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!
Interesting, these sandals might seem fashion forward right now but Nigerian men have been wearing shoes like these with native outfits for years..lol i swear my brothers own at least a pair of these..
and the first one looks like something little boys wore during primary school..who said Africans are backward?? 🙂
You’re quite right Chom…I remember back home in Nigeria owning a few pairs of sandals for school. Considering the scorching weather back home, sandals are feasible year round, but in the more seasonal shifting West, a timely reminder of their utility is always worthwhile.
I’m all for men making their strong presence known in the world of fashion… I’m not for men literally taking it back to ancient Rome and reliving the gladiator days. It’s a cute and fun fashion statement for women due to the fact that we’ve remixed the look and made it our own. You won’t open any history books and find women in stiletto gladiator sandals, however you will find the men of ancient Greece sporting the exact look above- sandals and all… Just don’t know if I’m down for men trying to relive the glory days of the 264 BC. NO GLADIATOR MANDALS!! I do however love the alternatives you’ve shown… Wouldn’t mind seeing my man in any of those ; )
I bought mine from this webby….
http://www.amazon.com/120-MAX-Color-BROWN-Mens-Size/dp/B0012GT0ZC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=shoes&qid=1228852641&sr=8-3
it’s for men & i bought mine in brown =D
thanks
check out this site for gladiator sandals for men
http://www.barcode0308.multiply.com
I kno im like a year late but did anyone have any luck finding the 2nd pair of the black leather HE by mango ones. I searched every where, let me know if there still available anywhere or if you find a similar style. thanks
I did some researching into your question Blaze. Although, HE by Mango is no longer selling that pair, their new black sandals are just as dashing and more gladiator-esque (if that’s your thing)!
Visit http://www.hominiemerito.com/ and go to “SHOP ONLINE” option at the top of screen. Under “Garment” tab, select footwear and the new sandals will be before you 🙂 At £39, their not bad!
There are so much we human can do in terms of fashion. That’s why fashion rotate every 20 years and designers pick certain elements from different centuries, culture, country, etc. and put them together to form another fashion statement. The gladiators isn’t a new thing as some monk in tibet use them or other part of the world somewhere uses them like the chap said in Nigeria.
I think it is a fashion men should try on as well as a fashion statment but would be more tone down as the women fashion. Women fashion are a little too extreme and have more variety as men. They can wear skirts, dress, shorts, pants, etc. But men only can wear pants and shorts, shirt or tee shirts and the boring singlets when occasional prints on them.