One of our frequently asked questions here on Daddysdigest.com are all about dad fashion, and in this case, dads and shoes. The big question we hear way more than you’d ever expect is:
Can dads wear sandals? If so, which ones are acceptable?
The short answer is yes, dads CAN wear sandals, but the question at hand is around fashion and utility. SHOULD dads wear sandals? Let’s consider the following:
1. Where are you when you’re wearing these sandals?
Location, location, location. Where there is water, sandals are definitely acceptable and make sense. There is nothing worse than getting sand in your socks or having soggy sneakers all day from getting wet. If you’re wearing sandals rock climbing or driving a sports vehicle, probably not the best idea. Foot control is imperative.
2. What type of sandals are you wearing?
Let’s break it down. There are practical sandals and then there are sandals that are “stylish”. The sandals that we see the majority of dads wearing and pulling off to varying levels of success in 2022 fall into 2 categories – the sporty slides and the classic Birkenstocks. “They” say fancy sandals are hard to pull off, unless you’re extremely well groomed.
3. Do you feel like an amazing dad in said sandals?
My wife, for example, hates seeing my toes. She says they are disgusting. Should I be offended? Nah, toes are usually pretty weird. Despite my partner’s distaste for my toes, I do think she loves seeing me playing and engaging with our children. If I’m more likely to go in the pool or take our children grocery shopping in my sandals, she won’t actively fight me wearing them. The simple truth is that as long as I am living in the moment and I am comfortable and healthy, it doesn’t matter what I wear. The goal is: show up and be a good dad, wear what you need to wear to feel good.
Here’s what some dads in our community said:
“Yes to dad sandals, except when driving a manual transmission.” – Jared
“Hell yes, need to air the puppies out 
! ” – Kevin
“Absolutely after a long day!” – Stan
Here’s how some moms weighed in:
“ dads gotta do what a dads gotta do 
” – Janice
“Only with socks” – Raquel
“Hard no. I’m sure there are some perfectly groomed and styled Italian men who pull off high-end leather sandals, but otherwise only when absolutely required for function, like camping or at the pool.” – Ella
“As long as they’re sockless – lol !” – Melissa
So what’s the consensus?
All in all, my sense is as follows: You do you, dad!