'I wore the jelly sandals trend to work for a week so you don't have to. It got… sweaty.'

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The year was 1994. Lisa Loeb was blasting out of my cassette player while I waited for the next episode of Friends to air.

When it came to fashion, you were either team flannel shirts and Doc Martens, or sundresses and those sweaty, slippery, blister-prone "cute but mildly painful" shoes from our childhood summers: jelly sandals.

Well, in case you missed it, the humble jelly sandal is experiencing a major resurgence in 2025, driven by fashion's ongoing obsession with nostalgic Y2K and '90s aesthetics.

Watch: Our experts unpack what age something becomes vintage.

Last year, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's high-end brand The Row gave the trend a major boost during their pre-Fall 2024 runway show.

Their sold-out US$890 Mara jelly sandals were crowned the shoe of the season, with celebrity fans like Kendall Jenner. Rather than the traditional jelly sandals we wore in the '90s, these are distinctive webbed, lattice, or mesh ballet flats.

Then Chloé showcased pastel rubber PVC kitten-heel thong sandals during Paris Fashion Week 2025.

The Row $890 Mara Jelly Sandals vs. Senso's $149 dupe. Images: @stylememaeve/The Iconic.

Now, you can find all sorts of summer shoes in jelly material at different price points, from jelly thongs and jelly mesh ballet flats, to the jelly school sandals of our youth.

It's safe to say "jelly shoes" in different iterations are a trend that is not leaving anytime soon.

As a millennial who wore such shoes the first time around, I had a question… can a 40-something woman pull off a nostalgic jelly sandal?

Not to wear the chic evolution of the lattice ballet flat, but the classic fisherman's sandal '90s version.

The inspo… Images: Instagram @daphneblunt, @gemary.

Because I didn't want to splash cash on a pair for a fashion experiment, I got mine from Temu for $16.40. Yep, I did that.

Look, this might have been my first mistake. Below, you'll find a range of more high-to-low-end options to shop for that I'm sure are more comfortable. But the question is, are they less sweaty? My guess is unlikely.

I thought about getting glittery ones. Then decided against it. I opted for a more demure, clear dusty pink. A nod to the past, but not pretending to still be living in it.

Day 1: Trend meets trending trend.

Barrel jeans and jelly's? I can get behind this. Image: Supplied.

If I'm leaping into a trend, I'm going all out and wearing another potentially polarising trend: the barrel jean. I styled it with a whimsical blouse tucked in, and I actually quite liked the pairing of barrel jeans with jellies.

In my thorough research on Pinterest and TikTok, I found that the barrel-jelly combo was a winner among the fashion elite.

But the real test was the head of the Gen Z Oracle at Mamamia and Content Producer for Know, Liv James.

Amazingly, I passed her ruthless test. Although she said it "looked good," it was a trending shoe for people "my age" (ouch), and she, as someone in her twenties, would not wear them.

Were they comfortable after a full day of work and transit, catching buses? No. And my feet looked like Christmas hams where the strings had just been released when I took them off at the end of the day.

Day 2: Jumping into nostalgia with both feet.

Jelly's and lace socks: rate or hate? Image: supplied.

A colleague at work challenged me to pair them with frilly, lacy socks to really lean into the nostalgia. Challenge accepted.

I wore them with a more current, on-trend look: a brown denim set. I had mixed reviews in the office. Some people adored the jelly-sock combo (I'd say an older demographic skew), while the young people in the office? Not so much.

Gen Z Liv was not impressed. She said, "I don't want to even talk about this look," before talking about it a little bit and saying, "It was all too much and too 'samey' of the same tone."

The socks definitely helped with the sweatiness and discomfort. My feet were not Christmas hams at the end of the day. But if I am being totally honest, I felt a bit ridiculous.

Day 3: The wrong shoe theory.

All that starts well, doesn't end well… Image: Supplied.

Feedback heard. The next day, I thought I'd jump into the wrong shoe theory: wearing a kitschy casual shoe can act as an interesting foil when paired with sleek basics, adding dimension and intrigue to an otherwise one-note outfit.

