If you still have scars, literal or figurative, from the jelly shoes of your childhood, you're entitled to some style compensation. What's the payment, you ask? The new-and-improved jelly shoe trend, starring styles that show no signs of blistering the soles of Jennifer Lawrence, Hailey Bieber, and more.
Allow today's famous faces to reintroduce you to jellies. The semi-sheer, glossy shoes, sculpted from soft PVC plastic, date back to the post-World War II leather shortage. The divisive silhouette has been bouncing on and off trendsetter shoe racks since the 1970s, earning endorsements from Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier in the '80s. In the '90s, it went mainstream, worn by kids and adults alike. Kirsten Dunst and Gwyneth Paltrow were some of the first celebrities to wear jellies on red carpets. By the 2010s, Lana Del Rey, Kylie Jenner, Solange Knowles, and more styled the everyday shoes to hero-item heights.
Don't be fooled: The newest jelly shoes are a far cry from the fisherman sandals that ripped your feet as a kid. Thanks to upgraded designs, like Chloé's Jelly Mules from the Spring/Summer 2026 show, plastic-inflicted pain isn't the norm anymore. Not only do jelly shoes 2.0 look fresh from Polly Pocket's closet, but they're also as pliable as the doll's rubber dresses. They aren't reserved just for summer, either—they make a great transitional shoe for those in-between days when it's still warm enough for something less covered, but too cool for a true sandal.
It's time to awaken your inner child. See how celebrities are doing the same in the jelly shoe trend below.
Jennifer Lawrence's Mesh Jelly Shoes
Jennifer Lawrence has been openly pro-jellies since 2022, doubling down on the nostalgic look with colorful peony pink and tomato red pairs. Most recently, Lawrence's white off-duty outfit became the perfect blank canvas to spotlight her sold-out mesh style from The Row.
Hailey Bieber's Jelly Sneakers
It's not every day that jellies win over a minimalist like Hailey Bieber, especially in Nike sneaker form. Neon green grids encircled the mesh silhouette, giving her jelly trainers their glossy sheen.
Similar styles haven't earned A-list approval en masse just yet, but 2026's freaky green color trend proves anything is possible. Neon jellies from Merrell and Puma are ripe for the picking.
Kendall Jenner's High-Vamp Jelly Flats
Months before Kylie Jenner paired Chloé's Mules with capris, her older sister, Kendall Jenner, tested the jelly shoe-cropped pants formula in Venice. Much like her travel tote, her translucent high-vamp flats were another sold-out style from The Row's celebrity-beloved catalog. Were they risky airport shoes? Maybe, but that hasn't stopped VIPs from wearing flip-flops during flights, either.
Vittoria Ceretti's Jelly Flip-Flops
Ancient Greek Sandals has a history with the jelly shoe trend. Back in 1957, the Grecian label founded the first PVC footwear factory in Athens. Almost 70 years later, the brand is still leading the jellies revival and is endorsed by fashion girls like Vittoria Ceretti. Earlier this summer, the sheer V-shaped straps on the supermodel's flip-flops gave the staple sandal the jelly treatment.
Barbara Palvin's Jelly Mules
Take it from Barbara Palvin: Jelly shoes aren't to be overlooked in the maternity dressing department. During the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the mom-to-be elevated her plaid button-down and black capris with Jimmy Choo's Jelly Drop Sandals. The peep-toe mules (and their pregnancy-friendly two-inch-tall heels) are available in aquamarine and amber, but we're partial to Palvin's sparkling, periwinkle-tinted version.
Keke Palmer's Bejeweled Jelly Heels
Keke Palmer's take on the sheer shoe trend, bedazzled baby pink mules by Mach & Mach, delivered a masterclass in Y2K-maxxing. The sold-out stilettos looked even more nostalgic next to the striking lemon-yellow mini dress.
