90s babies, rejoice! Jelly shoes are back - shop our favourites

As a late 90s baby, my memories of jelly shoes are somewhat hazy. What I do remember however, are summer days in the early Aughts spent frolicking with my siblings at the local regatta, armed with Calippo Shots, smothered in suncream and sporting a pair of glittery jelly shoes. 

One can never forget the feeling of slipping into a pair of jellies. Sturdy but bendable, the gummy-inspired shoes remain a relic of 90s style, existing among a landscape of Furbies, Mini Boden catalogues and, god forbid, Lelli Kellies.

Famously, you could always hear them before seeing them - thanks to their propensity for squelching when wet (a given, considering that rain rarely spares a British summer). Regardless, I squeaked through my early years in plastic-fantastic fashion, before the birth of Crocs in 2002 sounded the death knell for the controversial kicks.

Hence, the collective millennial shock (horror for many) when jelly shoes bounced back on the scene - with major success at that. 

© Imaxtree

The stats speak for themselves. According to Schuh, jelly styles are up by 10 per cent year-on-year, with jelly flats in particular seeing a huge surge (up 300 per cent) and continuing to climb. Jelly sandals are also gaining popularity, jumping up by 90 per cent in the last three months with JuJu Jelly Shoes being a particular stand-out.

Likewise, Pinterest has reported that searches for the term ‘red jelly shoes outfit’ have increased by 349 per cent, leaning into Gen Z’s obsession with nostalgia (think harbour-style retro stripes, fitted shirts and beachy hibiscus motifs).

Yet, bar their 90s roots, the jelly shoe trend isn’t new for 2026. They emerged back in 2024, retaining popularity in 2025 with Lyst naming Ancient Greek Sandals’ Iro jelly shoe as a stand-out purchase of Q2.

Chloé cemented the rainbow-hued kicks in the 2025 trend cycle, sending candy pink and pale blue thong kitten heel options down the spring/summer 2026 runway. Since then, the French brand has released Polly Pocket-esque slip-ons, cut from tangerine, mist blue and grey TPU, topped with a knotted design and square peep toes. The luxury price tag is what keeps them from being utterly chewable.

© Lisa Says Gah

Fellow luxury labels such as The Row, Jimmy Choo and Balenciaga also invested energy into the design, offering up finely knitted jelly options, in addition to Groovy Chick-inspired thonged styles. 

The celebrity sphere took note. Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan attended Fastnet Film Festival in Cork wearing a pair of Prada’s Rubber Monolith Sandals, featuring chunky lightweight soles, the brand’s distinctive triangle emblem and cut-out detailing inspired by 90s beachwear.

© Getty Images

Similarly, Alexa Chung paired a set of transparent jelly sandals from Ancient Greek Sandals with a slinky silk mini dress, while Jennifer Lawrence championed The Row’s sell-out Mara Flats in strawberry red. 

Love it or hate it, the jelly shoe comeback is a fashionable force to be reckoned with. Shop our favourite pairs of jelly delights below.

Shop the jelly shoe trend:

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