Fashion: Slip it on

Photo / Greg Bowker

The 90s footwear staple returns for summer.

Aside from finicky sandals and those ubiquitous Birkenstocks, the summer shoe of choice this season is the mule. This easy-to-wear shoe style in various forms from pointy-toe, wedged, fine-heeled stiletto or chunky heel for a nod to the 70s. Designers such as Altuzarra, Gianvito Rossi and Stella McCartney have all created new-season mule looks, as has Celine with a triangle-heeled mule.

Celebrated shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, whose popular mule creations were made famous by Sarah Jessica Parker's shoe-fanatic character in Sex in the City in the mid-90s, revisited the mule for his spring 2014 collaboration with Victoria Beckham.

Photos / Greg Bowker

Closer to home, chunky heeled peep-toe mules are a perfect alternative for a work appropriate sandal for summer and the finer pointy heeled mule options make a statement for more formal occasions. Up-and-coming label Harman Grubisa have included the sexy "Afternoon mule" in its debut collection, available in embossed crocodile in both nude (#5) and black patent.

Stuck on what to wear with mules? They work particularly well with a mid-length skirt or dress, as seen here with a tan cotton skirt from Gregory, or teamed with a boyfriend jean for a casual but cool approach to weekend dressing.

1 Chaos & Harmony mule, $299.
2 Skin mule, $200.
3 Sol Sana white peep-toe mule, $210.
4 Mi Piaci peep-toe mule, $250.
5 Harman Grubisa mule, $599.
6 Mi Piaci mule, $260.

Gregory skirt, $269