Classic Appeal of Leather Sandals

Leather sandals are one of the most popular types of footwear, worn in many different countries around the world. Leather has been used since ancient times to create footwear and till this day remains extremely in-demand for all kinds of clothes and shoes. There are many different types, including men’s leather sandals and women’s leather sandals, made in a variety of ways. A leather sandal can refer to the intricately decorated ethnic footwear from India as well as stylish western casual wear shoes.

For women and men, leather sandals are a great option for a number of reasons. Leather is an extremely soft and comfortable material, which is why it is perfectly suited for summer and for every day wear. At the same time, it also looks very classy and elegant. Women appreciate the immense variety of designs available in ladies’ leather sandals while men love the versatility of leather sandals for men.

Leather sandals for men can be of many different types. Sandals are defined by their open front and are hence always open-toed, but the simple design of soles and straps can be redefined in a number of ways. The western type boy’s leather sandals usually have a thick sole, with two parallel straps attached by Velcro or buttons. The straps may also be criss-crossed to create a slightly different design, or looped around the toe or toes.

In leather sandals, women’s designs tend to be more artistic and varied. Some of them imitate the thick parallel straps design of men’s shoes, but most of the leather sandals for women come with thin straps which are wrapped in a multiple criss-cross designs. The gladiator design is very popular in all types of women’s shoes and leather sandals are no exception. Besides these classic leather sandals, women will also find a lot of other stylish designs to choose from, like the ankle strap sandal, the v-shaped sandal, the toe-ring sandal and so on.

Another major difference between designs for men and women is the inclusion of the heel. Men usually wear flat leather sandals. The more formal varieties might have buckled straps or other additions to make them look different than the casual wear varieties, but never heels. Women, on the other hand, will find all types of leather sandals, from low kitten heels to towering stilettos, from wedge heels to no heels.

Leather is also a very popular ethnic wear textile and is widely employed in the creation of all types of unique Indian shoes. Perhaps the most well-known Indian leather sandals are the Kolhapuris. While brown or black leather sandals are the most commonly found western style shoes, in India, it is common to include color in the design of shoes. Usually, they come covered in some type of printed/embroidered cloth or studded with artistic beaded designs. The straps may also be made of some other material all together. Often the arch of the toe is covered in some type of ornate patterning made on or attached to the straps. Both men’s and women’s sandals come with designs, though the shoes for women tend to be more colorful in general.

Handmade leather sandals are the norm in India. These are usually exclusively crafted by leather workers who utilize ancient techniques of shoe making to create these unique sandals. Obviously these tend to be a bit on the costly side, which is why today one can find less expensive machine made Kolhapuris and Jutis as well.

Wearing Leather Sandals

Leather sandals, whether they are Indian or western, are considered classic fashion items. They are wardrobe staples for men and women as they make styling any outfit extremely simple. For example, every man should have at least one pair of men’s brown leather sandals for the summer season, because these are classic shoes that will match well with almost any type of outfit, from a jeans and t-shirt to a kurta pajama. In fact brown leather sandals are extremely versatile even for women and are also considered very trendy. Many celebrities have been spotted wearing leather sandals in their day to day life and this has further increased their style quotient.

When it comes to formal wear leather sandals, men and women can find a lot of varieties in different colors and designs. This type of footwear can be appropriate for parties as well as office wear, depending on the designs and patterns. For instance, a pair of white leather sandals will go beautifully with floral print dresses, kurtas and salwar kameez. Many of the latest leather sandals come in bright colors like red, blue, purple, green and yellow. These vibrant yet classy sandals can be the perfect accessories with all types of Indian and Indo Western outfits.