Jelly Shoes

In most cases, jelly shoes were flat. But, in some cases they did have thick, clunky heels in a matching color. The heels were usually low, maxing out at around two inches. Colors ranged from the classic black or white, to pastels or neon colors with glitter. If you look at the assortment of flip-flops today, you can get a feel for the selection of colors available for jelly shoes in the 1980s. Another plus: they were cheap!

These shoes got their name from the product they were made from--jelly rubber, a type of porous PVC rubber. The material didn't feel much like jelly at all. In fact, they were quite hard and slightly uncomfortable with extended wear. The straps rubbed and caused blisters if you weren't careful. If your feet got wet or sweaty, they'd slide around in the shoe, exacerbating blister formation.

Where They Are Now

Like the one-hit wonders of the 80s and 90s music scene, the jelly shoes deserve a "where they are now" moment. The answer to that question is, aside from haunting the back of your closet, they're on a few select websites, and there aren't a lot of styles to choose from.

You can get your fill of jelly shoes at Grendha USA. They're not just the traditional style of shoes you probably wore way back when. Try The Leslie on for size. How about The Popsicle? It's an explosion of color on a black background. You can also choose a white or pink background. Go here to find the nearest store to you.

Another good spot to find jelly shoes is China Double Star. These are girls' shoes, but you're searching for a pair to give your little girl a taste of what it was like during your childhood, right? It's okay, no one will judge you if you were really trying to find yourself a pair.

If your little girl is looking for a pair with pink marabou trim, Store.CostumeCity.com is the place to find them. They're just slip-on sandals rather than the old-fashioned kind that enclosed the whole foot. They're pink and you can get a matching wand and tiara right on the same site.

It may or may not come as a surprise to you that you can find most likely the largest assortment of jelly shoes on the internet on eBay! They have women's sizes, as well as girls.

Are They Coming Back?

If you do a Google search for jelly shoes, you'll see that they, unlike stirrup pants and suede fringe boots, are staying in the back of your closet--or rather, the one you left behind in the 1980s. You can still find them in a few places, and you're welcome to try to revive the trend. It might be fun for us all!