Where to shop 11 of this season's sultriest slingback shoes

WORDS Cassandra Dimitroff PUBLISHED Tue, 1 Aug 2023 - 5:15 pm

For the better part of the last century, slingback shoes have reigned as one the sultriest wardrobe staples. They are a classic shoe silhouette that has managed to reinvent themselves season after season – from the bare-ankled, pointy-toed signature look of seductive 1940s pin-up girls to the iconic images of a windswept Marilyn Monroe donning a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo slingbacks in The Seven Year Itch, or Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. They've graced catwalks from Muglers Spring Summer 2000 show to Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada’s first collection together in 2020, and whether you choose to dress them up or dress them down, pair them with a summer skirt or a power suit, their versatility is inherent and their timelessness, well, it speaks for itself.

Traditionally, the slingback has a closed-in toe and dainty ankle strap, a flattering 'It-shoe' of the 1950s that was designed to lengthen the appearance of the leg. Since their inception, open-toe and peep-toe versions are now commonplace variants – perhaps the most iconic design awarded to the Chanel's block-heeled contrast-coloured toe slingback, introduced by Coco Chanel herself in the late 1950s.

As we near the end of the colder months in Australia and transition into the spring, we thought it would be the perfect time to get our toes out of our musty boots and weathered sneakers and into a pair of slingbacks for the occasion. Below, we have rounded up a list of our 11 favourite pairs for prancing, scooting and strutting our way through those transitional months and into the heat of summer.