Just as eyes are the window to the soul, shoes give you the clearest picture of a decade’s fashion. For me, the ’90s will forever be synonymous with the sandal. From Carrie Bradshaw’s barely-there Manolo Blahniks to Jennifer Aniston’s off-duty flip-flops, a handful of sandal silhouettes defined the look back then; coincidentally, they’re the very same styles we’re seeing everywhere now.

As a ’90s baby who fell in love with fashion in the early aughts, a handful of images and iconic moments of that era live rent-free in my mind, like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in her Prada sandals outside her Tribeca apartment, or the strappy Manolo Blahnik heels backstage at Michael Kors. (Both are styles I have sourced vintage.)

The decade marked a notable shift away from the constraints of overly conservative heels of the ’80s toward something more stylish and sensible, for the girl-about-town who needed shoes to work as hard as she did. Designers like Manolo Blahnik and Miuccia Prada mastered this visual language in the ’90s, creating pairs that were as lusted after then as they are now.

The minimalist nature of these sandals has given them a staying power that’s outlasted nearly every shoe trend since. I find myself returning to these same silhouettes, not just for their cultural cachet, but for the feeling. Dressing in the ’90s was lighter, freer, more instinctual. Beyond the nostalgia that inspires much of my vintage sourcing today, there was an ease to these shoes that still reads modern today. And it proves just how little a great sandal needs to change to remain relevant.

From Prada’s most recent runway to Demna’s ode to the Tom Ford era at Gucci, today’s coveted sandals keep circling back to what the ’90s got right: sensual without trying too hard, practical enough for women constantly on the go, yet refined enough to define an entire look. Let’s take a closer look at which they are.

The Strappy Sandal

To me, there are a million versions of the strappy sandal that existed in the ’90’s that are nearly unchanged today. A favorite of Miuccia Prada and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, it’s a silhouette that feels just as timely now as it did then. The style really came into its own in the mid-to-late ’90s, when designers like Miuccia Prada, Tom Ford at Gucci, and Manolo Blahnik brought a more pared-back approach to the runways—one that favored barely-there silhouettes over excess. Worn with high-waisted jeans or a slip dress and cardigan knotted at the waist, it’s a shoe that completes a look without ever feeling too much.

The Thong Heeled Sandal

Barely there, unfussy, and totally effortless, the thong heeled sandal was both a runway mainstay in the late ’90s (as seen at Prada, Helmut Lang, Michael Kors, and Calvin Klein) and a supermodel staple, sported by the likes of Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Giselle Bündchen. In the decades since, it’s evolved from a simple warm-weather shoe into one of the most enduring signatures of ’90s minimalism. Both on and off the runway today, the thong heeled sandal continues to shape our sense of style, cosigned by the likes of Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and more.

The Flip-Flop

While ’90s models were stepping out in the strappy heels, for a late ’90s kid like myself, it was the flip-flop I gravitated toward. Its pared-back ease defined my uniform and shaped my sense of style at the time—casual and uninhibited. (Growing up in sunny Los Angeles certainly helped, here.) Despite its roots as as casual beachwear, the style had a strong runway presence in the mid ’90s—from Jil Sander’s spring 1994 to Calvin Klein’s spring 1997 collection—when the rise of off-duty style and West Coast minimalism turned into it an everyday essential.

Seen on everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the flip-flop came to represent a more relaxed way of dressing that endures today. Toteme, The Row, and Ancient Greek Sandals have the ones you need to know about.

The Open-Toed Heeled Mule

From Carrie Bradshaw to Kate Moss in her Manolo Blahniks, the heeled mule is another ’90s wardrobe constant. It became synonymous with late ’90s glamour through the designs of John Galliano’s Dior, Narciso Rodriguez, and Manolo Blahnik, pairing nicely with the decade’s slip dresses and streamlined tailoring. Today, it moves effortlessly between casual and elevated—straddling past and present references perfectly.

The Mule

More structured than a sandal, but still rooted in that same wearability, the mule is arguably one of the more underrated silhouettes of the ’90s. It gained momentum in the later years, with the likes of Calvin Klein and Manolo Blahnik embracing slip-on shapes that read elegant without appearing overly formal. Paired with jeans or a sarong skirt, the closed-toe mule offers a polished alternative to the sandal without losing its slip-on ease. One of my all-time favorite images of Carrie Bradshaw is a quintessential ‘90s one—she’s wearing a headscarf, oval sunglasses, and a black satin coat over a purple midi dress. On her feet? You guessed it. It’s an outfit I’d wear in a heartbeat.

The Flat Sandal

Designers like Helmut Lang and Jil Sander incorporated the flat sandal in collections that prioritized understated luxury; it also appeared off-duty (as seen above on Jennifer Anniston at a premiere), for real life dressing. The shoe continues to show up in the same way—casual yet cool, and perfect foil for contemporary wardrobes with a minimalist bent. The flat sandal is the perfect answer to those looking for effortless simplicity of the ’90s, with modern flair.

The Barely-There Sandal

An almost invisible silhouette that perfectly captures the era’s approach to dressing. From Carrie Bradshaw in her delicate Manolo Blahnik heels to the minimalist wardrobe of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the barely-there sandals is ’90s fashion exalted. Today, some of the most popular sandal styles maintain the strappy look of those original shapes—worn casually or dressed up, this style is equal parts elevated and versatile.