Men’s Espadrilles: The Summer Shoe You’ve Been Sleeping On

Lightweight, breathable, and more versatile than most men realize. Here’s why espadrilles deserve a place in a summer wardrobe.

1. What Most Men Get Wrong About Espadrilles

Espadrilles occupy an odd position in men’s footwear awareness. Most men have seen them, many have an impression of them as either too casual, too European, or somehow not quite masculine enough to take seriously — and almost all of them are wrong about at least one of those things.

The espadrille is one of the oldest shoe styles still in active production, with roots in 14th century Spain and France. It has been worn by Spanish farmers, French intellectuals, Hollywood actors on the Côte d’Azur, and generations of Mediterranean men for whom the style is simply what you wear in summer — not a fashion statement, not a trend item, just a functional warm-weather shoe that works. The style’s longevity across seven centuries of footwear history is itself evidence that it solves a real problem rather than simply looking good in a specific moment.

The problem it solves is summer footwear. Lightweight, breathable, comfortable across long days in heat, appropriate for a wider range of occasions than flip-flops or sports sandals, and — in quality executions — genuinely good-looking in a relaxed, unfussy way that reads as intentional rather than thrown-together.

2. What an Espadrille Actually Is

An espadrille is defined by two features: a canvas or fabric upper and a sole made from braided jute rope. Everything else — silhouette, height, closure type — varies across styles and interpretations, but the jute sole and fabric upper are what make something an espadrille rather than a canvas sneaker or a rope-soled sandal.

The jute sole is the defining structural element. Natural jute rope is braided or twisted into a thick platform that provides cushioning and structure without the synthetic foam or rubber of conventional soles. It is biodegradable, surprisingly durable in dry conditions, and gives the shoe its characteristic lightweight, slightly earthy aesthetic. The limitation — addressed in most quality modern espadrilles — is vulnerability to sustained moisture, which weakens the jute fibers over time and is the primary care consideration for the style.

The canvas upper is typically unlined or very lightly lined, which is what makes espadrilles genuinely breathable in a way that leather or synthetic uppers are not — hot air escapes through the fabric directly rather than being trapped against the foot.

3. The Main Espadrille Styles for Men

Classic Slip-On Espadrille

The foundational style — a simple canvas slip-on with a flat jute sole and no closures. The toe box is typically rounded and the silhouette is low and close to the foot. This is the style most closely associated with traditional Mediterranean wear and the one that reads as most authentically casual.

In navy, white, or natural canvas tones, the classic slip-on works with shorts, linen trousers, and casual chinos in warm-weather contexts. It reads as inherently relaxed — a beach town, a terrace, a casual summer lunch — rather than as a smart-casual or dressed-up option. For men who want espadrilles specifically for their most casual summer moments, this is the right starting point.

Lace-Up Espadrille

A step up in formality and security, the lace-up espadrille adds a lacing system that improves fit precision and keeps the shoe secure during more active movement. The lacing wraps around the ankle on some styles in a more elaborate construction borrowed from traditional Majorcan designs, or simply laces across the vamp in a more conventional low-top format on others.

The lace-up offers more versatility than the slip-on — it reads as slightly more intentional and considered, works with a broader range of outfits including smart-casual combinations, and stays on the foot more securely for anything beyond slow walking or standing. For a first espadrille purchase intended to cover more than purely beach or terrace use, the lace-up is the more practical choice.

Wedge Espadrille (Low Men’s Wedge)

A small percentage of men’s espadrilles include a slightly elevated wedge sole — building up the jute at the heel to create a modest heel-to-toe drop. This elevates the silhouette visually and adds a more fashion-forward character that some men find appealing and others find unnecessary. For most men, the flat sole reads as cleaner and more versatile — the wedge is a personal preference rather than a functional necessity.

Espadrille-Inspired Sneakers

Several footwear brands have produced canvas sneaker silhouettes with jute or jute-look sole elements, blending espadrille aesthetics with conventional sneaker construction. These are more durable and weather-resistant than traditional espadrilles, maintain the lightweight summer feel, and often include modest foam cushioning that traditional jute soles do not. For men who want the espadrille aesthetic alongside the durability and cushioning of conventional footwear, this hybrid category is worth exploring.

4. What to Wear Espadrilles With

Shorts

The most natural and widely appropriate pairing. Tailored chino shorts in navy, stone, or olive alongside a classic slip-on or lace-up espadrille in a complementary neutral tone is a foundational summer combination that reads as effortlessly put-together. Keep the shorts tailored — a slim to straight cut above the knee — since overly casual or athletic shorts undercut the intentional ease that makes this combination work.

Linen Trousers

Linen trousers with espadrilles is a combination with genuine history — the Riviera and Mediterranean resort aesthetic that made both items recognizable — and it remains one of the cleanest summer smart-casual pairings available to men. Slightly cropped or ankle-length linen trousers show the espadrille properly rather than covering it with excessive length. Off-white, sand, or pale blue linen paired with navy or natural espadrilles is a particularly strong combination.

