How to Choose Summer Shoes for Women

Summertime means it's time to spend more time outdoors, and whether spending the day at the beach, taking a walk around a local park, or hanging out with friends, women need to have the right shoes to match those cooler summer outfits. From ballerina flats, to sandals, to clogs, women can enjoy summer activities while wearing a more casual shoe style.

While manufacturers offer many types of shoes for the summer season, check out our list of the 5 types of summer shoes every woman should have in her closet. In this guide, we'll also explore popular summer shoe brands, find out about the different parts that make up a shoe, and learn how to measure at home for shoe size. For those who own leather sandals, we'll cover how to clean them too. Finally, we'll take a look at how to buy summer shoes to round out a woman's summer wardrobe.

History of Footwear
Created more than 10,000 years ago, sandals were the first shoe type worn by humans. Since that time, many more shoe types have been created. Native Americans wore moccasins, a shoe made of leather, which subsequently deteriorated when wet. Thong sandals (made of materials found in the area) came into prominence as civilization became more developed.

In the 17th century, shoe design took a step forward, with most leather shoes featuring a sewn-on sole. But the real innovation in shoe design came in the 19th century, when left and right shoes became differentiated. Before that time, shoes were designed to be worn on either foot and were called "straights." Since that time, shoe technology has steadily increased through advancements in rubber, synthetics, and adhesives. Today, shoes are a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry, with China accounting for roughly 60 percent or more of shoe production.

Discover Summer Shoes
Summer shoes are light and usually open on the top, allowing the feet to breathe. Shoppers should have an idea of what kind of shoes they would like to purchase before buying. Many women spend more time out of doors during the summer, so they need alternatives to wear for the activities of the season such as going to the beach, picnicking, and attending summer wedding and social events. Before deciding which shoes to buy for their summer wardrobes, women should consider where they will be going and what they will be doing. To help women find the right shoes after considering this, the sections below outline the parts of a shoe, how to measure for shoe size at home, the 5 summer shoes that every woman should own, and popular summer shoe brands.

Parts of a Shoe
Shoppers who wish to purchase shoes should learn the construction of a shoe. This knowledge allows shoppers to better choose the right type of shoe for their fashion needs. The different parts of a shoe, from the insole to the heel, are listed below.

Measuring for Women's Shoe Size
When women have decided on adding some summer shoes to their wardrobes, they will first need to get an accurate measurement of their feet. To do this, shoppers will need a cloth measuring tape or ruler, a pencil, and a blank piece of paper when following the two-step measuring process below.

Steps for Measuring Shoe Size
By measuring for shoe size at home, shoppers will be sure to buy the right shoe size.