By most accounts, 2025 has been the summer of the flip-flop. The Row's $750 rubber-and-grosgrain flip-flops were perhaps the most egregious example; while I wore Havianas back in the day, I need a little more refinement (and arch support) at this point in my life. Toteme's heeled flip-flops, on the other hand, were something I could get behind, especially in this year's red suede, which I saw in person on my trip to New York and have been pretty much lusting after ever since. I am a big fan of Toteme—I own a bunch of tops from the brand, including the monogram shirt I wore in this post, as well as the T-lock bag—but, I'm sorry, $450 for a pair of flip-flops is a bit much, even if they are leather. Due to the simplicity of the design, I figured this would be a pretty easy item to knock off, and I was right. I found a great dupe of the Toteme heeled flip-flops at Madewell.
The Chiara Thong Kitten Heel Sandal
Sure, a flip-flop is pretty simple when you think about it—it's a couple pieces of leather and a sole—but there are all kinds of variations to work with: sole shape, strap thickness and placement, and heel height. Thankfully, Madewell's Chiara sandal honors the '90s minimalist vibe of the Toteme original. The straps are thin, as is the squared sole, and the kitten heel is a just-right height. The Chiara is available in black leather, as Toteme offers every summer, as well as the red suede that I wanted—and ordered. When I first put them on, I was worried that the thong was a little tight in between my toes, but it loosened up right away. While the shoes are comfortable—it feels like there's a thin layer of memory foam in the sole—they are not supportive, nor are they ideal for walking anywhere quickly. They do make a clackety-clack sound, but I find it much less annoying than the thwomp-thwomp of rubber flip-flops. They're true to size—I'm in my usual 8.5 here.
Madewell vs. Toteme
In terms of shape, Madewell's Chiara thong is a pretty good dupe of the Toteme sandal: the straps have a similar thickness and placement, the kitten heels are nearly identical, and while Madewell's toe has a slight angle to it, it's more or less very close to Toteme's squared-off shape. If you get the black leather version and keep it on your foot, it's virtually indistinguishable from the original. Having seen the red suede version up close, I can say that Madewell's red is brighter and has a tinge of orange to it; Toteme's is more of a deep blue-red. However, I have tried on Toteme's sandal and found it incredibly uncomfortable with no padding whatsoever, so Madewell comes out ahead in that department. Even at full price, or $118, it's a quarter of what the Toteme pair costs; Madewell is currently running a sale and while each color has a slightly different price, they're both under $60 (which means you could get two pairs!).
What to wear with them
Unlike regular flip-flops, which almost always read casual-vacation, the heel makes the Chiara sandals feel a little fancier, but in an approachable way. I've worn them with jeans, shorts, skirts, and dresses, and they work with everything, although my advice is to watch out if you wear them with a more fluid trouser, as the heel can get caught up under the leg of the pant. Here, I wore them out to dinner—yes, I walked—with a linen maxi dress and denim jacket. I love the pop of color that the red brings to any outfit—a little goes a long way!
OUTFIT DETAILS: Gap denim jacket | J.Crew cabana dress | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | Toteme T-lock bag | Madewell Chiara sandals
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