Summer Jelly Shoes

History of Summer Jelly Shoes

Following WWII, Europe was awash in shortages, including leather. Shoe manufacturers discovered they could make sturdy shoes from a semi-transparent PVC rubber. The rubber has a jelly-like sheen, thus giving the shoes their name. Best of all for women who had endured years of privation during the war, the rubber could come in a variety of colors, lending some much needed spring to the step.

Jellies receded to the back of the closet when resources became plentiful again in the 1950s, but they were still resorted to for beach walking or wading, because the rubber was strong enough to shield feet from hot sand or sharp corals and shells.

In the 1980s, they were back with a bang, especially as lively children’s shoes. Practical, chunky, inexpensive and protective of little feet, but also bright and fun, it was not surprising that demand saw them grow from the children’s to the teens and then adult sections of the shoe store. Plenty of women embraced the flat, colorful, see-through shoes that were made of plastic and were so insanely cheap, you could have a collection in every color of the rainbow and barely dent your wallet.

Modern Jelly Shoes

This summer’s jelly shoes are made of rubber once again – still hot, but better for your feet and the planet than plastic. More importantly, they are as multi-colored and cute as ever, in styles ranging from retro wedgies and ankle-straps to ballet flats to flip-flops. Jellies are now adorned with glitter, beads and rhinestones, adding more sparkle to the shine. Don’t forget – rubber shoes are perfect for a rainy day in spring or summer.

Shopping for Jelly Shoes

J Crew has a line of jelly ballet flats at reasonable prices. They are rubber, of course, and perforated at the instep for ventilation. They come in black, green, red or yellow. You can also get jeweled jellies in “smokey clear.”

You can also go the more economical route and hit Target for their Xhilaration jellies. They are pink skimmers with a cut-out design and one-inch demi-wedge heels.

But if you really want to go all out, you’ll be excited to know that some top designers have jumped on the jelly wagon. Marc Jacobs has a very cute pair of ballet pumps in a sugary pink with a rounded toe and sweet little bow.

Fendi has summer jelly shoes in a very 1950s style, with a peep toe and ankle strap and whisper of a heel. They come in smoke, fuchsia and white and have a buckle and strap design on the toe.

And if you want to order shoes from the UK, go to JuJu Jellies, which makes a number of incredibly adorable styles ranging from retro to modern.

Jelly Shoes and Jelly Bracelets

Back in the 1980s, pop stars like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper wore tons of multi-colored jelly bracelets because they were fun. And if you have jelly shoes, why would you not wear matching bracelets? You have to put the emphasis on the fun and fashion, however, as a way of reclaiming what some people say jelly bracelets currently “signify.” There are those who are sure, mostly through rumor and hype, that the different colors have romantic or sexual meanings and signal what a girl is willing to do. Such an idea can certainly be alarming for parents of middle school girls who are wearing a ream of jelly bracelets. However, parents may rest assured that this rumor seems to be just that, a rumor, and you and your kids can stock up on jelly bracelets to match your shoes to your heart’s content.