Prada's Foam Rubber Sandals come in a variety of colours. Photo: Instagram/Harrods
Jelly fashion brings back the nostalgic 90s feel and although many may not want to go down that path again, jelly sandals and bags are making an appearance again.
Jelly shoes or jellies, have evolved since it was first introduced back in the 80s with major fashion houses like Gucci, Coach, Prada, Bottega Veneta and Valentino taking the cheap gooey looking material and turning it into a more high end, luxury item that everyone wants to get their hands on.
The vibrant shoes exude nostalgia and fun, and they frequently include glitter to give our feet a little extra shimmer.
These pair of Melissa's iconic caged fisherman jelly sandals can be worn with an outfit in any colour. Photo: Instagram/MelissaThe primary distinction between jelly sandals and other vividly coloured shoes is that the former are usually composed of PVC-plastic.
The caged fisherman silhouette has long been the standard, and while there are some modern variations on the classic design, there are also choices that are more trend-forward and more minimalist.
Read more: Tentacles, goat horns, huge hats: The zany Belgian designer keeping fashion fun
Celebrities like Lisa from Black Pink was recently spotted rocking a pair of jellies on her feet for a day out strolling the streets of Paris, though the artist switched out her jellies for a pair of loafers later on.
This is no surprise as jelly sandals can be very hard to break into compared to a fresh new pair of sneakers.
If you’ve worn a pair of jellies before, you probably were met with blisters and cuts especially if it’s a fresh pair.
On the other hand, a jelly that would not cause you any pain is the jelly bag. The jelly bag is just like any other bag you own, just in jelly form. Up your ultimate cool girl status with this fun, transparent jelly bag in your wardrobe.
The jelly bags are usually water-resistant and transparent, which is a fan-favourite for festival and concert goers as they wouldn’t need to remove anything from their bag for checks. This makes the jelly bag a summer staple.
The designs of jelly bags are usually casual yet fashionable and makes it easy to pair with all kinds of styles.
It was a childhood dream come true for some with the return of the jelly sandals. Additionally, the dreamlike material in handbag form is really wonderful, and there were some brands that have “bougiefied” the jelly market.
Coach turned their famous Tabby bag design into a jelly form and definitely made waves when it featured in the Spring/Summer 2023 collection with Lil Nas X walking the runway with the bag along with a pair of jellies on his feet. The bag almost instantly sold out when it dropped with a selling price of close to RM2,200.
Even Prada has entered the jelly sandal market, charging a cool RM3,850 for rubber versions of the well-known fisherman sandals.
Gucci also has their own variation of the fisherman sandals which is their Rubber Buckle Strap Sandals collection. But if you’re looking to add something other than shoes or bags in the jelly trend, the Italian fashion house introduced their very own jelly dive watches.
A cute and small Jelly Shopper in pink perfect for day to night from the Telfar x Melissa collaboration. Photo: Instagram/Telfar
The watches are water resistant up to 200 metres which includes a glow in the dark feature in the radium dials.
Read more: Looking for a new fashion trend to get into? Try the ‘coquette aesthetic’
One brand that has been in the jelly business for a long time is Melissa. The brand is known for its iconic caged fisherman sandals.
Along with its eco-friendly material, Melissa has collaborated with names such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Collina Strada and Telfar to name a few.
With all these brands embracing the jelly trend over the past few years, could we see more labels joining in the trend with their own spin in jelly form?
If you haven’t picked up a piece to add into your style, run and get one yourself to stay in trend!
Jelly fashion is more adaptable than you may have thought. Embrace your inner child and experience nostalgia.
