The Gladiator Mandal

14th July 2008

Bernard Wilhelm Spring 2009

When the gladiator sandal sashayed down Chanel’s resort 2007 collection, a new mania was heralded. But with all this hype, fanfare and brouhaha over women and their newly beloved gladiator sandal, where do men factor in? The flurry of sprightly coloured and drab sandals Miu Miu sent out for their SS07 men’s collection paled in comparison to Chanel’s Amazon-like footwear . And as the gladiator sandal trail blazed its way into the closets of women, men were in a chasm of sorts, stuck with the fashionably faux-pas plastic flip-flop and the odd Miu Miu sandal.

Fast forward to today and men can now clamour for the so-called gladiator mandal, or man-sandals, at very affordable prices too. Topman and HE by Mango carry some urbane gladiator mandals that effectively blot out the femininity that surround this style of footwear. Here are our top 3 picks.

1. From cargo pants to safari jackets, khaki colours are best suited for the summers and Topmans tan gladiators (£30) can consummate a casual khaki ensemble in a flash. What’s more, the Topman sandal really embodies the gladiator feel with the volume of straps that contour the forefoot.

2. Versatility, however, comes in the form of the black leather HE by Mango sandals (£17). Dressing in a black-on-black manner seems to be a styling prodigy this summer so why not throw a fitting sandal into the mix.

3. Styles other than the gladiator sandal are available for men and Kurt Geiger’s patent leather sandals (£60) won me over. The wooden soles of the sandal would make for added durability for the urban dweller plus the tangy orange hue is a pleaser for those who love to be noticed in atypical fashion.

It’s not just the style that surrounds gladiator sandals that has won me over (even though that plays big part), but the health benefits the shoe confer on the wearer.

Style-wise, going for a sandal that has an ankle strap of some sort will only flatter, accentuate, and draw admirers to the physique of your ankle/lower leg.

As for the health plugs, the ankle provided is unparalleled to rubber flip-flops. Moreover, the spongy sole of most flip-flops allow the foot to roll upon hitting the ground thus exacerbating the pressure on the foot.

So if it’s for the sake of health, style, or both, please do away with those flip-flops, put your best foot forward and you can’t go wrong this summer!