The second group is where I would send you if platforms feel like a lot. These are the strappy sandals and thongs, and they run from flat to heeled, so check each pair rather than assuming. The Flat Patent And Metallic Leather Sandals and the Flat Metallic Leather Sandals are the flat end. The rest of the group goes up from there, and several simply say Leather Sandals, so look at the photos for the heel.

The thongs are my favorites in this group. The Rubber Thong Sandals, in two versions, are the easy summer pair, the kind you wear with a linen shirt and cropped trousers. The Patent Leather Thong Sandals, also in two versions, are shinier and a little more dressed. The Antiqued Leather Thong Sandals with Floral Ornament are the quirky one, and honestly the pair I keep coming back to, because the ornament does the work and you can keep everything else quiet.

Then the leather sandals. The Patent Saffiano Leather Sandals and the Mordore Nappa Leather Sandals are clean and sleek, and they look good under a long skirt or a slip dress. The Suede Sandals and Brushed Leather Sandals have a softer, matte feel. The Crochet sandals bring in the texture from the first group. The Leather Fisherman's Sandals are the practical-looking pair, and they work with jeans when you want something less delicate.

The American Podiatric Medical Association advises that strappy sandals should fit with no toes or heels hanging off the edge, and I find that a useful rule. Stand up in them and look down: your toes should sit on the footbed, and your heel should not spill over the back. If a strap digs in, try the next style, not a tighter buckle hole.

The slides are the easiest way into Prada, and the third group is all of them. I think of slides as the pair you grab on a Saturday, and these are good enough to leave by the door. Harper's Bazaar named the Prada Triangle Logo Slide Sandal its Best Slide in a 2025 designer sandal roundup, so it is clear the house takes the category seriously.

British Vogue describes the Prada triangle as a flipped-upside-down shape stamped with dal 1913, and says the house has said it resonates without words. I like that, because a slide is a good place for a quiet logo. The Leather Crisscross Slides and the Woven Leather Crisscross Slides are the most classic shapes here. The Padded Nappa Leather Slides are the softest, and I would reach for them first if I were walking around in them.

The texture pairs are the Crochet Slides, the Leather Slides With Crochet Details and the Crochet raffia-effect slides in beige. They look best with linen and a loose shirt. The Nubuck Slides have a matte, velvety finish and the Patent leather slides have shine, so they are opposites, and either works with a plain pair of jeans.

What I would skip: wearing slides for a long day of walking. The American Podiatric Medical Association says slides are best not worn for prolonged periods, and lists arch and heel pain from inadequate cushioning as the problem with flats and slides. I would also skip any pair that slides off your heel when you walk, and I would not pick the thinnest sole if you are on pavement all day.

Here is how I would choose. Decide first where the shoes are going. If it is a dinner or a wedding, go to the platforms and heels, and try the Metallic Leather High-Heeled Sandals or the Satin Platform Sandals. If it is a weekday with a lot of walking, try the thongs or the flat metallic leather sandals. If it is a trip to the shops and back, take the slides.

Then do the three checks I do every time. Check that the strap sits snug without pinching, that your heel stays in place when you walk, and that the sole feels stable on a stair. Try them with the clothes you will actually wear, a trouser hem that skims the shoe or a skirt that moves.

Prada has been making things for people to carry and wear since 1913, and the best of these shoes keep that sense of use. Pick the pair that suits your week, and wear it often. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Sandals, Sorted and Vacation Shoes.