There’s nothing like getting ready for a long-awaited trip, preparing outfits, packing, and of course feeling the excitement that comes with shopping for a little newness to bring along. About this time last summer, I was headed to Mallorca, Spain, for a week vacation alongside my two girlfriends, with two fresh pairs of Nomadic State of Mind rope sandals packed in my carry-on. I first spotted the easy-on, easy-off rope sandals last summer on my colleague, accessories extraordinaire Madeline Swanson, and I was instantly hooked. They exuded the perfect summer ease I was after: not too chunky, too strappy, or too trendy and not too expensive. Before then, I never indulged in typical vacation-ready gladiator sandals or lace-up espadrilles, but when packing for a week in the Mediterranean, I knew I wanted a shoe that leaned into the resort-ready look yet still suited my laid-back, nondressy summer aesthetic. I needed a comfortable sandal I could rely on to look just as cool worn with salty hair and a cover-up on the beach as it did during days spent exploring small coastal villages in a bucket hat, linen pants, and my trusty oversized button-up. Of course, I also wanted ones that didn’t cost more than a night’s stay.
Not only did my under-$100 vacation shoes prove to be my most worn footwear option of the week, but my appreciation for them also grew most when I returned from my trip. I loved how tiny grains of sand from the beaches I had visited were still lodged into the twists and turns of the rope, transporting me back to the relaxing, sun-drenched days I spent in Spain even as I walked the paved streets of New York. In the summer of 2020, a time when it isn’t possible to visit new, far-flung destinations, dressing for a summer spent locally became much more exciting with a little help from the sandals of vacations past. During August in particular, typically a very popular time to travel and when many of us are turning on our out-of-office email replies, these sandals acted as a remedy for my wanderlust. Slipping into my natural or black rope sandals added a little extra oomph to my otherwise unconsidered outfits. Similar to those who find dressing more professionally while working from home makes them more productive, I have found dressing in the pieces that you might have saved for travel or specific occasions has turned mundane summer days into ones that feel all the more special. Transport yourself simply by swapping a tried-and-true Birkenstock or slide for a more quintessential vacation sandal, like this soft and comfortable rope version. We may not be able to physically travel in the same way we did in years past, but in the meantime here’s one way to resurface the joy and memories from past trips into the present and pretend like we are somewhere else, even if just for a moment.