Jellies for your feet: yay or nay

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Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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Jellies for your feet: yay or nay

— by Angie

on July 15, 2009

For me, “jellies” are another late 80’s and early 90’s fashion flashback. But jellies back then didn’t look nearly as pretty or refined as they do now. They were either styled like a juvenile, strappy gladiator sandal (awful), or a ballet flat with many spaced-out interwoven straps so that your foot peeked through. Equally awful and dreadfully uncomfortable.

The jelly shoes below are examples of what footwear designers are doing with the same synthetic rubber material today. There is a far more sophisticated attention to styling. It’s definitely an aesthetic improvement, but I’m on the fence. I don’t loathe it, but I don’t love it either.

Comfort challenges aside, would you wear jellies? Are they a stylish option, or just plain nasty. Perhaps they would make the perfect hot weather, torrential rainy day shoe. Hmmm. Help me out with your thoughts.

Footwear · Yay or Nay

57 comments · Add a comment

Christie

One of my favorite 80’s memories is jelly ballet flats. And washing my feet every night because they were disgustingly dirty after wearing those jellies.

Perhaps I’m just feeling nostalgic, but I love the jellies. I think with an appropriate, casual, Sunday-picnic-in-the-park outfit, jellies would be perfect.

July 15, 2009 at 7:09 am

Lisette

I’ve seen some of the couture designers doing them too. The designers that have done them all have mentioned that they wanted a shoe in a “lower price point.” I have worn “crocs” and don’t mind them (though even the decent looking ones aren’t exactly fashionable) but sticky plastic shoes aren’t anybody’s friend IMHO. The old ones would stink after a couple of wearings too. I was around the first time they came through and I think I’ll pass.

July 15, 2009 at 7:15 am

Michelle

You can count me out of this one… I just can’t get past the awful, sticky texture!!

July 15, 2009 at 7:19 am

san

They look like beach wear to me. They are a big improvement over the former model though.
That orange looks good enough to eat.

July 15, 2009 at 7:23 am

Bitsy

(website)

Jellies always made my feet sweat and slide. Ick. Wouldn’t touch ’em myself, but mostly because of comfort rather than appearance.

July 15, 2009 at 7:25 am

Reggie

I had some turquoise gladiator style jellies in middle school and I remember thinking I looked so cute but those shoes made your feet sweaty and blistered up. No thanks!

July 15, 2009 at 7:26 am

gina

I had jellies when I was little! Three pairs of ballet flats (white, clear, hot pink)and yellow sandals. They were all awful! My parents moved when I was 8 and our new house was in the woods. I wore my white jellies to play outside and got a splinter in my foot. My parents couldn’t get it out, so I eventually had to go to the doctor.

When you say jellies, I think of the awful shoes that I wore way back when. The stuff that you pictured though is fun! I’d definitely wear those shoes, and I never would have even thought of them as “jellies.”

July 15, 2009 at 7:37 am

Jess

I like the 2 pairs on the bottom but I don’t know if I would wear them because they don’t look comfortable. I remember wearing jellies when I was little and my feet would get all cut up because of the material. I do like the idea of having a pretty shoe that is water proof, but I’m still not sold on the idea. Plus, I don’t know if the material is environmentally friendly and like to make earth-friendly choices as much as possible. In summary, these are a definite improvement on the 80s version, but I probably still won’t buy them.

July 15, 2009 at 7:38 am

Patience

I find myself pleasantly nostalgic as well. I was a kid when jellies were popular after all. A Nordstrom salesperson tried to sell me a pair of the ballet flat, woven style as a comfort shoe for the end of the day. They had a *really* cushy sole, smelled like vanilla, and were purple. Despite all the warm fuzzy I don’t see myself investing in a pair except as a lounge wear slipper (at home only) or *maybe* a more stylish version for the pool/beach. I guess they are waterproof and they’re far better than crocs. I think this is one of those trends that people go for, not for fashion but because they can’t resist the huge jelly donut on occasion.

July 15, 2009 at 7:38 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I’ve tried jellies (both in the 80’s and now), and they were so hard my fussy feet lasted precisely half a second. And there is the sweaty feet challenge on top of it all. But from an aesthetic point of view, I like the look of the styles that I posted. Beachwear springs to mind, but then I guess rubber flip flops are fine for that purpose too.

