There are many things we associate with childhood. From our favorite lunchbox to our seemingly endless stacks of friendship bracelets. Depending upon when you were born, the nostalgic list may also include jelly shoes. The rubber footwear usually came in sandal form and appeared to go with every outfit when we were younger. The only downside back then was the fact that they would cause some of the most painful blisters as our feet sweated in the summer sun. Now our love/hate relationship can continue thanks to The Row.
The Row recently made headlines for banning phones at its shows, but the brand created the most Instagrammable shoe silhouette of the season. For Summer 2024, sister act Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen sent several sophisticated jelly flats down their runway. Then it was only a matter of time before they became the most lusted after item around. In true The Row fashion, the shoes, which come in four hues, aren't cheap. You'll need to shell out almost $900 per pair. Despite the sticker shock, the jelly flats are currently all sold out on the brand's website. Don't fret, you can always sign up for the waitlist, which we're pretty sure is longer than a CVS receipt, but getting your hands on them will be worth the wait.
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In the meantime, you can test out the trend with a few less pricey alternatives. Ancient Greek Sandals offers a strikingly similar shoe for only $125. Missing the fisherman style you favored when you were a kid? Méduse, Melissa and Loeffler Randall should be your new go-tos. Slides are also available if you're looking for something to wear around the pool.
Ready to embrace jelly shoes again? Read on to uncover the best versions of the season.
The Row Mara Flat in Vinyl in Electric Blue, $890 at The Row
Ancient Greek Sandals Iro in Pink, $125 at Ancient Greek Sandals
Melissa Possession in Clear, $69 at Melissa
Mango Glitter Fisherman Sandal, $79.99 at Mango
Valentino Garavani Rockstud Jelly Sandal in Riverside Blue, $490 at Nordstrom
Sam Edelman Bay Jelly Slide Sandal in Flamingo Jelly, $44.95 at Sam Edelman
Méduse Sun Jelly Sandals in Gazon, $35 at Clare V.
Tory Burch Bubble Jelly Slide Sandal in Almond Flour, $122.20 at Nordstrom
Aquazzura Almost Bare Embellished PVC Sandals, $450 at Mytheresa
Larroudé Milan Jelly Thong Sandal in Sunshine, $140 at Nordstrom
Loeffler Randall Rhys Jelly Sandals With Studs, $175 at Shopbop
Jeffrey Campbell Jellz Slip-On in Apricot, $49.95 at Nordstrom