Tips For Pulling Off Jelly Shoes As An Adult From Our Stylist

A full return to '90s footwear wasn't on our bingo card this year, but there's at least one retro shoe style seeing a resurgence in 2025. Millennials and older Gen-Zers will remember the jelly shoe trend that was all the rage at the end of the millennium. Clear shoes — often with sparkles and glossy, see-through tones that gave the appearance of the dessert in question — were part of wardrobes worldwide. But just because you associate them with your childhood doesn't mean that you, an adult with their life together, can't re-introduce them to your current wardrobe. 

"I think the nostalgic factor of the jellies is alluring to a lot of millennials (and a turn off to others — it can be polarizing)," explains Sahra Brandt, founder and stylist at Shop the City. In our exclusive chat, Brandt notes that the adult iterations of this vintage style tend to mix and match much more grown-up silhouettes with the jelly finish, creating a shoe that's both youthful and age-appropriate. "I also think we've been loving the ballet flat for a few seasons, and the chic jelly ballet flat is waterproof for all your summer adventures, as well as pretty breathable with their faux woven texture," she confirms. 

Brandt has a few tricks to help you shake the feeling that jelly shoes make you look stuck in the past or, worse, afflicted with arrested development. The main tip she has is to reframe the way you think about this controversial style: "With the 2025 jellies, we want to not consider them a 'jelly'; think of them as a chic flat and style them accordingly." Once you've done that, she suggests looking for shoes that carry a more adult-like design, such as the HEVA Women's Jelly Mesh Flats. However, if you're drawn to a super-traditional pair, like the Hee grand Crystal Jelly Heel Sandals, it can still work as part of an adult wardrobe — you just need to balance them out with more refined pieces.

Sahra Brandt tells Glam exclusively that the best way to approach jelly shoes (other than not calling them jelly shoes) is to carefully curate your look in advance. If you take everything into consideration, from your accessories to your clothing staples, you'll be less likely to end up looking childish. "I've been styling mine with a cropped wide-leg jean or Bermuda denim short, T-shirt, and beaded/charm necklaces for an elevated but casual look," Brandt shares. "They also look so cute with a maxi skirt or dress, as a little texture peeking out underneath."

Mixing and matching your jellies with other trending styles can also lead to a super-stylish ensemble. "For the more trend-forward look, I love them with a puddling baggy jeans and a vest top or tank and a chunky chain necklace," Brandt notes. If you're looking for a cooler and dressier vibe with your jellies, you could opt for something heeled, like the DREAM PAIRS Women's Clear Two Strap. Otherwise, the Heavenly Jelly Sleek/Pointed Toe Dress Slip on Jellies is a good example of adapting the jelly shoe to a street-style look, particularly as animal print is back (the Kardashians' outfits at the Bezos wedding weekend proved it).

You can be creative as you like with styling your jellies, but Brandt advises against pairing your shoes with other pieces that are too youthful. "If you wear them with a ditzy skirt or dress, or even some short shorts, you run the risk of upsetting the balance of the look and can look too juvenile and disjointed," she warns us. To avoid this blunder, go for a jelly finish without the signature sparkles, like the Melissa Possession Jelly Sandal for Women. 

Jellies are among the most popular shoe trends that everyone's trying in 2025, so we took great care in only recommending the best. We exclusively looked for styles that were rated 4 stars and higher on Amazon and came with generally good verified reviews, while also making sure we included styles from across the board as far as design goes. Whether you're looking for traditional, old-school jellies, chic adult versions, or even something dressier, we have you covered on all fronts with this throwback shoe.