta and similar natural leathers absorb skin oils and develop a patina with wear, becoming more comfortable the longer you wear them. Every foot is its own shape, so read the fit advice for each style carefully and trust the brand's guidance on where each pair runs.
Are strappy sandals comfortable to walk in?
It depends on the construction and the day. Tubular-strap sandals, like the Ace, wrap the foot without pressure and stay comfortable for long evenings. Soft nappa straps mould to the foot with wear. A well-cut flat strap, sized correctly, sits flush against the skin and walks easily. Read fit advice for each style; every strap shape suits a slightly different foot.
What's the difference between a slide, a mule, and a sandal?
A slide is a sandal, but not all sandals are slides. A sandal is any open-toe, open-heel shoe, secured either with straps or by slipping on. A mule is closed-toe with an open back, so a mule is not a sandal despite the open back. Clogs can be either: closed-back like a traditional clog, or slide-back like the Mist.
What is a fisherman sandal?
A fisherman sandal is a semi-enclosed leather sandal with an interwoven or paneled front, an open heel, and usually a quarter strap at the ankle. The closed toe gives the silhouette more visual weight and dress-code flexibility, and makes it a strong option for anyone who prefers a covered toe in summer. The shape is much older than its name, which entered fashion vocabulary in the 1970s.
Why wear clogs?
Once considered purely utilitarian, the clog has reentered the fashion conversation as a statement shoe with real staying power. This season clogs are back in full force, from the more literal '70s-inspired wooden styles to sleeker, more modern sandal interpretations. Their appeal lies in how easy they are to wear: equal parts comfortable and practical, the style lends itself naturally to spring and summer dressing. Pair clog sandals with dresses or statement skirts for a touch of bohemian ease, or opt for a heeled version with denim and linen trousers for a more polished take. At Coclico we have been making clogs in limited editions for decades, sculpted from solid wood and finished by hand.
What is sacchetto construction?
Sacchetto is a traditional shoemaking technique in which the upper is hand-sewn to a soft inner sock before being lasted. The result is a shoe with no hard inner structure between the foot and the upper, which is why sacchetto styles feel glove-like from the first wear. Coclico has used sacchetto across many of our signature flats, loafers, and pumps since inception, though not every style is built this way; check individual product pages for construction details.
How do you care for leather sandals and clogs?
Leather shoes last as long as you care for them. Use a soft cloth or non-abrasive brush to keep the surface clean and dry; apply a protectant each season; store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. For wood clogs and wood-bottom wedges, treat the wood with a beeswax conditioner the way you would wood furniture. When rubber soles or heel taps wear down, replace them before you walk on the bare wood or cork. Our full care guide and our resoling partnership with Coblrshop are linked at the bottom of every Coclico product page.
What shoes go with a summer dress?
Almost anything, which is why the question is worth asking. A fluid dress is balanced by a shoe with visual weight: a city sandal, a clog, a closed-toe flat. A more structured dress can carry a strappy sandal or a kitten heel. The contrast in coverage between the dress and the shoe is the part to think about. Matching them is rarely the goal.
What shoes should you wear to a summer wedding?
A mid-height sandal with a stable base is the most versatile answer. A glove-fit flat in a refined leather works for daytime ceremonies. A sculptural single-sole heel or a lightweight cork platform holds steady on grass and sand. Coclico approaches occasion dressing with a long view: sleek silhouettes, shimmering metallics, soft nappa leathers, and sculptural heels at danceable heights.
Less uniform. More signature.
