What Shoes to Wear With Summer Dresses

Summer dressing has its own energy, and I think that’s exactly why so many of us love it. Things feel easier, a little more relaxed, and that pressure to have everything perfectly put together just isn’t there the way it is the rest of the year. But the one question I get every single summer without fail is this: what shoes to wear with summer dresses?

The answer really comes down to where you’re going, and how you want the outfit to feel. The same dress can look completely different depending on the shoe. A flat sandal, an espadrille, a block heel, each one takes it in a different direction. Over time, I’ve found I keep coming back to the same four styles, and they cover just about everything.

Flat Shoes to Wear With Summer Dresses

Every summer, a flat sandal is the first thing I reach for, and honestly, most summer days, it’s what I end up wearing too. There’s nothing that feels more right with a dress in the heat than a simple, well-made flat sandal. 

The Margaux Flat Sandal is my most reached-for style. I’ve shared a full review of Margaux here. The ankle strap makes it feel more polished than a slide. I’m wearing it here with both the Pippa dress and the Gemma dress, and at 5’2″ the proportion is exactly right. It works with everything from a mini to a midi dress, which is really what makes it the most versatile shoe of the summer. I style them the same way I do with linen pants. Easy, simple, and pulled together.

If you want something with a little more personality, the Palermo sandals are worth considering. The cross-over strap design gives them a Greek-inspired feel. The blue color works beautifully with white, ivory, and neutral dresses in a way a nude sandal sometimes doesn’t. It comes in several other colors too, but I love the blue for something different but still soft.

For days that feel a little more put-together, whether that’s lunch out or a summer work event, the Demi Jane is what I’d reach for instead. It’s a flat shoe rather than a sandal, and gives a summer dress a slightly more polished feel. The same ease, but a little more coverage.

If your dress is casual or you’re getting dressed for everyday, this is the shoe I would start with.

Espadrilles With Long Summer Dresses

If there is one shoe that feels like summer more than any other, it’s an espadrille. There’s something about the woven jute sole that immediately signals vacation, even if you’re just running errands on a Saturday morning. I reach for mine most on those in-between days, when I want something not quite as casual as flat sandals, but not as dressy as a heel.

I find myself reaching for a wedge espadrille over a flat for a few reasons. The lift is balanced across the foot so you can actually wear them all day. And for a summer dress, especially a longer one, the added height keeps the proportions just right. I’m wearing mine here with the Adele dress, and at 5’2″ the wedge makes all the difference in how the length looks.

Espadrilles are made for that in-between summer moment, relaxed enough to feel easy, but you still look like you thought about it. A Sunday brunch, a summer weekend away, or a farmers market that turns into a long afternoon. They’re the shoes you throw on and forget about, and that’s exactly what makes them worth owning.

Espadrilles work best for daytime or more relaxed plans. For evenings or anything more formal, I’d go straight to a heel.

Block Heels to Wear With Summer Dresses

I almost always end up in a block heel when I’m heading out to dinner in a dress. The same dress you wore to the farmers market on Sunday with flats becomes the dinner dress on Friday, and you haven’t bought anything new. That’s really the argument for having one good block heel in your summer rotation.

The Paloma is the one I keep coming back to because it works for both everyday summer plans and anything a little more dressed up. The heel height is substantial enough to feel polished without being uncomfortable. And the shape is understated enough to work with almost any dress you already own. It’s particularly good with a midi length like mine, where the heel keeps it from feeling too relaxed. 

A block heel gives you height without the instability. It won’t sink into the grass, which means you’re actually enjoying yourself rather than thinking about your feet all night. 

A low block heel works with almost everything. But for very casual dresses, like a simple cotton or t-shirt dress, I usually reach for a flat sandal instead.

Dressy Sandals to Elevate a Summer Dress

There are certain summer plans that call for something a little more dressed up. A rooftop dinner, a wedding, or an evening out where you want your outfit to look a little more put together. This is when I switch into a dressier sandal.

The Sofia is my answer for those moments. The gold tone works with everything, the heel height gives you that extra polish without feeling like too much, and the arch support makes them wearable for long periods of time. It’s the easiest way to take a dress you’ve worn during the day and make it work for dinner or a night out. Wearing them here with my Hill House dress and beaded bag, and you can take 15% off with TARA15.

The Wrap Sandal is what I reach for when the occasion feels special but I don’t want to wear a heel. The ankle strap wraps in a way that feels almost like jewelry, and that detail alone takes a summer dress somewhere a plain flat sandal simply can’t. For a summer dinner out, or any occasion that feels special without being fully formal, this is the one I recommend. 

If I had to choose between the two, I’d wear the Sofia when I want something more polished or evening-ready, and the wrap sandal when I want something a little more relaxed, but still special.

I tend to reach for gold because it works with everything. I share more ways to style them in my guide to gold shoes.

In both photos above, I’m wearing one of my most worn dresses. It’s incredibly comfortable and easy to wear for so many occasions. Note that at 5’2″, I did take mine up a few inches.

Final Thoughts On Shoes For Summer Dresses

The right shoes don’t have to be complicated, and neither does getting dressed this summer. I tend to come back to the same four. A flat sandal for everyday, an espadrille for those in-between plans, a block heel for dinner, and a strappy sandal for anything that feels a little more special. They’re the pairs I reach for on repeat, and together they cover just about everything.

If you’re only buying two, I’d start with a flat sandal and a block heel (I wear my Paloma most). Between the two, you’ll be able to get dressed for almost anything that comes up. These are the pairs I reach for on repeat because they actually work in real life.