Gladiator Sandals

Gladiator sandals have emerged as one of the hottest fashion trends in recent years. Originally modeled after the ancient Greek and Roman sandals, the gladiator sandal now comes in a dizzying array of styles, materials and colors. Where once they were utilitarian they are now a big fashion statement, worn by celebrities and ordinary people alike.

These flexible shoes can be made of leather, pleather, fabric and any number of different materials. You will find these fashionable sandals in the familiar brown, black and beige sandal colors as well as bright colors that really pop, along with metallic golds and silvers. In terms of detailing they range from the plain and unadorned to the bejeweled, studded, embroidered or other embellishments. You can find flat sandals that come in ankle, mid-calf to full knee, along with boots and high heel gladiator sandals. They can range from inexpensively priced sandals up to expensive designer gladiator sandals designed by well known fashion designers such as Guiseppe Zanotti, Steve Madden, Stuart Weitzman and Alexander McQueen.

The latest sandal craze can be traced back to a renewed interest in Greek and Roman times and the popular movie Gladiator (2000) starring Russell Crowe. Greek and Roman fashion also began to make its way onto the fashion runways, and in recent years many celebrities have started to wear gladiator sandals, including Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and of course Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in the 2008 movie version of Sex in the City wearing the chic Dior Extreme Gladiator Sandals.

Gladiator sandals are basically a t-shape sandal with a strap running vertically up the foot with multiple horizontal straps meeting the vertical strap to form a t, and they normally have at least one strap going around the ankle. Originally most of these sandals came in neutral brown, black and beige colors and were made of leather, with brown leather gladiator sandals being one of the most common and popular type. However, in today’s high fashion world all of this has changed, and along with the familiar gladiator thong sandals there are also gladiator sandals shoes and gladiator sandal boots.

In fact high heel gladiator sandals have taken these sandals to new heights- both literally and figuratively. In addition to the flat sandals, known for their comfort and practicality, there are now stylish gladiator high heel boots and platforms with chunky wedge heels which have been among the hottest shoes and fashion in 2009.

Another great thing about gladiator sandals is that they are comfortable and go with just about any clothing. They can be worn with dresses, skirts, jeans and shorts. They make a strong fashion statement that people either love or hate. Some have speculated that part of the broad appeal to gladiator sandals is women wanting to make a statement of being strong in today’s tough conditions. Whatever the reasons are for their appeal, they make a bold statement and can be combined with a variety of fashion to make different looks and fit different occasions.

When it comes to wear gladiator sandals, you do need to pay attention to your body type and shape of your legs. High heel gladiator sandals and gladiator sandal boots tend to look better on women who are tall and have slender legs. For women who are shorter or have thicker legs, flat sandals in dark or metallic colors will be more flattering. Attention should also be paid to the thickness of the straps. For a more feminine look, thinner straps may be preferred. However thin straps can make larger feet and legs look even larger, so it pays to shop around to find the right gladiator sandals that look best with your body type and shape of your legs. One final tip is wearing a bright toe nail polish can give a real pop to how your toes look and help to show of your favorite pair of gladiator sandals.

When gladiator sandals first started getting popular many people scoffed at the latest fashion craze, making fun of the strange looking sandals and writing them off as a short lived fad. Many pundits were predicting in 2008 that this trend would fizzle and fade away. However, the unusual sandals are as popular as ever and new styles and brands continue to be introduced. So why are gladiator sandals so popular? Here are a few reasons.

1. Gladiator sandals are popular because we all want to be like Sarah Jessica, Lindsay, and Paris. True the fact that so many celebrities have donned the sandals has played a big factor in how popular they have become. Then again, why are so many celebrities drawn to them in the first place?

2. Gladiator sandals are comfortable and very flexible. This is very true. They do tend to be very comfortable, at least the flat sole versions. The flexibility is another big draw. They can be worn with a wide variety of clothing styles from dresses, skirts, pants, shorts and jeans. With the newest styles they even extend beyond casual to sandals, boots and shoes that can be worn while out on the town or even to dress up events, and you can even get ones to match your expensive or cheap designer handbags.

3. Gladiator sandals are popular because they make a bold statement about not only fashion but about the strength of the modern woman. Okay this may sound a little far fetched, but the broad appeal of gladiator sandals may well go beyond all of us just following the celebrities lead or wanting a comfortable and flexible pair of sandals in our closet.

Gladiator sandals make a strong statement. They have been mocked and ridiculed and dismissed almost as much as praised. Many women admit that when they were first introduced to these sandals that they didn’t like them. However as they grew accustomed to them they began to appreciate them more and more.

So when a modern women dons her gladiator sandals is she a warrior of sorts? Maybe this explains their broad appeal. They are bold, comfortable, sexy and maybe make women feel powerful all at the same time. They are certainly not sandals for the timid. When you wear gladiator sandals you are making a statement.

For those who scoffed when gladiator sandals first came out, they definitely underestimated the appeal and staying power of this unusual footwear. The sandals themselves are much like their namesakes, the gladiator.

Check out what this YouTube video has to say about the hot new trend that is Gladiator Sandals.