July 15, 2009 at 7:40 am

Wendy

(website)

I have a pair of jelly like Mark Jacobs mouse shoes that I can stuff in my purse for rain events — and I really like them! They travel well, too!

July 15, 2009 at 7:48 am

Melody

Mmmm … not for me. Like everyone else, I remember having nasty sweaty feet when wearing jellies in middle school.

A girl downstairs in our accounting department wears light blue jelly ballet flats to work regularly and when I see her, I always fight a tremendous urge to go buy her some real shoes. Jellies simply aren’t appropriate in a professional environment.

July 15, 2009 at 7:49 am

lori

i say only for the pool or beach. ( I also like what Patience says! )

July 15, 2009 at 7:54 am

Real Style Real People

(website)

ooh tough one b/c they actually look decent but the “feel” may be somemthing else- in the 80’s they HURT!

July 15, 2009 at 7:55 am

Chris

I skipped the first go round but remember them on others.
I think the high end designers doing jellies are getting way more bang for their buck than the consumers who buy them

I DO love these from a few years back – for rainy days they would be perfect – check bottom pics.
http://forums.thefashionspot.c.....36391.html

July 15, 2009 at 7:57 am

Tanya

I have not worn them first tim around an think I will be passing them on now as well. Something about them really does not appeal to me at all.

July 15, 2009 at 7:57 am

shiny

In college I had a pair of bright red jelly pumps. For fun we used to drink beer out of them.

July 15, 2009 at 8:07 am

The Other Linda

I think they look pretty cute, but if they make your feet sweat more, forget it.

July 15, 2009 at 8:12 am

Laura

LOL Shiny!! I would pay to see photos of that

When you say, “jellies,” all I can think is: blisters and sweat. Maybe the sandal styles on the bottom would solve some of those issues. But still … jelly is best left to your toast, not your feet.

July 15, 2009 at 8:13 am

MaryRachel

(website)

nay….don’t like the slip-n-slide either….tho some of ’em look “cute” i don’t think it is a healthy choice for footwear.

i DO remember a girl who leaped from the pool into her jellies and slid-tripped onto the pavement….OUCH.

July 15, 2009 at 8:15 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jellies just don’t appeal to me either Tanya, and I am absolutely not nostalgic about them. I like what Laura said best. I’m going with nay. Jelly (or jam as I know it) is best on a scone and not for your feet.

July 15, 2009 at 8:20 am

Charlotte

Didn’t like ’em then, still don’t like ’em.

July 15, 2009 at 8:28 am

Inge

LOL, you and Shiny are just too much with your food & drink references Angie;-))

The ones you posted are kind of cute, but I would only ever wear them at the beach or by the pool, not even sure I’d invest in jellies for that purpose only…

July 15, 2009 at 8:44 am

Laurel

(website)

Love the idea of wearing them in a steamy tropical downpour! (not in the rainforest, but like, shopping on the streets of Singapore… you can carry a little hand towel in your bag and dab off your wet legs when step inside a store.) Sounds much more practical than squishing in your shoes or having to wear wet leather sandals the rest of the day… and certainly more chic than rubber flip-flops.

July 15, 2009 at 8:52 am

Diana

(website)

I admit that these are more sophisticated that the ones from the 90s. Still, I have bad memories of how much this type of shoe made my feet sweat. I doubt I’ll be trying them out.

July 15, 2009 at 8:56 am

Cricket

Ah, jellies! Just like many here, I am nostalgic about my jellies from 1984! I was in elementary school and always was on the tail-end of a fashion trend; I had to wait for my mom to agree to buy them for me. Mine were hurache styled, with a sandal strap around the heel. While I loved them then, I do remember how sweaty and slippery they were. I also had a matching jelly tote bag.

Some of those you posted are cute and would be a great option for the pool, though I can’t see wanting to have slippery feet at the pool either. I guess I’m practical and wouldn’t want to twist my ankle. I’ll stick to my teva flip-flops for the pool.

July 15, 2009 at 9:01 am

Jill

(website)

I like the style of the ones from Burberry and Avon. The flip-flop style…not for me.

