Kate Middleton Just Wore the Comfortable Summer Sandals That Have Been Popular for 90 Years

Meghan Markle has also worn them multiple times.

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Published on July 15, 2020 @ 06:04PM

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Kate Middleton Wearing Castaner — Photo: Kensington Palace

Kate Middleton wouldn't be wearing her $135 Castañer Carina summer sandals if it wasn't for Yves Saint Laurent. Yes, the man behind one of the most prominent luxury fashion houses of all time is also responsible for the affordable summer shoe staple known as espadrilles. Iconic tuxedo suits are nice but so are shoes we can afford.

Castañer has been making espadrilles for nearly 90 years. What started out as sandals for soldiers during the Spanish Civil War and later for Spanish field workers was given a new life as a fashion shoe when the legendary designer asked for a satin pair with a two-inch wedge. After he sent them down the runway in the '70s, everyone wanted a pair.

Since then, Castañer has worked with Dior, Armani, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Louis Vuitton. And while the Spanish brand makes luxury espadrilles that retail for hundreds, it also still works with 40 specialized seamstresses to hand-stitch its in-house affordable options. These pairs, which typically retail for under $150, are the very ones Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have worn on multiple occasions.

Espadrilles are so beloved because the jute that defines them also helps isolate your feet from the elements like humidity. This fact coupled with the famous shoe style's Spanish origin would explain why so many of us associate a pair with vacation and summer sun.

Espadrille wedges or flats are what most people think to pack first for a weekend away or a week abroad. Of course, there isn't as much of that going on this summer, which actually may be more of a reason to invest in a pair now. If you can't go on vacation, might as well bring the vacation home with a pair of sandals you can easily live in year round. And of course it also helps that they're royal-approved.

Shop the famous Kate Middleton-approved Castañer espadrilles below.