Forget Flip-Flops—Alexa Chung Just Confirmed This Divisive Style Is Summer’s Next It Shoe

I’ve always had a soft spot for a pair of “divisive” shoes. Be it a chunky brogue or a Jennifer Lawrence-approved garden clog, if it’s slightly ugly and unapologetically comfortable, I’m all in. Come summer though, the adventurous side of my footwear rotation begins to shift towards practicality. More often than not, the only pair of shoes on my feet is a minimalist pair of flip-flops that look straight out of the ‘90s. For the past few years, they’ve been the undisputed champion of my warm-weather wardrobe, but that was until today. After scrolling through my social media feed, I spotted the ultimate style muse, Alexa Chung, in some footwear I’d previously overlooked until now: jelly shoes.

As much as I’ve appreciated the return of the jelly from afar, I’d never been fully sold. Every time I saw a pair, they still felt a little too much like the dress-up shoes of my childhood rather than an unexpectedly chic footwear choice. But, of course, if anyone could change all that, it would be Alexa. Whilst island-hopping through Greece, she’d seemingly left her flip-flops at home, and in a Pucci-esque minidress and brown bucket hat, her shoe of choice was a clear pair of ankle-grazing jelly shoes.

Alexa Chung wears the jelly shoe trend 2026 — (Image credit: @alexachung)

Referring to them as “skin shoes” in her Instagram caption, they tied her outfit together in a fun way. Lightweight, flexible and breathable, this unconventional shoe lent her look a cooler, more fashion-forward finish that feels less contrived than if the look was finished with a pair of flip-flops.

Since The Row dropped its high-end iteration of jelly shoes during the spring/summer 2024 show, the nostalgic trend has never been more popular, and if the reigning queen of cool is jumping on it, I’m sure it’ll continue to pick up as high summer approaches. Scroll to shop the jelly shoes that might change your mind.