This
summer the fastest way to get the latest look is to wear
Gladiator sandals.
The Gladiator sandal or Gladiator strap boot, is a trend which has been developing for a year or two. In the spring of 2008, mass manufacturers have taken this sandal to heart in the same
way they did with another old favourite flat shoe -
the ballerina.
You will find that Gladiator footwear is
usually worked in one of these colours, either rich orange tans, strong dark browns, metallics, gold
or
silver.
Many Gladiator styles are strappy, and follow the influence of Dolce and
Gabbana, like the D&G Gladiator £380 sandals above left. Scores of summer
sandals are toe post, jewelled flip-flops, while others have ankle wrap straps
and cord lacing like these shown. Even if your a big fan of the gladiator
sandals, there are other options like flip flops,
women's slippers, and boots that you can wear to match your outfit.
Spell it how you will - sandal, sandel or sandle - of all the Gladiator sandals I have looked at recently, my favourite is by Office; the sandal shown immediate right.
Think how easy
this sandal will be to slip on and off your foot compared to
those with multi straps. So it deserves this large image! I like it so much I'm sure you will too.
Right - This brown stud Gladiator sandal is from the Spring 2008
Office Ladies Footwear Collection and is called Levictus
Zip Sandal. Price £40.
Notice
the rich dark brown shade which gives the Gladiator sandal an authentic look and which is also similar in tone to the
sandal shown left.
This Gladiator sandal with its six adjustable straps, most conforms to our idea of what a Gladiator sandal might be
like. The sandal offers an opportunity to adjust the
straps for a perfect fit. It is available from Debenhams
and is sure to be summer accessory you return to time
and again.
Left -
Debenhams Spring Summer 2008 Women's Accessories - Red Herring Gladiator
Sandal, Price £25.
Right
- Tan Leather Gladiator Sandal €14.00 - In store end of April
from the Summer Collection at Penneys for 2008
Left - Metallic Gladiator Sandal from Faith Footwear £35.
When you select your Gladiator sandal, think carefully about the
number of straps the style has, before you make your selection.
In the morning rush to work will you want to dress quickly, so a simple lace tie,
zip or lone strap may be more convenient.
Of
course there are many other great looking variations on the
theme of Gladiator sandals. Softer tans feature in many
ranges. These tan sandals shown left are from Plümo. Look
carefully and you will see an easy opening short back zip for a
fast and perfect fit. They are priced at £89 and are
available from plumo.com
online.
Left - Plümo Belle Sandals £89 - Fabulous sandals made from
tan coloured, lattice woven leather with a back zip.
Many of this summer's sandals are absolutely flat. If you
are used to wearing heels it make take a few days for your leg muscles to adapt to
wearing a flat shoe. But lovers of ballerina shoes will be immediately at home in
super flat sandals.
Right
- Tan Sandal Loopy Loo £50 from Spring 2008, Office Ladies
Collection at Office.
Metallic
footwear is so fashionable at the moment; look out for
gold tones, pewter and silver effects in flats of all types. The
yellow gold of these laced open Gladiator shoe sandals by Office
is rich and warm. The shoe has a very slight wedge
elevation.
Right - Abu Dhabi in yellow gold tone - Gladiator sandal shoe £55, Spring 2008, Office Ladies Collection by Office.
For
those fond of toe post sandals, then these black sandals by NEXT
might fit the bill.
Right
- Next Women's Footwear Spring/Summer 2008, Black large
jewel sandals £40. A low cost alternative might be this
gold toe-post sandal £15/€22, shown left, and from the Dorothy
Perkins Spring Summer 2008 Collection.
As
a shoe lover, if the thought of wearing flats is an abomination, then maybe these
high heel sandals with a Gladiatorial take will placate your feelings.
Left
- Sandal £44.99/€75.50 - Womenswear Footwear SS08 River
Island Clothing Co. Ltd
Right
- NEXT Women's Footwear Spring/Summer 2008, Tan weave sandals
£35/€50.
Below Left - Matalan High heel Sandal £16, from the Spring Summer 2008 Womenswear range.
Below Centre - French Connection tan high heel sandal.
Below Right - Dorothy Perkins Spring Summer 2008, tan chunky strap
platform £25 €40.
It's clear that if one shop is out of stock of a tan wrap strap,
high heel sandal, then plenty of other high st. retailers will
have the perfect sandal for you.
If these heeled sandals above all seem too high, then these clog
influenced raised sandals might be the best alternative.
They are from Shellys Summer 2008 Footwear and Accessories.
Shoes on the high street are more innovative than ever before.
Cuffs, or protective materials only at the ankles, are one of the
newer shoe fashion trends. These black heeled shoes shown
right are from Debenhams Spring/Summer 2008 Women's Accessories.
The flat black and white ankle cuff shoe sandal design is called
Hera and both are from the Summer 2008 Collection at Shellys.
These unusual pieces of footwear move us toward boots and newer
styles of airy summer footwear.
So
many of us wear trousers and jeans that we love a finished look
with a short boot. Both these high st. boots are good for cooler
summer days.
The stone boot left and the retro button feature adds a vintage
fashion touch. They would toughen up a pretty dress that
might seem over girly to some women.
Left - Creamy Stone Boots - £59.99/€100.50, River Island Clothing Co.
Right - Rich Tan Calf Boots - £54.99/€92.50, River Island
Clothing Co. Ltd, Womenswear Footwear & Shoes Summer 2008.
Left
- Shellys Trick/Treat/Tremble footwear - Red Trick style is £80,
Treat and Tremble are both £75 and from Shelly's Spring/Summer
2008 Shoes.
All these themes make footwear far more interesting than it has
been for years. Even summer boots with cut out sections
enable the summer foot to breathe more easily.
Right - Shellys black knee length and high tan ankle Gladiator
open strap wrap shoes from their Summer 2008 Collection.
Which brings us back to the point where we started - Gladiator
looks are the big fashion trend of summer 2008. So, get your
Gladiator inspired footwear now.
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This
summer the fastest way to get the latest look is to wear
Gladiator sandals. 
Notice
the rich dark brown shade which gives the Gladiator sandal an authentic look and which is also similar in tone to the
sandal shown left. 
Right
- Tan Leather Gladiator Sandal €14.00 - In store end of April
from the Summer Collection at Penneys for 2008 
Of
course there are many other great looking variations on the
theme of Gladiator sandals. Softer tans feature in many
ranges. These tan sandals shown left are from Plümo. Look
carefully and you will see an easy opening short back zip for a
fast and perfect fit. They are priced at £89 and are
available from 
Metallic
footwear is so fashionable at the moment; look out for
gold tones, pewter and silver effects in flats of all types. The
yellow gold of these laced open Gladiator shoe sandals by Office
is rich and warm. The shoe has a very slight wedge
elevation. 
But
these Monsoon T-bar flats are also gold, yet they are much cooler
in tone. 
For
those fond of toe post sandals, then these black sandals by NEXT
might fit the bill.
So
many of us wear trousers and jeans that we love a finished look
with a short boot. Both these high st. boots are good for cooler
summer days. 
Left
- Shellys Trick/Treat/Tremble footwear - Red Trick style is £80,
Treat and Tremble are both £75 and from Shelly's Spring/Summer
2008 Shoes. 
