These Chic Espadrilles Are Secretly Water Shoes

Courtesy of Sea Star Beachwear

When you’re packing for your first warm-weather escape of the year, you may realize that the search for the perfect summer footwear isn’t as simple as you may have thought. This quandary struck me when I was packing for Miami last month, and before I had even gotten to the clothing portion of my packing (shoes in first, people!), I had already filled my suitcase. I needed leather sandals and sneakers for walking around the Design District and Wynwood, Havaianas for the beach, and espadrilles for a night out or a nice dinner. I thought about how ideal it would be to have a warm-weather shoe that was all-in-one; this way, I could save room in my suitcase for all of the other frivolous accessories I insist on taking with me and the souvenirs I intend on bringing back.

As a result of inevitable vacation laziness, I ended up only wearing my leather sandals, which came back entirely destroyed from too much wear and contact with salt water. I swore this would be my last time traveling with a superfluous abundance of shoes to a beach vacation. After much research, I discovered Sea Star Beachwear, a line of lightweight, water-friendly espadrilles. “I was looking for a multifunctional shoe that would protect my feet in the water, but was also attractive and durable enough to wear to town, biking, and boating. No water shoe existed that combined fashion and function,” said CEO Libby Fitzgerald. “Water shoes are typically poorly constructed and purely functional. They don’t resonate with today’s more style-conscious and quality-demanding customers.”

The neoprene shoes come in a range of casual and elevated styles and colors — some even feature embroidery — making them the perfect shoe for every moment of your trip. A rubber sole protects your feet from hot sand and rocky ocean floors. And post-dip, they'll dry super-fast in the sun (and sand shakes off them like magic once they're dry).

Sea Star shoes fuse the functionality of a water shoe with the tropical sophistication of an espadrille. The result? A one-stop-shoe that’ll take you from the beach to walking around town then to dinner. One quick sizing note before you run off to buy five pairs, though: the brand doesn't offer half sizes, so definitely make sure to size up or the band that secures the shoe around your heel might feel too tight. Here, we've pulled a few of our favorite styles.

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