• We spoke to fashion designers and stylists about which sandal trends are in and out this summer.
• According to the pros, fisherman sandals are making a big comeback thanks to their versatility.
• On the other hand, lace-up gladiators and chunky platforms are being replaced by minimalist styles.

Summer is almost here, which means it's time to break out your warm-weather wardrobe — including sandals.

But before you reach for last year's go-to pairs, keep in mind that some styles are fading while others are taking a step back into the spotlight (hello, '90s revival!).

To help you navigate what's trending now, Business Insider spoke with fashion designers and stylists about which sandal styles are in and which you may want to leave in your closet.

Warm and understated, brown sandals are redefining summer neutrals.

Brown sandals are stepping in as a softer, more versatile alternative to black this summer, according to Natalie Tincher, founder and principal stylist at BU Style.

She told BI that sandals are becoming popular in "shades from light tan to deep espresso" and "taking a cue from Pantone's Color of the Year, 'Mocha Mousse.'"

These earthy tones pair well with natural fabrics, relaxed tailoring, and minimalist looks, grounding an outfit without overpowering it, the stylist said.

Fisherman sandals are back in a big way.

Offering a stylish balance of structure, breathability, and comfort, fisherman sandals are going strong this summer

"Characterized by their closed toe and interwoven straps, they're ideal for city wear or summer holidays," Hellana Mardasian, personal stylist at Styled by Hellena, told BI. "They suit both tailored and relaxed summer looks."

The stylist recommends looking for fisherman sandals in neutral colors that are made from quality leather for a modern and elevated feel.

Leather slides remain a polished wardrobe staple.

Tincher said leather slides continue to trend as a refined alternative to flip-flops.

"They're incredibly versatile and comfortable, and come in a range of silhouettes — some more substantial, others sleek, which makes them a go-to for many of my clients," she told BI.

Sleek leather slides are an easy way to add polish to everything from tailored shorts and resort-inspired outfits to breezy dresses or a classic jeans-and-tee combo, the stylist said.

Raffia sandals can bring an elegant touch to any summer outfit.

Celebrated for their breezy texture and artisanal vibe, raffia sandals are another popular summer trend, both Mardasian and Tincher told BI. They blend lightweight comfort and effortless style, making them an easy upgrade for warm-weather looks.

"The woven texture adds dimension and visual interest without overwhelming an outfit," Tincher said.

Mardasian recommends styling them with linen or denim for a polished but relaxed summer outfit.

However, chunky platforms are on their way out.

Towering flatforms and mega-platform espadrilles are likely to be less popular this season, according to Danielle Yates, fashion designer, stylist, and cofounder of Headcovers Unlimited.

"After a few summers of rolled ankles and cobblestone mishaps, shoppers are gravitating toward lower, more stable soles that still provide a bit of height," the designer said.

Sleek silhouettes, like minimalist walking sandals or low-profile heels, offer a more wearable update that fits seamlessly into 2025's shift toward functional, everyday style.

Many are swapping PVC sandals out for jelly shoes.

All of the professionals we spoke to agreed that PVC sandals are out this summer as shoe trends move toward comfort, breathability, and more tactile materials.

"While they had a fashion-forward moment, their synthetic feel and lack of wearability in heat made them a tough long-term sell," Tincher told BI.

Instead, many will opt for woven-leather or jelly sandals, which can offer more personality and practicality.

Velcro "dad" sandals had their moment.

Bulky Velcro "dad" sandals — the ultra-padded, rubber-soled kind — are starting to fall out of favor, Yates said.

"With quiet-luxury dressing still going strong, shoppers want a sleeker silhouette that doesn't shout 'hiking shop,'" Yates told BI.

For an updated look, the designer recommends a slim sport sandal or a leather fisherman instead, as both can serve a similar purpose with less heft.

It's time to retire the lace-up gladiators.

Once a go-to for festival season in the 2010s, lace-up gladiator sandals are starting to feel overly complicated next to 2025's more streamlined shoe aesthetic, according to both Yates and Mardasian.

For a fresher take, the stylists suggest opting for sleek Grecian silhouettes or minimalist leather slides instead.

• TSA PreCheck is an airport-security express lane that can save you time while traveling.
• The program has more members than ever — over 20 million passengers are enrolled.
• Travel expert Gilbert Ott said these etiquette tips can keep you from holding up the line.

Those of us who've had TSA PreCheck for a while have seen the express airport security line moving slower than it should. We've had our patience tested by first-time users fumbling for passports at the counter, removing their coats when it's their turn to be scanned, and waltzing on through with a belt on.

These days, you're more likely to encounter newbies in the fast-pass lane than ever.

The TSA reported in August 2024 that program enrollment reached a record 20 million travelers. And roughly 2 to 3 million flight passengers used the faster security line per day so far in 2025.

In the TSA PreCheck line, pre-screened travelers can go through security quickly without taking off their shoes or removing electronics or liquids from their carry-on bags. With more travelers than ever signing up for the program, you're likely to encounter more newbies in the express lane these days.

