If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. I’m Ditching Boring Ballet Flats for the Cool Flip-Flops Hailey Bieber and It Girls Wear on Repeat Grab pairs from brands like Havaianas and Archies. By Kaitlin Clapinski Kaitlin Clapinski Kaitlin Clapinski is a Los Angeles-based News and Deals Commerce Writer at InStyle, covering everything from celebrity style to fashion and beauty news. She swears she has a sixth sense when it comes to spotting emerging trends and viral finds and now, she can put it to good use. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on July 8, 2026 @ 06:00AM Credit: Getty Images / Archies / InStyle So Supportive and Comfy: Archies Arch Support Flip-Flops, $40 Gigi Hadid and I Love These: Havaianas Slim Square Solid Flip-Flops, $33 (Originally $38) Hailey Bieber’s Outfit-Elevating Thongs: Madewell the Chiara Kitten Heel Thong Sandals, $128 Minimalist, Vacation-Ready Style: Mazeskin Memory Foam Flip-Flops, $14 (Originally $22) It’s mid-July and if you don’t own a pair (or two!) of flip-flops yet, respectfully, what are you waiting for? Besides being the most practical shoe to bear the triple-digit weather, the summer classic has quickly become the biggest celebrity-vetted shoe trend of the season, counting Katie Holmes, Jennifer Aniston, Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid, and Jennifer Lawrence as fans. Over here on the West Coast, flip-flops are a no-brainer summer shoe. For New Yorkers and city dwellers, however, I can see how the open-toed shoe might be a tad controversial for commuting through the streets. But flip-flops aren’t the flimsy, unsupportive and uber-casual sandals that they once were. Instead, celebrity-loved styles, like Holmes’s comfy orthopedic Archies and Bieber’s sleek heeled thongs, are proving that the sandal has received a well-deserved makeover. Shop my favorite comfy-cool celebrity-approved flip-flops, below. Katie Holmes Supportive Archies Flip-Flops Archies The biggest paint point I hear from flip-flops naysayers is that they aren’t supportive, and if they are, they’re ugly. Archies, however, is changing the comfy flip-flop narrative with styles that offer a cushiony sole designed by physical therapists on a cute, colorful thong. Holmes’s recent outing in the bright coral pair is proof that the podiatrist-approved shoe flies under the radar as a fashion-girl shoe. Better yet, they come in a handful of colors (and the brand makes comfy slides, too). Archies Arch Support Flip-Flops $40 at Amazon Archies Crystal Arch Support Flip-Flops $45 at Amazon Archies Arch Support Flip-Flops $40 at Amazon Archies Arch Support Slides $60 at Amazon Gigi Hadid’s Cool Havaianas Flip-Flops Getty Images I am a Havaianas girl through and through, and I’m in good company: Gigi Hadid is a major fan of the brand, collaborating with them last year on a limited-edition collection and wearing them throughout the summer (it’s also a favorite of Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lopez, too). Besides making the best casual rubber flip-flop, the Brazilian brand is having a fashion-girl moment. Its collaborations with Isabel Marant and Gimaguas swiftly sold out, and I see its newer slim styles on every stylish person around L.A. I’ve had my pair for over two years, and they’ve carried me through trips to Japan, Copenhagen, and Hawaii blister-free. Havaianas Slim Square Solid Flip-Flops $38 $33 at Amazon Havaianas Slim Crystal Sandals $42 at Amazon Havaianas Slim Sandals $40 $34 at Amazon Havaianas Unisex Brazil Logo Sandals $32 at Amazon Hailey Bieber’s Outfit Elevating Heeled Flip-Flops Getty Images If Hailey Bieber is making an appearance, the odds that she’s wearing a pair of heeled flip-flops with baggy jeans is high. But it’s not just a Gen Z trend—Katie Holmes wore a pretty suede pair earlier this summer, and Anne Hathaway was just spotted in a strappy Vivaia style. There’s a style, color, and shape for every aesthetic, too. Block heels styles offer more support, jelly sandals add a pop of color, and skinny kitten heeled thongs are perfect for minimalists. What’s more, Hathaway, Bieber, and Holmes’s different outfits are a testament to how versatile the shoe is. Project Cloud Genuine Leather Kitten Heels $60 at Amazon Sam Edelman Amie Heeled Thong Sandals $130 at Amazon Marc Fisher LTD Arcee Heeled Flip-Flops $130 $78 at Amazon Madewell the Chiara Kitten Heel Thong Sandals $128 at Amazon Bella Hadid’s Minimalist Leather Flip-Flops Getty Images A sleek pair of plain black leather flip-flops can take you far. Dare I say they’re even office appropriate? (For casual dress codes, anyway). Bella Hadid opted for the style while on vacation in Italy, pairing her sandals with a breezy dress and big sunglasses for an outfit that struck the perfect balance of put-together but still casual. You can style them with trousers and a white button-down, denim shorts and a white T-shirt, a dress like Hadid, and so on. Last year, J.Law styled them with her go-to formula, comfy pants and a breezy top. I’d say for those undecided, a black leather pair strikes the ideal middle ground: They have the comfort of flip-flops, but the leather material is elevating without the click-clack of a heel. Mazeskin Memory Foam Flip-Flops $22 $14 at Amazon Madewell the Iggy Thong Sandals $88 $84 at Amazon Kate Spade New York Sandie Flip-Flops $98 at Amazon Tkees Square-Toe Gemma Slides $85 at Amazon Shop More InStyle-Approved Picks I Get Endless Compliments When I Use This Pore-Blurring Foundation That Stays in Place for 8+ Hours 4 People Asked My Sister How Her Face Is “So Glowy” After Using This $19 Serum *One* Time Martha Stewart Uses This Plumping Skin Tint That Gives Shoppers a “Flawless but Natural” Glow Read more: Fashion Shoes