As old as the road to Rome

The gladiators wore them up to the knee, I assume for protection. Roman senators were recognized by four straps. I choose something in the middle. A fancy sandal (in love with the ones from Louis Vuitton) makes the difference on the beach. You have very few resources to shine with, so go all out with that sandal. You'll enjoy it all summer long.

1. Dark blue with large studs, €595, Balenciaga via mytheresa.com

2. White leather with buckles, €49.99, Mango

3. High gladiator sandals, €350, Ancient Greek via net-a-porter.com

4. Black with many buckles, €25, New Look via asos.com

5. Pink snake leather, €49.95, Zara