They might have a reputation for not being the most glamorous summer shoe, but I find myself reaching for my Birkenstock sandals more than anything else. They’re a great ‘slip on and go’ option to wear in the heat and the two-strap Birkenstock Arizonas are perhaps the most iconic style.
I own them in both black and white and if you’re still wondering if Birkenstocks are worth it, they have plenty more fans at woman&home, including Ecommerce Editor Heidi Scrimgeour. Counted amongst their celebrity fans is Julianne Moore, who has found the perfect pairing.
Stepping out in sunny NYC in 2022, the actor wore stone-grey Arizonas with wide-leg white jeans, complete with modern raw hems.
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As well as her grey ones, Julianne Moore also owns the Birkenstock Arizonas in a beige suede and these are equally gorgeous and versatile. They have the classic two-strap design to keep them secure on your feet and the moulded footbed.
This stone-grey colour is so wearable and complements the cork footbed too. Whether you want to style them like Julianne did with white wide-leg, raw-hem jeans, or with tailored staples or a dress for a casual-smart contrast, they're a great slip-on and go option.
These Birkenstock Arizonas are slightly more affordable than Julianne's suede ones and have an upper made from the brand's hard-wearing synthetic material Birko-Flor®. The colour is a pretty taupe shade that will go with both neutral and vibrant colours alike.
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These classic Arizona sandals have sophisticated black uppers and premium suede footbeds. The soles are robust and the two adjustable buckles are also black, rather than a metallic tone, for a minimalist finish.
The Gizeh Sandals have a cork footbed and a strap running between your toes, as well as a buckle strap. On these Big Buckle Gizehs, the gold-toned buckle is slightly larger and more eye-catching against the nubuck leather.
Alongside the Arizonas, the Birkenstock Boston Clogs are one of the most recognisable style the brand makes. These ones have chocolate-brown suede uppers with hardwearing lightweight soles for exceptional comfort.
The slightly cropped length showcased her sandals and was also a breezy choice for a warm day. Just like Birkenstocks, white jeans are often seen as tricky to style. However, this doesn’t have to be the case at all.
Because lighter colours can be more unforgiving than darker ones, I would advise moving away from streamlined jean shapes for white denim outfits. Looser and more relaxed silhouettes like Julianne’s jeans are a lovely alternative that’s also very comfortable.
The raw hems accentuated the off-duty feel and this worked well with the Birkenstock Arizonas, which are always going to be a more casual part of an outfit. The textural contrast of the suede against the denim brought some dimension and Julianne Moore finished off her outfit with a plain white T-shirt and a longline black blazer.
If you’re ever in doubt about what to wear, you can’t go far wrong with a head-to-toe neutral look like this and keeping to minimal colours gave her ensemble a chic edge. Her love of pairing white denim with Birkenstock Arizonas isn’t a one-off either.
The May December star wore a very similar outfit in 2023, also in New York. She seemed to be wearing the exact same wide-leg jeans - this time with taupe sandals, a white tee and a sporty baseball cap.
It was casual but clearly very considered, and this is what makes a more relaxed outfit look put-together. Each item had a timeless design and the colour palette was light and pared-back.
This kind of outfit would work for everything from running errands to picnics, coffee dates with friends and summer strolls. The comfort of Birkenstocks means that you can also effortlessly do all of these things without feeling like you want to swap into white trainers at the first opportunity.
That’s not something that can be said for all summer sandals, and the Arizonas have a moulded footbed that gets comfier over time as you wear them in. If you tend to find your feet swell slightly in hot weather, then you can also easily loosen the buckled straps on them to adjust the fit.
