JELLY ROLLOUT
The jelly sandal is back -- and this time it’s not just the floppy rubber shoe in the bins at the 99 cents store. Luxury brands such as Givenchy, Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Fendi are all making jelly shoes for spring that cost vastly less than anything else they make -- and yet, so much more than the jellies you ran around in through the ‘80s.
Some of the top-dollar styles -- such as the $165 Mod peep toe sandal from Givenchy -- have great thick straps, which add an architectural element (a big trend in spring shoes). And the shiny rubber makes them look sleeker than your average jelly.
Marc Jacobs is making his popular mouse flat in rubber for $160. It comes in fun colors that include teal and coral, but believe it or not, the Target brand Xhilaration is making a shoe almost identical to the mouse. Target’s rubber ballet flat colors include black and red, but at $7.99, the savings might make you reconsider your need for Palm Beach brights.
Chanel, the brand famous for high-end accessories with chain straps and camellias, is also doing the jelly: a clear Roman-style sandal with minimal adornment, just a rhinestone by the big toe, for a staggering $295. It’s not a stretch from the version by Xhilaration, which is simple and sophisticated -- and $7.99. Steve Madden’s Roman jelly is a neutral crystal clear for $39.95.
The Gucci jelly is in a league of its own -- it works the double-G logo into the shoe, in the form of cutouts all over a Kelly green, blush or navy flat. For $150, it is the most substantial of the jelly lot and would work from summer into fall.
So, take your pick: Snag a little bit of luxury for less, or get the look for just a few bucks.
But whether you choose cash or credit on this spring trend, don’t dismiss the jelly just because it’s made of ordinary rubber. After all, jellies are waterproof, vibrant in color and of course, vegan friendly -- like Crocs, but c’mon.
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