I Thought I Hated ‘00s Fashion But These Flashback Sandal Trends Are Actually Chic

May 31, 2025 / Kim Browne /

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At this point, you might be tired of hearing about the endless return of 2000s fashion, but like it or not, the era is clearly hanging around. From low-rise jeans to denim-on-denim in full Britney-and-Justin glory, tube tops to butterfly motifs, Y2K trends remain at the forefront of fashion. It’s not just the clothes that have fashion fans feeling nostalgic, either; the influence of the 2000s is noticeably dominating the biggest 2025 sandal trends, too. From caged jelly sandals to chunky platforms, this summer’s footwear lineup feels unapologetically noughties-coded, and I’m kind of obsessed.

Britney Spears stands in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris whilst wearing a silk tie top, low rise jeans and chunky mule sandals in an image taken of her in May 2000.

’00s Sandals Are Back, and Fashion Is Loving It

When I think of iconic ’00s sandals, my mind instantly serves up images of the people who wore them best at the time: Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, to name a few. Whether it’s Britney’s chunky flip-flops or Paris’s endless rotation of heeled, strappy sandals, these silhouettes are once again influencing stylish women everywhere, especially those on my feed.

Even once cringeworthy styles are being reappraised through a nostalgic lens. According to Who What Wear UK’s SEO writer Ava Gilchrist, “Noughties sandals can be borderline ghastly when you think back to them—the idea of wrapping the straps of Gladiator styles around my calf like some sort of deli meat makes me shudder—but there are some exceptions. Namely, the feathered Jimmy Choo heels worn by Carrie Bradshaw, or the Giuseppe Zanotti encrusted crab heels. But, if there is one style I’d have to single out as a favourite, it would be the little platform wedges worn everywhere, from the pool to prom.”

Today, designers are reinventing iconic early-2000s sandal silhouettes with a modern twist. See Coperni’s foam-wedge Platform Thong Sandals (£350), Givenchy’s rubber Marshmallow Wedge Sandals (£475) and the almost sold-out Paris Georgia Dune Wedges (£580), which Gilchrist owns, much to the envy of her colleagues. But it’s not just platforms that have seen a revival; jellies have undergone a high-fashion transformation too. The Row’s Pre-Fall 2024 show featured redesigned netted versions, and Chloé and COS also incorporated jelly sandals into their spring/summer 2025 collections.

All this runway attention means one thing: fashion people can’t get enough of ’00s sandal trends. From Kendall Jenner stepping out in Dries Van Noten platform thong sandals to Jennifer Lawrence pairing peachy jelly shoes with white overalls, these once-nostalgic shoes are proving that they are once again a style staple.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Need more convincing that noughties sandals are officially back? Everyone’s favourite fashion icon, Carrie Bradshaw, is being immortalised once again, this time by none other than Jimmy Choo. The brand is set to re-release two of its most iconic strappy sandals: the Archive Leo 100 Leopard-Print Sandals (£675), worn with a fitted pink tank and that unforgettable white tutu in Sex in the City’s opening credits, and its “72318” Lilac Suede Sandal with Feather Embellishment (£775) from season three, made famous by Carrie’s iconic line, “I lost my Choo!” And honestly? If it’s good enough for Carrie, it’s good enough for me.

Now that I’ve proven the relevance of these ’00s sandals in 2025, let’s take a closer look at the specific trends I’m seeing come through. Scroll on to see how the A-list wore these styles the first time around, then continue to shop my edit of the best modern-day pairs to buy now.