It costs about $80 to enroll for five years, but you can get the service essentially for free through credit cards such as Capital One Venture, Capital One Venture X, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Delta SkyMiles, and American Express.

Gilbert Ott, who says he flies more than 200,000 miles a year and has been blogging about flying for the past decade, told Business Insider that the express airport security lane makes his life easier. Ott's blog, called God Save the Points, covers everything from airline news and flight reviews to travel tips and money-saving hacks, such as how to best use credit-card points. 

"I spend too much time in airports. As much as I may love them, sometimes the less time I spend in them, the happier I am," Ott said. "So the quicker I can get through and just be on a plane, the better."

While the TSA PreCheck line is often full of frequent flyers, those new to the program, which requires a background check, may not be as savvy about security etiquette, especially during busy travel times like summer. Ott said this can cause the line to move more slowly, but he shared his best tips for TSA PreCheck travelers.

Pre-strip before you even get to the airport

Pre-stripping is removing everything you may need to take off at security, from big jackets to the contents of your pockets, before you get in line.

"When I go to the airport, I take my belt off before I get there. I have it in my backpack, knowing I'll put it on as soon as I get through PreCheck," Ott told BI. "So keep the jewels and the watch in your bag. Then, when you get to the other side of security where you're not holding people up, you can do the glamour."

Ott said this process will make people move through the line quicker. 

"My routine is somewhere along the lines of comfy jeans, a T-shirt or hoodie, and then a bomber jacket," he said. "Essentials like my phone and passport go in my bomber jacket pockets while I wait in the queue so that when I step up to the scanners, my jacket is off, pockets are empty, my bags go on the trays, and off we go."

Leave the flashy shoes in your bag

TSA PreCheck passengers aren't required to take off their shoes. But in Ott's experience, passengers who wear fancy loafers or shoes with buckles or studs often get stopped because they set off the scanner. 

"The main thing is metal, either as part of the shoe or in the boot or heel of the shoe," Ott said. "Ceramic and rubber are usually fine. Basically, sneakers tend to always work."

Be ready before it's your turn

When you first get in line, Ott recommends having your boarding pass and identification out before it's your turn to show them. That way, you won't spend time searching for these documents while others wait behind you. 

If everyone followed Ott's advice, he thinks we'd all get through security faster. 

"If you think of the 20 seconds it takes somebody to do this very basic thing, and you'd multiply that by 50,000 people going through an airport's screens a day, you could pretty much just walk through an airport without stopping," Ott told BI. "We can all have a better time."

• Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, believes Chinese AI researchers are "world class."
• US-based AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI are hiring them, he said in an interview with "Stratechery."
• International competition is healthy — but only if regulations don't prevent the US from keeping up, he said.

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, thinks that China's AI researchers are some of the very best in the world — so it's no surprise that US companies are bringing them on board.

"The researchers, the AI scientists in China, they're world-class. These are not Chinese AI researchers, they're world-class AI researchers," Huang said in an interview with Ben Thompson, author of "Stratechery." "You walk up and down the aisles of Anthropic or OpenAI or DeepMind, there's a whole bunch of AI researchers there, and they're from China. Of course, it's sensible, and they're extraordinary, and so the fact that they do extraordinary work is not surprising to me."

As a whole, the country is doing "fantastic" in the AI market, Huang said, with models from Chinese-based companies — such as DeepSeek and Manus — emerging as powerful challengers to systems designed in the US.

"Let's face it, DeepSeek is deeply excellent work," Huang said. "To give them anything short of that is a lack of confidence so deep that I just can't even tolerate it."

The challenges presented by international rivals, Huang added, are absolutely essential to the continued improvement of AI companies in the US.

"Everybody loves competition. Companies need competition to inspire themselves, nations need that, and there's no question we spur them," he said. "However, I fully expected China to be there every step of the way. Huawei is a formidable company. They're a world-class technology company."

Intense competition could become problem though, Huang said, if US-based companies don't have all the tools they need. Building out the "ecosystem" required to support AI, he said, is already difficult — and Huang believes operations could be kneecapped by restrictive regulations. He was particularly critical of the "Diffusion rule," a Biden-era policy that would've established limits on exports of US-made AI chips come May 15.

"You can't just say, "Let's go write a diffusion rule, protect one layer at the expense of everything else." It's nonsensical," he said. "The idea that we would limit American AI technology right at the time when international competitors have caught up, and we pretty much predicted it."

On May 12, the White House announced it would rescind the rule, mere days before it was set to go into effect.

"The idea of AI diffusion limiting other countries access American technology is a mission expressed exactly wrong. It should be about accelerating the adoption of American technology everywhere before it's too late," Huang said. "If the goal is for America to lead, then AI diffusion did exactly the opposite of that."

Competition flows both ways, he said — and American companies should be battling it out in the Chinese market.

"The idea that we would have America not compete in the Chinese market, where 50% of the developers are, makes absolutely no sense from a computing infrastructure, computing architectural perspective," Huang said. "We ought to go and give American companies the opportunity to compete in China, offset the trade deficit, generate tax income for the American people, build, hire jobs, create more jobs."