Cookie banner

This site uses cookies. Select "Block all non-essential cookies" to only allow cookies necessary to display content and enable core site features. Select "Accept all cookies" to also personalize your experience on the site with ads and partner content tailored to your interests, and to allow us to measure the effectiveness of our service.

To learn more, review our Cookie Policy, Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.

or
clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Slingbacks Are the Best Transition Shoes

Wear them now and all through fall.

Racked has affiliate partnerships, which do not influence editorial content, though we may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. We also occasionally accept products for research and reviewing purposes. See our ethics policy here.

Photo: Net-a-Porter

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Somewhere on the spectrum between cherishing the last moments of open-toe slides and buying a fresh pair of ankle boots is the slingback — what I'd argue to be the most underrated summer-to-fall transition shoe.

With a closed toe and an open back, the style is just airy enough to be worn all throughout the spring and summer, but it keeps you covered enough to remain a go-to well through the first few months of fall. (Something both you and your wallet can appreciate.)

The versatility doesn't stop there, either. Thanks to the slightly pointed toe featured on most of the options out now, slingbacks feel just uppity enough to work with a cocktail dress at a summer wedding, but casual enough to dress up the sloppiest weekend-errands outfit. Oh, and did I mention that they're really comfortable? Whether you're partial to a kitten or block heel, the typically minimal height means you can wear them from morning to (very) late night.

Here, you'll find a handful of my favorite slingbacks circulating around right now, starting at $30, that you can buy today and keep in rotation well through October.

photo of dark blue slingbacks
Aska Gabby Slingback, $395
metallic slingbacks
Aldo Valterra Slingbacks, $30 (was $60)
mustard colored slingbacks
Anne Thomas Williamsburg Slingbacks, $265
jacquard pumps
Sam Edelman Ludlow Jacquard Pumps, $110
metallic pink slingbacks
& Other Stories Metallic Kitten Heel Pumps, $125
mustard slingback sandal
Seychelles Electric Mustard Slingback, $60
Dark red slingback heel
Rachel Comey Wext Heel, $391