July 15, 2009 at 9:19 am

Kari

Hehe, when I was very young (age 5 and under) my turquoise woven ballet flat jelly shoes or white beaded/fringed moccasins were my FAVORITE shoes. With white ruffled ankle socks, too.

I smile at them because of the nostalgia factor but can’t imagine wearing them now for anything except *maybe* beachwear. I can’t even imagine the sweat factor!

July 15, 2009 at 9:39 am

Joelle

These are much better looking than the ones from the 80’s and 90’s. I never owned a pair, but lots of my friends at school had the huarache-like ones. Those sandal jellies would be really cute for the pool/beach. They’re nicer than flip flops and would dry out faster than leather or fabric sandals. I wouldn’t wear them anywhere else, though. And I would never wear any type of closed or almost closed shoe in this material. My feet are miserable if they can’t breathe.

July 15, 2009 at 9:41 am

KristenKP

Heh, well, I am wearing a hot pink sweater and blue eyeliner today, but I think I am still going to pass on this 80s trend.

July 15, 2009 at 9:46 am

Stephanie

Jellies always take me back to my childhood in the 80s and 90s and I always thought of them as kidswear. But the Burrberry jelly thong is very tempting indeed.

July 15, 2009 at 9:48 am

Danja

(website)

Ah, jellies… They were my choice of summer footwear when I was a kid. Since all my childhood summers were spent on the beach, it made sense. Now, I would not put them on my feet again except to negotiate pebbles on Croatian beaches.
And what is with the prices on some those jelly sandals????

July 15, 2009 at 9:57 am

Fjt

I’ll only wear jellies IF they are DESIGNER. Love the ones you featured here! I never wore them in the 80s so I am open to wearing them!

July 15, 2009 at 10:06 am

Meream

(website)

Oh no, these are nasty. I’ve never owned a pair but I know that they give nasty blisters and make your feet sweat. Not nice at all.

July 15, 2009 at 10:10 am

Loulou

I can still remeber the blisters when i had them as a kid. Candy colours with lots of little holes in them. Good idea for beach wear and could solve the shoe dilema on wet warm days

July 15, 2009 at 10:18 am

Courtney

I’m with the nay camp. I remember jellies from my middle school and high school years. As others have said, they make your feet sweat–even in slightly warm weather. Your feet sweat all day long. At the end of the day, your feet (and the shoes) are *filthy* and smell of sweat plus the odor of the shoes themselves. I usually had to wash my feet twice every night to get the plastic odor out of them. I knew lots of girls who ended up with athlete’s foot from wearing them–and you really should not get athlete’s foot from sandals!

July 15, 2009 at 10:21 am

Ellen

I CAN’T get past the comfort issue with these. The sticking, the sweating, the chafing… errrgh. I can’t say I’ve never worn an uncomfortable shoe, usually for a limited time for a specific aesthetic purpose, but these simply don’t have enough appeal to put up with it.

July 15, 2009 at 10:34 am

Maya

I think they were perfectly great on kids in the 80’s and 90’s (I was a kid and I looked pretty cute in them). Mine were the ballet flat style and hot pink.

They resurfaced again when I was 13 and were a “must have.” They had around a 2″ heel and had glitter in them. I got a pair too and I think that is the day I realized I had fussy feet.

At no point in my life did I ever consider these “adult” shoes, and I still don’t. I can see them being great for hot rainy days, as you say, but long term, they still have all the same issues they did when I was 6: they will get filthy and your feet will be disgusting. Fine when you’re 6, not so great when you’re over 15.

July 15, 2009 at 11:29 am

Eva

Ah, I remember my ballet flat jellies – and hot and sweaty feet. I do like the slipper (thong) version with the flower on the bottom right, but I think I will past this time around. There are many more options out there that are a better fit.

