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pedicure season
July 14, 2015

50 Flat Sandals and the Nail Polish to Match

By Lindsay Peoples and Ashley Weatherford

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Here’s the fun part about sandal-and-pedicure season: When it comes to choosing a nail color, there are no rules. Want to clash a bright purple with an equally bright yellow shoe? Go for it — it’s fun and appropriately summery. Rather stick to a clean neutral? Try a crisp white on your toes but pair with something more offbeat like Brother Vellie’s ponyhair-and-recycled-tire style. Or are you a summer goth who can’t imagine wearing a stitch of color? Then you’ll want to wear Saint Laurent’s studded gladiator with a matching gunmetal-gray polish. In honor of letting your feet live summer to its fullest, we’ve rounded up 50 our favorite flat sandals and paired them with the perfect (or perfectly imperfect) polish. Click ahead to get inspired for your next pedicure.

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Play up the fun summer trend of lace-up suede sandal with a smooth, deep mauve on your toes. 
A sleek gold flatform calls for an equally cool polish like this dark-maroon shade.
Don’t do a boring neutral with a bright-yellow sandal — a magenta polish contrasts nicely with the shoe and feels appropriately summery.
A pretty berry polish that nearly matches the deep purple of the slides is one way to dabble in tone-on-tone dressing.
You'd think that pale pink and pistachio would be too girly, but this combination feels fresh thanks to the slide's minimalist design.
Metallic lovers take note: A golden espadrille combined with a punchy coral is like a gilded spotlight for your feet.
Yes, those shoes you wore to summer camp are cool again and they deserve a polish that’s just as weird: like this scarab beetle–inspired shade, which ... Yes, those shoes you wore to summer camp are cool again and they deserve a polish that’s just as weird: like this scarab beetle–inspired shade, which looks like different colors depending on the light.
The soft shimmer of this silver polish picks up on white threads running through the damask lace-up sandals.
Two metallics are always better than one: Match a steel-gray shade with the gold on these slides.
Echo the beach vibe of these espadrille sandals with a bright-aqua polish that looks like the prettiest ocean you’ve ever seen.
With sandals as flashy as these, you’ll need something that will pick up sparkle the way flecks of silver in this cosmic-blue polish do.
Throw a total curveball and pair a muted lavender with a shoe that’s draped in five different colors. The gray tones in the polish sync with the slive... Throw a total curveball and pair a muted lavender with a shoe that’s draped in five different colors. The gray tones in the polish sync with the sliver in the strappy sandals.
Zoya’s deep-teal polish enhances the texture of these snake-embossed calfskin slides. Add a floaty white dress for a casual but cool evening look.
Going to a fancy but relaxed event? Try these lush sandals and pair with a polish like this silver shade, which has a cool shine.
A frosty peach flatters any skin tone, especially when worn with a clean, white flat.
These handcrafted sandals were made from tires and feature luxe ponyhair detailing, so let them be the focal point by choosing a soft neutral.
Instead of going for beige polish with nude sandals. be more unexpected  — like this icy mint shade.
Metallic green is surprisingly versatile  — you could do another metallic or a neutral, but if you want high contrast try this blue shade.
What’s more summertime-friendly than watermelon pink? It looks especially great with a rich-brown slide.
A vibrant-pink polish gives these minimal platform sandals interest and shine.
There’s already a lot of detail in the form of the sandal's stone embellishment, so go for an opaque nude polish that doesn’t compete.
Match the soles of these slides to your polish.  
The latest trend in polishes are these washes of translucent color, which have the same dreamy '70s vibe of these patchwork sandals.
You might not get to 50 shades, but match a stone-cold slate to the chain detail in these Givenchy flats for at least two shades of gray.
The best combinations pick up on the minor details, like the gold buckle on these sandals matching the gold of your toes.
For sandals that could almost double as mirrors, try a milky lavender on toes to balance out the shoe’s twinkle.
Pairing a clean white polish with these neutral sandals equips you with a clean palette that will work with any outfit.
Joie’s fringed sandals are even more fun with this bright coral-red polish.
These zigzag flatforms favor a flair for the dramatic, which makes Armani’s brooding blue an easy match.
Pair these ponyhair sandals with a light-pink shade to continue the soft, relaxed tone.
Golden gladiators deserve toes that are equally decadent, which makes Smith and Cult’s rich bordeaux your best option.
Artichoke-green polish sounds weird, but when you wear it with a flashy bronze sandal, it winds up complementing well.
Combine RGB’s galactic blue with Kenzo’s meshy neoprene for a total surfer feel, even if the beach is nowhere in sight.
The glittery grit in this Rescue Beauty Lounge shade adds to the edginess of these studded Saint Laurent sandals, which are absolutely worth the gnarl... The glittery grit in this Rescue Beauty Lounge shade adds to the edginess of these studded Saint Laurent sandals, which are absolutely worth the gnarly tan lines.
Cheetah and oxblood make for a moody and cool pairing.
A clean, candied red is the cherry on top of these comfortable leather flats from Joseph.
Add kitsch with kitsch, pairing a bubblegum-pink polish with these furry Simone Rocha flats.
These classic brown leather sandals are ready to play when paired with neon pink.
Let this striped pair from L'Autre Chose do all the talking, while muted nude toes quietly take a backseat.
Go simple and chic by playing up toes with a periwinkle polish and this demure, pointy-toe option.
Chunky black-and-amber flats meet their chromatic match with this speckled forest-green lacquer.
These frilly, powder-blue mules make for a perfect contrast against a glossy eggplant shade.
Why stop at shiny shoes? Combine this & Other Stories gold pair with an iridescent olive green for dazzling date-night feet.
Being an adult is easy with these grown-up Tod’s heels and an innocuous Tenoverten nude.
Brighten a pair of embellished black flats with a sunshine hue, even when the weather forecast is cloudy.
This vibrant, emerald green is paralleled by Via Spiga’s casual buckle flats for a laidback, weekend vibe.
How to make your feet Instagram-ready: Pair a juicy coral like Dior’s Riviera against this braided blue Stuart Weitzman number.
Chanel’s frosty seafoam is the airy yin to Tibi’s sturdy-leather yang platform. A winning combination for below-the-ankle harmony.
Pair these robin's-egg-blue fringe sandals with rainforest-green toes: perfect for tromping around any urban jungle.  
Complement a cool vanilla flat with a pistachio shade for a delicious pairing.
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  • goods
  • shopping
  • shoes
  • flat sandals
  • nail polish
  • street style
  • pedicure season
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