Orla | Cushioned Slingback Sandals

Open enough to step straight into, held enough to stay where you put it.

Flat sandals tend to fail in the same three places. First the strap: one or two thin bands carry the entire shoe across the widest part of the foot, so the whole load lands on a couple of centimetres of skin — an hour in there is a line pressed into the instep, and by mid-afternoon, once feet have swollen in the heat, that line has turned into a sore spot. Then the fastening: buckle holes are punched at fixed intervals, so a broader instep or ankle lands between two of them. One hole lets the heel slide forward with every step; the next one cuts. And slides avoid both of those by creating a worse one — with nothing behind the heel you curl your toes to keep the shoe on, all day, without noticing, until the arch and the top of the foot start complaining that evening.

Orla takes out all three. In place of thin straps, one wide band runs the full width of the forefoot, so pressure that used to sit on a narrow line is spread across the whole foot and no edge has anywhere to dig in. In place of a buckle, an elasticated slingback sits behind the heel: it stretches to your instep instead of to the nearest punched hole, and keeps giving as feet swell through the day. And because that slingback holds the heel where it belongs, the toes have nothing to do — you walk normally instead of gripping. Underneath, the thick cushioned sole is rounded right around its edge, so there is no hard rim pressing up into the side of the foot the way a firm platform does.

Why it works

• One wide forefoot band — spreads the load across the full width of the foot instead of concentrating it on a narrow strap line
• Elasticated slingback — stretches to your instep and keeps giving as feet swell, with no fixed holes to fall between
• A held heel — the back strap keeps the sandal on, so your toes stop gripping and your walk stays normal
• Thick cushioned sole — takes the impact under heel and ball that a thin flat sandal passes straight up
• Rounded, padded sole edge — no hard rim under the side of the foot, which is where a stiff platform usually presses
• Open toe, open sides — nothing closes around the width of the foot, so nothing has to be forced

Fit note

Orla is a step-in: there is nothing to fasten, so the fit is set by the band and the elastic rather than by you. The forefoot band runs straight across and does not adjust, so on a broader foot take your usual size rather than sizing up — extra length will not buy you width, and the elastic at the back is what does the accommodating. Between sizes, go up; the slingback takes up the slack. The elastic feels firm for the first few wears and settles once it has been walked in. The sole is thick but flexes at the ball of the foot, and it sits low rather than perching you on a platform, which is what makes these wearable for a full day on your feet instead of an hour. Sizes AU 3.5 to AU 9.