The strap at the back changes everything. It sounds like a small thing until you’ve spent an evening in a backless mule trying to walk with any kind of purpose and realised that elegance and constant shuffling cannot coexist. A slingback gives you the open feel of a sandal with the security of something that actually stays on your foot. That is the whole argument and it is a compelling one.

What we love about slingbacks specifically is how much ground they cover. They work with a midi dress and they work with tailored trousers. They look deliberate rather than convenient, which is exactly the quality we look for when we are editing anything for this site. The heel height varies across this collection because it should. A low block heel slingback and a slim kitten heel slingback are solving different problems on different days.

We have been ruthless here. If a sandal had a strap that looked likely to dig, or a sole that would betray you on a warm day, it did not make the cut. These are the ones that earn the name.