Sandal styles may come and go, but the humble Birkenstock, so ingrained in our wardrobes, transcends the fickle trend cycle. In Barbie (2023), Margot Robbie is faced with an ultimatum – she can either choose a pair of pink stilettos with a perfectly-moulded Mattel arch and remain in her plastic fantasyland, or enter the real world, represented by a pair of Birkenstock Arizonas. We can’t think of a better emblem for the everyday.
Birkenstock Arizonas were released in 1973 and used to be exclusively sold in health-food stores. In 1992, Marc Jacobs was arguably the first to publicly reposition the orthopaedic shoes as a fashionable choice, when he included Arizonas in his controversial Perry Ellis show. Jacobs lost his creative director position, appalling critics with his unbothered, grunge aesthetic, but he was certainly onto something with his Arizona styling.
Fast-forward to 2025, the likes of Proenza Schouler, Jil Sander, Valentino and Manolo Blahnik have all collaborated with Birkenstock. The sandals have become a constant presence in “celebrities off-duty” photographs. Despite the supermodel and Hollywood endorsements, Birkenstocks are a functional, practical shoe. Not only does the moulded footbed make them a podiatrist favourite, but they also have the Vogue editor seal of approval thanks to their minimalist but chunky design. They go with pretty much every summer ensemble, from beach cover-ups to trousers, but one pairing stands out – jeans and Birkenstocks. They’ll always be a timeless match.
As for specific styles, you don’t need to get too formulaic about things — I would argue that any pair of Birkenstocks will go with any cut of jeans, whether you go for baggy, wide-leg, cropped or straight-leg. Keep scrolling for Birkenstock and jeans combos that you can count on for those days when you need a reliable, uncomplicated outfit.