Liv was a lot happier with this style choice. She loved the mix of tailored clean lines with the simple black hosiery sock.

But... she would have preferred that the jelly sandal be in black. I only had the one pair to work with, sorry Liv.

The hosiery under the jelly shoes was a little slippery, and I think wearing them three days in a row made my feet decide to be defiant. I had to take them off in the office due to searing pins and needles. Raw dogging in the office is never a good look.

Day 4: Mismatched denim shorts set.

I thought this was okay? Apparently not… Image: Supplied.

I didn't wear these to work, just out for brunch with friends, so I thought mismatched denim casual shorts and jellies were fitting.

I made the mistake of showing Liv a photo and asking her what she thought...

"It looks like it's washing day, and you've got nothing left to wear. I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't wearing undies," she said. Oh dear.

"Or, you've gone into a children's playroom and picked up clothes and shoes left around and gotten dressed in the dark. This is a no."

Righto. I'm glad I didn't try this look at work.

Day 5: Weekend beach vibes.

Crowd favourite and feels contextually right. Image: Supplied.

Contextually, this made the most sense to me and was closest to what I used to wear with them when I was 12.

A floral dress and, before the sun came out that day, a shacket. This was my favourite look and one that I would wear again. The only issue was, when leaving the beach, it's handy to have a slide you don't need to buckle up!

Liv spotted this on my Instagram stories. "Yep, love it. Chic and cool and appropriate for where you are, the beach." Finally, a look with no notes.

Then, a late entry that may have won the race…

A $20 panic purchase with a happy ending. Image: Supplied

Stop the press! This is literally what I said before sending the results of this fashion experiment out into the world. I panic-purchased a dupe pair of The Row Mara jelly sandals from Target for $20, and have since had a chance to wear them around.

The plastic lattice, is it plastic? Is it rubber? Well, whatever it is, it's quite soft and flexible. And the sole? It is a proper shoe sole with padding. They are comfortable! And they are not sweaty, because they have a normal shoe sole.

Final verdict: Yay or nay?

I'd need to spend more money to rule out whether they're all uncomfortable or if it was a Temu issue with my fisherman jellies. But they are sweaty.

I really liked wearing them at the beach, and I would revisit them with my barrel jeans.

They're a craving for that lighthearted pre-teen confidence and reconnecting with blissful early memories.

I really love my new addition of the lattice ballet flats. They are comfortable and will work with many upcoming summer looks.

Jelly sandals are unassuming, upbeat, and an authentic shift away from the subdued sophistication narrative.

So, here is a range of the best jellies I have sourced, from your traditional nostalgic fisherman's, to (my panic purchase) the lattice ballet flat, to jelly flip-flops. From bougie to budget, enjoy!

Best jelly sandals to shop for women.

(Annaliese's) Target Womens Jelly Mesh Flat Gia, $20.

Image: Target

Topshop Kelly jelly flat sandals, $55.

Image: ASOS.

Wildfire Jovie, $25.

Image: The Iconic.

M.N.G Dona Mules, $109.95

Image: The Iconic

Tokito Shimmer Flat Shoes, $49.95.

Image: Myer.

Senso Jupiter, $149.

Image: The Iconic.

Rubi Jade Jelly Mule, $29.99.

Image: The Iconic.

Senso Jellie, $149.

Image: The Iconic.

Seed Heritage Elle Jelly Flip Flop, $59.95.

Image: The Iconic.

Ancient Greek Sandals Iro Jelly Sandals, $199.95.

Image: The Iconic.

Next Red Self Jelly Fisherman Sandals, $46.

Image: Next.

Ravella Paradise, $69.95.

Image: The Iconic.

Ravella Pasadena Flat Shoes, $69.95.

Image: Myer.

Ancient Greek Sandals Homeria Jelly Sandals, $329.95.

Image: The Iconic.

Cushionaire Jelly Flip Flops, $39.99.

Image: Target.

Melissa Megan, $219.95.

Image: The Iconic.

GREECE Jelly Mesh Ballet Flats, $89.99.

Image: BETTS.

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Feature Image: Instagram @daphneblunt.