Hermes Oz Mule Women Calfskin Sliver Kelly Buckle Blanc H212296Z 02340

A white mule with a hazelnut interior is a better idea than it first sounds. The exterior gives you the clean summer look; the warm brown goatskin lining inside means the footbed does not have to stay pristine, and the contrast flashes only when you take the shoe off.

This Oz wears its palladium-plated Kelly buckle on calfskin, over a natural leather sole and heel rather than a black one, which keeps the base from drawing a hard line under the white upper. It sits flat, closed nowhere, open at the heel.

I wear mine through the hot months with cotton dresses and with cropped white denim, and the flat keeps the whole outfit from tipping into formality. Sizes run 36 to 41. In bare feet the goatskin lining breathes, and there is no back edge to rub the Achilles.

The honest part is the pale upper. Sunscreen, wet grass and city pavements all leave their signature on white calfskin, and there is no polishing it invisible; clean marks early with a damp cloth and light cream, and never scrub. The mule is worth it, but it is not a shoe for a rainy errand.

A season in, the white has softened to a chalkier tone at the edges and the hazelnut lining has darkened to a rich tea colour, which makes putting them on feel like a small reward. Made in Italy. Bright, easy and quietly practical.