Hermes Santorini Sandal Women Swift Calfskin Blanc H182139Z 90350

I bought white sandals for one wedding and ended up wearing them all summer, which says something about how useful a clean white pair can be. This Santorini is swift calfskin — softer and smoother than Epsom, almost polished to look at when new. The white is a true bright white, not an ivory, which matters when you hold it against linen.

Because Swift is supple, vamp and ankle strap sit close to the foot without pressing, and that is exactly what I want from a sandal I might keep on for six hours. The insole and lining are hazelnut goatskin, a warm pale brown that stops the shoe looking cold; the buckle is palladium-plated and the sole natural leather. Heel 0.4 inch, front rise 0.2 inch, sizes 36 to 41, made in Italy. The fit is true, and the ankle strap has enough holes to work with or without a summer tan line.

Mine come out for daytime events, terrace lunches, anything likely to be photographed, and they lighten an all-navy outfit better than a metallic strap would. On a boat they grip better than the sole thickness suggests, and they dry quickly after a splash.

The trade-off is plain and I will not dress it up: white takes work. Sunscreen, cut grass and dark denim are all hostile. I keep a leather wipe in my bag, deal with marks the day they appear, and accept that this is a two- or three-season sandal rather than a ten-year one.