Heeled flip-flops give coastal grandmother style a polished lift

M&S just made the elevated flip-flop feel like a real wardrobe choice, not a celebrity-only flex. Its £55 square-toe ivory version takes the Kaia Gerber and Hailey Bieber look and strips away the runway attitude, leaving something clean, polished and ready for dinner, not just the beach.

The new summer shoe has a heel, and that changes everything

Heeled flip-flops are being treated as one of summer 2026’s most popular shoe trends, and the appeal is obvious the second you see them away from pool tiles. They keep the minimal thong shape, but the heel gives them enough lift to work with dresses, jeans and going-out looks without tipping into full-on occasion wear. Hailey Bieber has been one of the most visible arguments for the style, wearing heeled thong sandals in a widely circulated New York City dinner look and then keeping the silhouette in rotation through 2025 and into spring 2026.

That kind of repeat wear matters. It is the difference between a fleeting styling trick and a shoe that actually earns a place in your summer wardrobe. When Bieber keeps reaching for it, and Kaia Gerber is in the conversation too, the message is clear: this is no longer just a poolside afterthought. It is a cleaner, sharper alternative to the flat flip-flop, especially when you want your outfit to read relaxed but intentional.

Why the high street version lands

Marks & Spencer is smart to meet the trend with an ivory square-toe pair at £55. That price point puts the shoe in the realm of an impulse buy, but the square toe and pale neutral shade keep it from looking disposable or beach-only. It feels more like a modern evening sandal that happens to borrow the ease of a thong flip-flop.

M&S is already framing women’s shoes around the right summer categories, with heels, sandals and flip-flops sitting alongside trainers and special-occasion footwear. Its flip-flops selection also points to the dressed-up direction the style has taken, with glittery, metallic or jewelled straps in the mix. That is the key shift: the category is no longer limited to rubber and practicality. It has become a place for polish.

The designer names behind the trend tell the same story. Toteme, Gianvito Rossi, Saint Laurent and Gucci have all pushed heeled flip-flops into kitten, block and stiletto territory, which is why the shape now feels more fashion than novelty. M&S is not competing on luxury cachet, but it is translating the idea into something that makes sense for real wardrobes.

This is the shoe for coastal grandmother, not coastal cliché

Coastal grandmother style only works when it is treated as a mood, not a costume. The Cut nailed it by calling it "Martha Stewart-adjacent" and "Nancy Meyers chic," which is exactly the lane here: relaxed, a little polished, and never trying too hard. It is more a feeling than a rigid fashion rule, and that looseness is why it keeps resurfacing.

The look has always been about soft restraint, not fuss. Think linen trousers, slip skirts, white tailoring, draped silhouettes, stripes and sandy neutrals that look sun-faded in the best possible way. The elevated flip-flop fits because it keeps that easy coastal line but adds just enough lift to make the outfit feel finished for evening.

This is not the shoe for a loud summer statement. It is for the woman who wants her closet to move seamlessly from late lunch to dinner, from a crisp linen trouser to a slip skirt with a lightweight knit, from a relaxed blazer to bare legs and a simple tank. In other words, it is for the person who wants polish without stiffness.

How to wear it without losing the point

The best thing about the heeled flip-flop is that it does not need much styling to work. Its appeal lies in how little it fights the rest of the outfit. A square-toe ivory pair especially has that coastal-grandmother calm: soft, neutral, and slightly architectural without being fussy.

A few combinations make the case immediately:

• Linen trousers and a close-fitting tank, for the cleanest day-to-night switch.
• A slip skirt and a fine-gauge knit, which gives the heel just enough evening energy.
• Relaxed tailoring with a bare ankle, so the shoe reads as intentional rather than beachy.
• Dresses and jeans, because the style is being worn across both dressed-up and casual looks.

That versatility is why the trend has stuck. A flat flip-flop can disappear into an outfit. A heeled one can hold its own, especially when the heel is kitten-low or blocky enough to keep the mood easy.

The real point of the trend

What M&S is selling here is not just a sandal. It is proof that the elevated flip-flop has moved out of celebrity styling and into attainable wardrobes. The shape now has designer backing, repeated Hailey Bieber approval and a clear place inside coastal grandmother dressing, where polish is supposed to look effortless.

That is why the £55 version matters. It turns a chic, slightly expensive-looking summer idea into something that can actually live in your closet, right next to the linen trousers, the slip skirts and the relaxed tailoring it was made for.