Hermes Oran Sandal Women Swift Calfskin Bleu Glacier White

Glacier blue with white is the combination I associate with a boat deck: cold water, white paint, bright light. The pairing on this Orans is the same idea at ankle level, a white body with bleu glacier across the detail, cool and clean without being chilly. On the foot it is quieter than a navy sandal and much easier to match with pale clothing, which is why it survives in my rotation all summer.

Swift calfskin keeps the upper supple and slightly matte, and the lining is lambskin, which matters because pale sandals are usually worn without socks in heat. Heel height is one centimetre with half a centimetre of front-to-heel drop; the natural leather sole and leather edge finish the underside. The sandal comes from Italy and runs from 36 to 41.

In practice these go with white, with pale denim and with anything navy, which covers most of my summer. They are light enough for a beach lunch and tidy enough for a city afternoon, and they look especially good with a tan, because the cool blue makes warm skin look warmer.

One warning: a white upper with a pale blue accent will show sunscreen, chlorinated water marks and city dust. Clean with a dry cloth rather than water where possible, and keep them out of the sun when they are not being worn. Glacier blue is a soft tone, and it keeps its calm only if the white stays white.