July 15, 2009 at 11:30 am

Shana

Hmmm, I remember traipsing all over India on a summer vacation in 1985 in a pair of webbed pink jelly flats that I loved. I don’t recall the blisters but they got pretty dirty & smelly. I don’t necessarily have strong negative memories of them but I do remember getting all freaked out about the stories of women whose jelly shoes melted onto their feet in fires (maybe this was just the Urban Legend that killed jellies). I did buy a pair of jelly flip flop sandals similar to the last SW pair from J. Crew to wear to the beach/pool. Sort of an upgraded flip flop – a heck of alot better than crocs (not that I have ever worn them) and prettier than the keens that I normally wear to the beach. I really don’t plan on wearing them anywhere else though…

July 15, 2009 at 11:30 am

Joy

I’ll pass again this time. If they were comfortable they might have made good beach/pool shoes.

July 15, 2009 at 11:32 am

LegacyOfPearl

(website)

My friend’s mom wore Stuart Weizman jellies to her daughter’s wedding under her formal gown and she was really happy how comfortable they were. Surprisingly, they looked ok. To me, jellies only belong to the beach…

July 15, 2009 at 11:42 am

Shana

Angie, have you seen the Chanel jellies? Could they possibly entice you? They’re only $400!!!!!

http://www.theimportedfashionh.....-blue.html

July 15, 2009 at 11:48 am

Lesa

(website)

no-just no.

July 15, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Taylor

(website)

Good Grief, not again, My daughter was a small child when I purchased hers …sweaty, stinky little feet :)…she won’t get them for her daughter either.

July 15, 2009 at 1:03 pm

mamark

Some of those styles are cute, but wouldn’t they all look better if they weren’t made out of rubber (or whatever jellies are.) Think I’ll pass.

As to Shana’s link, wouldn’t Coco be rolling in her grave at that?

July 15, 2009 at 1:19 pm

Antje

Veteran

How interesting. I’m actually surprised to see you on the fence, Angie, given your distaste for flip flops! For me, these fall into the same category. I personally wear flip flops (for very casual occasions) and could imagine wearing jellies as well, especially if I went on a beach vacation. But since I don’t have much beaching planned, I won’t buy any. But again, I would have thought you’d give these a resounding nay! Well, it’s always good to be surprised

July 15, 2009 at 1:37 pm

Teresa

Nay! Naaasty! The plastic could contain Bisphenol A which would leach through the soles of your feet when they get hot & sweaty! I hope I’m wrong about that; regardless, I don’t find them attractive or comfortable.

July 15, 2009 at 2:44 pm

Sarah

(website)

No way, I’ll never forget the smell of those things or how sweaty my feet got.

July 15, 2009 at 3:34 pm

Lynette

Am I the only one who thinks it’s insane to spend $129 for plastic shoes?

July 15, 2009 at 3:56 pm

Sal

(website)

I’m a HUGE fan of Melissa brand shoes, which are made from recycled plastic. Pair number three is on its way. Not sure about the translucent variety, though … I definitely prefer my shoes opaque!

July 15, 2009 at 4:51 pm

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sounds like the “sweaty and smelly feet” thing is ruling jellies out. Yup. I think so too.

Antje, these jelly styles are a cut above basic rubber flip flops for sure. No doubts.

Shana, not even Chanel jellies could entice me at this stage. Coco can’t be happy about this.

July 15, 2009 at 4:54 pm

Imogen

(website)

Fine for the beach or round the pool but otherwise a big no from me!

July 15, 2009 at 8:03 pm

Marianna

Those Burberry ones will look like cheap clear jellies on the foot since the print will basically be all covered!

I think they’re cute for the beach!

July 15, 2009 at 10:02 pm

Anne

I have never owned or tried on jellies, ’cause I can’t get past the thought of how uncomfortable they must be on slightly sweaty feet like mine… I like the look of the MJ mouse ones though.

July 16, 2009 at 2:15 pm

Renee

The problem with jellies is that it doesn’t take long for them to look grimy and tattered.

July 29, 2009 at 11:40 am

Westley

Member

I like the look of the jelly sandals but I got a pair of clear ones from Forever 21 and worn these for about a week now. They make your feet sweat after only a few minutes of wearing them. Sweat puddles around your toes which made them slippery. They make your feet sticky and smell like sweat & plastic. I noticed the more I wear them the worse it makes my feet smell. After a week now even the shoes stink. But very comfy but makes feet nasty.

February 19, 2019 at 9:45 am

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