I was born in 1980, and when I was little, my mum used to make most of my dresses by hand (when I look back I do realise how lucky I was but at the time I felt quite put out by this).

I had Peggy purses to match, ribbons tied neatly in my hair, and pinafores crafted from sturdy corduroy in a multitude of colours – perfect for painting days at pre-school. Clarks shoes were a given—every back-to-school season came with that all-important measuring and a sensible pair selected with care.

But as I edged closer to double digits—the bright lights of age ten—I started to feel less like a doll and more like a girl desperate to keep up with her cooler friends. They had coloured jeans, 90s shell suits in shiny pastels, and most importantly, the thing I wanted more than anything else: jelly sandals.

Whenever we visited my grandparents, my grandmother—a glamorous and jolly woman who was always laughing and never without a packet of Polo mints—seemed to truly understand my passion for plastic fashion.

On sunny days, she’d take me to Happy Mount Park on the Morecambe seafront, where I’d be treated to what, at the time, felt like the ultimate prize: jelly bean shoes and a matching jelly bean basket.

Plastic Fantastic: The Return of Jelly Shoes

Fast forward to 2025, and my Google Trends app threw me straight back to that very moment. Jelly shoes are making a major comeback—and this time, they’re more stylish (and wearable) than ever.

From nostalgic nods to reinvented silhouettes, here are three standout pairs bringing jelly shoes back into the fashion conversation:

🩰 Closest to the Originals: M&S Jelly Slip-On Ballet Pumps (£19.50)
Classic, breathable, and instantly familiar—this pair from M&S feels like stepping into a childhood memory. The shape is simple, sweet, and very much what I remember skipping around in.

👡 Y2K Meets Now: River Island Pink Juju Caged Sandals (£25)
A modern take with a pop of colour, this River Island style adds a grown-up edge to the classic caged jelly. Great with denim shorts or a floaty dress for festival season.

🔴 Colour Clash Heaven: Bodan Red & Pink Sandals
These postbox red beauties from Bodan are everything—bold, bright, and beautifully clashed with a soft pink sole. If you like your nostalgia loud, this one’s for you.

Whether you’re rediscovering them or wearing them for the first time, jelly shoes are proving you’re never too old to have fun with fashion.

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Words by Joanne Brook-Smith