Our Favourite Camel Sandals Right Now Handpicked by Claire

Camel sandals earn their keep because the colour does something most neutrals cannot: it reads as warm rather than blank, so it works against pale skin and deep skin with equal ease, and it sits happily next to black, white, denim and every shade of brown without a single clash to negotiate. A good pair leans tan or biscuit rather than orange or muddy yellow, and the leather, or a leather look done properly, should have a slight sheen or a soft matte grain rather than a flat, plasticky finish that gives the whole shoe away as cheap the moment light hits it.

Construction is where the category splits into worth having and not. Look at the strap placement first, because camel sandals live or die on how they sit across the foot. A strap that crosses too high on the ankle bone or digs in at the toe knuckle will undo an otherwise decent shoe within one wear. The sole matters more than people expect too, a flat or low block sole should have enough structure underfoot to survive pavement all day, not just a photograph.

Anything with a kitten heel or a low wedge in this tone tends to look more expensive than it costs, because the neutral shade does the work that a louder colour or a fussy embellishment would otherwise have to do.

Styling them is genuinely simple, which is half the appeal. They sit under a wide leg trouser without disappearing, they look right with a linen dress in the middle of summer, and they cut through a black outfit in a way that stops it looking severe.

Ankle socks in a neutral tone with a strappy camel sandal has become a proper styling move rather than an oversight, particularly with a cropped trouser. With denim, they read more considered than white trainers without trying too hard, and with tailoring they soften a sharp trouser suit into something less corporate.

Occasion wise, this is a category for daytime weddings, long lunches, city breaks and the kind of warm evening event where you want to look dressed without looking like you tried too hard. They photograph well against pale stone, terracotta and pared back interiors, which is no small thing given how much of summer dressing now happens somewhere with good light.