The Queen Of Sole
Hailey Bieber's Styling Hack Will Change Your Mind About Thong Sandals
OK, I’m influenced.
Wearing flip-flops at the beach is a given; but wearing flip-flops — especially heeled versions — anywhere else has always been polarizing. Vogue even dubbed thong stilettos summer’s most controversial shoes in 2019, referring to them as “ugly-chic.”
Despite the many critics of the silhouette, plenty of it girls (e.g., Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid, and Rihanna) have proven that the beachy footwear can actually be elevated. And Hailey Bieber just got added to the list. The Rhode founder recently wore not one, but two standout looks with heeled thong sandals, giving a masterclass in styling the shoe from day to night.
Hailey’s Casual Daytime Look
On Saturday, March 21, the model and her husband, Justin Bieber, attended the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles, where Tom Brady played his first competitive game since his retirement from the NFL in 2023. For the sporting event, Hailey kept it casual in a cropped black tank with skin-baring low-rise jeans and added a Y2K-esque crochet sweater with a ruffle trim. It’s giving major model-off-duty vibes.
Surprisingly, it was her choice of footwear — black skinny thong heels — that gave her denim look an air of sophistication.
Her final sleek touches were noir sunglasses and a boxy, croc-leather clutch.
Her Luxe After-Hours ‘Fit
Later that night, Bieber changed into a second outfit to attend a postgame event. And she completely elevated the shoe style with one easy update: trading in her denims for more luxe fabrics. She paired a ‘90s-inspired silk button-down with a teeny tiny miniskirt, and kept to the same trio of noir accessories.
The Heeled Thong (Spring 2026’s Version)
Apart from getting Hailey’s stamp of approval, designers like Mugler and Alaïa also showed their love for heeled flip-flops during their Spring/Summer 2026 fashion shows. If you’ve been waiting to give them a try, there’s really no better time than now.
When it comes to this trend, less is more: A teeny kitten heel is just as sophisticated as longer stems; slinky straps are also much sleeker than thick ones; and even louder options (e.g., animal prints) feel more restrained and minimalist with a skinny thong.
Add these to your wardrobe, stat.
