Which women's shoes to choose for spring and summer
A spring summer shoe is defined by the way it is built: an open or perforated upper, reduced or absent lining, a thin flexible sole and an overall weight lower than a winter shoe. In women's spring and summer shoes this lightening is what makes it possible to stay on your feet all day: in summer the foot changes volume over the course of the day, and a shoe that does not let air circulate becomes uncomfortable far sooner than it would in winter.
Open shoes are not all alike, and you choose between them by how firmly they hold the foot. A sandal with an ankle strap is the most stable and the right one for anyone who walks a lot; mules leave the heel free, slip on in a second and suit days spent going in and out of the house; the rope-soled espadrille is the lightest of all, but it does not like water and is slow to dry. Every heel height and every fastening is gathered on the women's sandals page.
Not all of spring is warm, and lightened closed shoes cover the in-between months. Thin-leather ballet flats and unlined loafers are worn barefoot or with an invisible sock; a slip-on with elastic panels adapts to evening swelling without pinching; a canvas or mesh upper breathes where leather closes. These are the shoes that handle April rain and cool June mornings better than a sandal does, and the widest choice is among the women's sneakers.
Heel height matters less than the base it rests on. A 6 cm block heel is more stable than a 4 cm stiletto, because it spreads the load over a wider surface; the spool heel, narrow at the waist and flared at both ends, is a middle way that holds well on even ground; wedges and flatforms add height while keeping the foot almost flat, since they lift the forefoot too. On gravel, wooden decking or cobblestones the difference between these solutions is felt at the first step.
Summer materials should be chosen with an eye to how they age. Suede is soft and breathable but stains with water and needs dry brushing; smooth leather wipes clean with a damp cloth and is the most forgiving in daily wear; raffia, rope and woven cotton weigh almost nothing and stay cool, but wear through at the edges first. Lightweight rubber or EVA soles cushion hot tarmac and are unbothered by sand; leather, more elegant and more rigid, slips on wet ground until it has worn in a little.
The size of a summer shoe should be checked at the end of the day, not in the morning. In the heat the foot expands by a few millimetres, and an open style must leave margin at the front and the back, without the toes overhanging the footbed. Adjustable straps, elastics and lacing recover half a size of discrepancy; a mule does not, because it is held on by the friction of the band alone, which is why it should be chosen closer-fitting than it seems to need at the first try-on.
