STYLE GURU STYLE: The Gladiators

What started as footwear that added protection in battle and quickly transformed into a symbol of sex and status worn by goddesses, the gladiator sandal is making its debut again this style season. The spring 2015 Chloé collection showcases beautiful bohemian inspired dresses paired with bold gladiator sandals. Creative director of Chloé, Clare Waight Keller, takes a classic fierce look and reinvents it to fit a modern runway style.

What inspired me most about this runway show is that it didn’t strike me as over the top, couture looks. It wasn’t excessive. Instead, it took fashion forward items and made them practical and wearable. I watched the collection hit the runway and felt inspired by my own everyday boho taste that could be so easily tweaked to a warrior style. There is nothing worse than seeing pieces on the runway and thinking, “How could I ever rock something like that?!” The Chloé collection does the opposite of this and really encourages Fashionistas to take styles into their own hands.

Drawing on this, I paired a floral dress with shorter black gladiator sandals. In order to add a more feminine touch to the look, I threw a denim button-down around the waist to cinch it. This made the look flatter my body a little more and allowed me to give a flirtier feel to the outfit. When it came to accessorizing, I remained minimal. I really wanted to showcase the shoes so I didn’t draw away from that with clunky and bold jewelry. I chose shorter sandals for myself but could really see this look working well with a knee-high pair, as well. That’s one great thing about these sandals! You aren’t tied down to an exact pair of shoes, there’s a variety!

Get My Look: 1. A fun and flirty dress. 2. A denim chambray shirt. 3. Gladiator sandals.

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