Coach started in 1941 as a family-run workshop in a Manhattan loft, six leatherworkers making wallets and billfolds. In 1962 the company hired Bonnie Cashin as its first lead designer, and she changed everything. She added side pockets, brighter colours and, in 1964, the turnlock, which she took from the clasp that held down the top of her convertible. Coach still thinks in hardware, and the sandals are where you see it most.

Stuart Vevers has led the brand since 2013, and his Coach is playful and a little nostalgic. The Margot sandal is his kind of shoe: a simple heeled slide with a buckle so big it looks like a joke you are in on. It is the pair most of the Coach sandals women ask about.

In this grid there are eight Margots. The Signature Sateen Jacquard in khaki and poppy has the C pattern on the strap, and the Signature Jacquard comes in black, brown and red. Chocolate Brown is the plain leather version, and the Loved Leather pairs in dark cherry and saddle have a softer, broken-in finish. The brown leather Margot with the oversized buckle is the one I would wear most, because it goes with denim and white linen alike.

The heel is low, so these walk well. Still, break them in around the house first.

A flat sandal does most of the work in summer, and Coach makes them with the same hardware attitude as the heels. This is the grid I would shop for a holiday.

The Margot Flat Sandal in black and in chalk takes the big buckle down to the ground. It looks good with a long skirt and with shorts, and the chalk pair is the one I would pack. The Holly Sandal with Quilting comes in chalk and maple, a padded strap that feels soft on bare feet. The Brynn Leather Sandal in black is the simplest, very easy with everything.

Then the fun ones. The Jelly Flip-Flops in bone are made for the pool and the beach, and they rinse clean. The Penelope Signature C sandal in white has a crossover strap with the C logo, and the Florence Sandal in brown is a slim, classic leather pair.

A flat sandal looks best when the strap sits close to the toe, so try both sizes if you are between them.

What I would skip: the jelly flip-flops for city walking. Keep them for wet days and pool decks.

Coach runs a programme called (Re)Loved, and one part of it is Restored. These are pairs pulled from the shelves of the Coach Repair Workshop and brought back to their original condition by the brand's craftspeople. Each one is basically one of a kind, so if you love a Restored pair, buy it when you see it.

Three are in this grid. The Restored Maya Sandal in natural is a heeled sandal, the Restored Jessica Sandal in dragon fruit is a bright summer pair, and the Restored Laurence Sandal in rust is a warm brown heel. I like that these feel more personal than new shoes, and it is good to know they did not go to landfill.

The slides are easier. The Udele Sport Slide in Signature Canvas comes in tan and in charcoal and black, a padded slide for weekends, and the Udele Slides in khaki are the same shape. The Sculpted C Raffia Flatform Slides are woven and summery with a little height. The Emma Wedge in white is the dressier option, a wedge that walks better than a stiletto.

Before you buy a Restored pair, read the condition notes and check the size closely. There is no second pair in another size.

What I would skip: a wedge with very long, wide trousers. It hides the shape of the heel.

Coach's Sculpted C is a chunky, rounded C that also closes the Tabby bag. It shows up on shoes too, and it ties this grid together.

The Sculpted C Soft Mule comes in chocolate brown and in coconut, a slip-on with the C on top. It is the one I would wear with jeans to the office. The Margot Slingback in black and the Margot Slingback in olive Loved Leather bring the big buckle to a closed toe. The Margot Ballet in black is the same idea as a flat.

The Archival Buckle Clog in oat is my favourite surprise, a clog with an old Coach buckle that feels very 1970s. The Pointed Toe Loafer in black is sharp and polished, and the Soft Soho Sneaker in white and chalk is the one for very long days.

Pair a clog with a midi skirt and bare legs, or with straight jeans that stop at the ankle. It looks clumsy with a long hem.

What I would skip: the slingback for a day of stairs and long platforms. It is a sit-down shoe.

The Tabby is a modern take on an archival Coach bag from the 1970s, and its snap uses the Sculpted C. Vogue reported in early 2025 that demand for the Tabby had doubled year on year, helped by a viral cherry bag charm that pulled in a younger crowd. It is the bag I would carry with the sandals above.

The Tabby Chain Crossbody 19 in black is small and polished, a dinner bag. The Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28 in maple is slouchy and soft, the one for a day of errands. The Chelsea Shoulder Bag 30 in maple is a little bigger, and the Juliet Shoulder Bag 25 in Signature Canvas brings the C pattern from the Margot sandals onto a bag.

The Soft Empire Carryall 21 in black is roomy and calm. The Lana Shoulder Bag in chalk is light for summer, the Rogue Bag 31 in maple is the sturdy, structured one, and the Stadium Swinger in silver is the fun, sporty pick.

Match the bag to the leather, not the colour. A maple bag and a brown Margot look like a set even when the shades are a little different.

What I would skip: a Signature bag with a Signature sandal and a Signature belt. Two C patterns is plenty.

I would buy one Margot, probably in brown leather, and one flat sandal like the Margot Flat in chalk. Add the Brooklyn bag and you have a summer that works from the office to a beach town.

If you like the idea of a pair with a past, look at the Restored shoes first. Coach has been playing with hardware since Bonnie Cashin borrowed a clasp from her car, and these sandals are the most fun version of that story right now.