Fashion People Rate Them, so I Walked 20,000 Steps in Them—These IYKYK Sandals Are Worth All the Hype

Despite growing up a stone’s throw away from the beach, you might be surprised to learn that I was never a sandals girl. All it took to convince me to purchase a pair, however, was two decades of patience and one former colleague wearing a very chic pair of understatedly chic strappy sandals. Given I had never dipped my toes into this footwear category before, I knew there was only one place to start: A.Emery’s Jalen Sandal.

You see, my summer shoe rotation predominantly consisted of elevated flip-flops or ballet flats. Both options lacked support and would make my feet overheat and give me blisters if worn for long bouts of time. Fashionable women like Marianne Smyth and Zara Wong, sartorialists who own a pair or two of the A.Emery sandals, are smart and stylish enough to avoid these bugbears by making the cross-ankle style a part of their uniforms. This is a lesson I learned from the first time I slipped into the sumptuous piece, causing me to become instantly enamoured with the sandal from my first wear.

A.Emery Jalen Sandals Review

The timing of the A.Emery Jalen sandal coming into my life couldn’t have been more serendipitous, either. They came into my life when I was planning a month-long trip to Italy. Scouring the Tuscan hills and canals of Venice wouldn’t have been possible in a suffocating flat, but other breathable flat styles I owned lacked the anatomy to give my arch the tender love and care the A.Emery Jalen sandals did.

As someone who likes elevated essentials with a twist—think studded jeans, stripy button-downs, sheer skirts and tops with built-in draping—I opted for the walnut suede pair, knowing they’d give my ensembles a textured contrast but were neutral enough to layer with my wardrobe staples without being easily-boring black or easy-to-dirty white. On one day in Rome, I walked nearly 20,000 steps in them, tramping from the top of Piazza di Spagna, around the Pantheon and down through Trastevere with ease and comfort.

These are the foundations that A.Emery founder and designer, Anna McLaren, prioritised when designing the shoe, too. “The Jalen Sandal is a refined everyday silhouette designed with both form and function in mind,” McLaren posits when asked about the craftspersonship of the piece. “The criss-cross straps and toe hold were developed to gently frame the foot, offering a flattering shape and secure fit,” she tells me. “Set on our signature moulded footbed, the style reflects our ongoing focus on clean lines, subtle detailing, and wearability,” she continues. “It’s one of our most widely worn styles, a true staple for the A.Emery customer, season after season.”

For myself, this purchase has reaped dividends as suede sandals have become a leading style of the spring/summer 2025 season, sporting expensive-looking high street styles from Zara, Reformation and M&S or designer iterations from The Row like the brand’s beach leather thong sandals. But with countless iterations, including a thin option with slimmer straps, it’s not hard to see why these have become a must-have piece.

Their in-demand nature is down to their versatility, pairing equally well when styled with a striped-back outfit like blue jeans and a sweet top as with white skirts and a sturdier jacket. I can only testify so much about how relaxed the shape is and how nice they are to wear, but you can only really be persuaded after trying them on yourself.

So, ahead, I’ve pulled together a guide to the top A.Emery Jalen sandal style and where you can shop them for yourself. With summer on the horizon, you won’t be wearing anything else.

What Are the A.Emery Jalen Sandals?

The A.Emery Jalen sandal is a shoe style that debuted in the 2010s. In under a decade, the style has become a beacon of modern and discerning minimalism and sigil of refined taste.

The shape features a rubber sole with anatomical details that cushion the paddy tissue around your toe joints and straps that cross around the top of the foot before wrapping around the ankle. Finished with a gilded buckle and singular strap around the big toe.

Are the A.Emery Jalen Sandals Worth It?

The A.Emery Jalen sandals are definitely worth the purchase. This comes down to two factors—materials and make. On the latter, as previously mentioned, McLaren designed these to truly be worn however, whenever and by any woman, regardless of her personal style. For me, this means pairing them with slouchy trousers and a knitted vest when in the office and a gorgeous classic dress. (The one I wore in Rome is from LA-based brand Rue Sophie and featured a really lovely deep V-neck and drop-sleeve sheer top to layer over it) top.

The other consideration is the quality of the fabric. Even without spritzing without a suede protector spray, the material held up against heat, humidity and excess. But it’s just more than how they hold up. As per A.Emery, every sandal is handcrafted by an artist in the Delhi region of India, with all makers receiving “above-living-wage pay, safe working environments, anti-discrimination policies, and legal age requirements” that adhere to global standards.

Transparency is also at the core of the brand, which is why the leather Jalen sandals are of the highest quality and procured through the Leather Working Group, a global nonprofit organization that sources responsible leather that’s been created as a neutral byproduct of the meat industry. Consider these shoes you can feel good about and look good in.

Where Can I Buy the A.Emery Jalen Sandal?

You can purchase the A.Emery Jalen sandals directly from the brand’s website or premium online retailers like NET-A-PORTER, Harrods, MyTheresa and Harvey Nichols. To save you the hassle of searching for them, we’ve rounded up the top styles below for you to shop now. Consider this an opportunity to step into style.

Shop the A.Emery Jalen Sandals