Chinos

Slim or tapered chinos in warmer seasonal tones — stone, tan, light olive — work well with espadrilles in a smart-casual register. This is the outfit territory where the lace-up espadrille specifically performs better than the slip-on, since the additional structure of the lacing reads as more appropriate alongside tailored casual trousers than the completely unstructured slip-on does.

What Doesn’t Work

Formal trousers and suiting are too high a formality level for any espadrille to meet — the jute sole and fabric upper read as inherently casual regardless of how the rest of the shoe is executed. Jeans, particularly dark or structured denim, tend to clash with the espadrille’s inherent lightness — the heaviness of denim fabric fights the shoe’s relaxed summer character. Overly sporty or athletic outfit contexts read as mismatched with espadrilles, which belong to a different register of casualness than activewear-influenced dressing.

5. Quality Markers to Look for When Buying

Espadrilles are produced across a very wide quality range, from extremely cheap fast-fashion versions that last a single summer to well-made examples built to last several years with proper care. The differences are visible in a few specific places.

Jute Sole Construction

Quality jute soles are densely braided with tight, even weave throughout. Press the sole firmly — it should feel solid and resist compression without feeling hollow or loose. A loosely braided or thinly constructed jute sole will unravel and separate from the upper faster than a densely constructed one, particularly at the toe and heel where flexing stress is highest.

The attachment between the upper and the jute sole is the most structurally critical detail. On quality espadrilles this is typically hand-stitched in a visible whipstitch that runs along the perimeter of the sole — a traditional construction method that’s both stronger and more visually distinctive than adhesive-only attachment. On cheaper versions, the sole is simply glued, which is the most common failure point as the adhesive eventually breaks down.

Canvas Quality and Weave

Quality espadrille canvas is a tightly woven, medium-weight fabric that holds its shape and resists fraying at cut edges. Stretch the canvas slightly between your fingers — quality fabric resists deformation; cheap canvas stretches and distorts easily. Examine the cut edges inside the shoe — quality construction finishes these to prevent fraying, while budget versions leave raw edges that unravel quickly.

Insole Finishing

Look inside the shoe. Quality espadrilles include a proper insole — either a leather or fabric-covered insole that provides a clean wearing surface and some basic cushioning. Budget versions often have no insole beyond the raw jute, which becomes uncomfortable quickly and accelerates wear from foot moisture.

6. Caring for Espadrilles

The primary care consideration for espadrilles is moisture management — the jute sole’s main vulnerability is sustained wetness, which weakens the fibers and can cause the sole to separate or unravel if wet jute is allowed to dry while deformed.

Keep espadrilles out of rain and away from prolonged contact with water. They are not wet-weather shoes and should not be treated as such — even heavy dew on a morning lawn can saturate a jute sole enough to cause damage if the shoe is worn continuously until it dries. If they do get wet, allow them to dry fully in a flat position at room temperature before wearing again, which allows the jute to dry without deforming under the weight of the foot.

A waterproofing spray applied specifically to the canvas upper before first wear and periodically throughout the season reduces how readily the fabric absorbs stains and casual moisture contact — not a substitute for keeping them out of rain, but a useful first line of defense against incidental moisture.

Canvas uppers can be spot-cleaned with a slightly damp cloth and mild soap for most surface dirt, avoiding saturation of the sole in the process. Allow to air dry fully before wearing. Do not machine wash — the agitation and sustained moisture exposure are destructive to both the canvas and the jute sole.

Store espadrilles flat rather than in a compressed position, and away from direct sunlight which causes canvas to fade and can dry out and crack jute fibers over time. At the end of the season, a clean and completely dry pair stored flat in a cool location will start the following summer in the same condition it finished this one.

7. The Best Brands to Know

Castañer, a Spanish brand producing espadrilles since 1776, is the closest thing to a definitive reference point for quality in the category — traditional construction, dense jute soles, and a range of canvas tones that covers the full practical spectrum. Their men’s range is smaller than their women’s but represents the quality standard the category is judged against.

Soludos produces accessible, well-made espadrilles at mid-range prices with enough construction quality to last multiple seasons under reasonable care. A good entry point for a first quality espadrille purchase without committing to the higher end of the market.

Loro Piana and other luxury brands produce espadrille-adjacent styles at significant premium price points — high material quality but often more fashion-positioned than traditionally constructed. Worth considering for men who already spend at that level on footwear and want the espadrille aesthetic in premium materials.

The espadrille is underused in most men’s summer wardrobes not because it doesn’t work but because most men haven’t genuinely tried one at the right quality level and in the right outfit context. A well-made canvas lace-up on a dense jute sole, worn with linen trousers or tailored shorts in summer heat, is genuinely one of the most comfortable and appropriate footwear choices available — lightweight, breathable, and more considered-looking than flip-flops or sports sandals in any context where those would otherwise be the default.

Buy one quality pair, apply protector spray before first wear, keep them dry, and let the Mediterranean summer aesthetic do the rest.

Browse our men’s espadrille and summer shoe collection — traditional jute-sole construction and canvas styles in seasonal tones that work across everything from beach towns to casual summer evenings.