Paging 1996: you lost your jelly shoes and they somehow ended up in 2010. I was thinking about sending them back, but then I reconsidered. While I may not be ready to publicly fess up to my secret love for BSB and snap bracelets, after seeing the recent comeback of jellies, I may be ready to take this romance public.

It’s not difficult to see why we have revisited this trend. It’s almost like the shoe gods all got together and thought of a way women could have cute, comfortable shoes that can’t be ruined unless you set them on fire. Even then I’m pretty sure you can mold them back together. The only problem was they were hideous, to put it mildly, and I have the emotional scars to prove it when I tried to bring them back in the eighth grade. But now that one glitch has been solved as designers such as Tory Burch and Burberry have stepped up and taken on the challenge.

Tory Burch Jelly Reva

The main difference between what we wore 15 years ago and what is being shown now is the color scheme designers are using. It’s all about going opaque for a modern twist. We all remember jellies as being horrifically transparent, like Saran Wrap laced across your feet. But now you can use jellies as a way to update your current wardrobe choices with flats, flip flops, and sandal options. Everyone and their mother has a pair of Tory Burch Reva flats, and while they are now a classic staple, you can experiment with Burch’s jelly Reva flats in bright pink or blue, guaranteed to make you stand out and withstand a freak rainstorm. Or go for classic black for a hint of edginess behind your seemingly demure footwear.

Stuart Weitzman Jelly

Ready to rock the world with your jelly footwear? Go for it with a pair of magenta, gladiator jelly sandals from Diane von Furstenberg paired with a romper for weekend fun in the city or at the beach. Or go with a pair of clear, embellished d’orsay flats from Stuart Weitzman – a true tribute to the ‘90s. Only for the truly fashion fearless, you can wear these with a bright sundress to really stand out, or go for the shoes in black for more versatility (and to look less like you still worship NKOTB).

Valentino Jelly Sandal

Should you not be ready to fully revisit the days of Saved by the Bell and Tamagotchi pets, you can always try the jelly trend in a subtle flip flop. Try a clear, check pattern from Burberry or a bright (and less jelly-like) pair from Tory Burch, great for a relaxing day outside or even a casual barbecue. Or you can go 2010-fancy with a pair of bow flip flops from Valentino – perfect for the weekend or if you happen to have a black tie event starring Lady Gaga. These could definitely venture outside of the beach without looking out of place, especially in opaque ivory or red. Or you could always keep your jellies as poolside-only attire, for those who prefer to keep their fashion risks on the down-low.

Remember girls, clear is for the risk-takers, opaque equals modern subtlety. Until next time!
~Ashley, fashioniSTA, Second Time Around