Everyone's wearing these 'naked sandals' right now. But be warned, there's prep involved.

When you think about winter footwear, boots come straight to mind, right?

From a staple black boot to animal print or cowboy boots, throwing on a great pair of boots is the easiest and safest way to cover your feet in the cooler months.

But do you really want to just be safe? 

Boots are fine (actually, these snake skin cowboy boots are more than fine), but this season, everyone’s wearing the ‘naked sandal’.

Characterised by really thin straps that weave around the foot in unexpected directions, how these heels actually stay on your feet while walking defies physics.

One of the best things about the naked sandal is the heel height. They’re small heels. You’ll see some pairs with a low, chunky heel and others with a thin, kitten heel, but honestly, we’re all for low heels because, walking.

You can also wear them with almost anything, and look instantly more farshun. For daytime, try jeans or a midi skirt and a T-shirt with a black or brightly coloured pair of naked sandals, and for evening, a nude pair would look great with a silky slip skirt.

We do have a few, erm, concerns regarding how one wears these naked sandals though:

1. Do we have to paint our toenails to wear these?
2. What about feet with cracked, dry and maybe even yellow heels, are they acceptable?
3. Will our toes fall off from frostbite?
4. Will we look like a four-year-old in mum’s heels trying to walk around in these shoes?
5. Exactly how much foot preparation will we need to embark on before wearing these?

Mamamia’s Leigh Campbell talked toe shaving etiquette on this episode of the You Beauty podcast. Post continues after audio.

These are all valid concerns, and while we don’t have an answer for questions three and four, we can help with the prep part.

The whole idea with these shoes is to give a nude effect, almost like your dainty feet are floating and walking on clouds, in heels. For that reason, there’s no need for a bright pedicure. Try a light-coloured nail polish colour on toes (baby pink, light peach or a nude shade), or even no polish at all.

For crusty heels (no judgement), we’ve heard mixed reviews about the Milky Foot mask that promises to peel away dead layers of skin for baby soft feet. You could also go in hard with a foot pumice bar in the shower, and/or slathering your feet in thick moisturiser and chucking socks on before bed.

If you’re game to get your toes out this winter, here are our favourite naked sandals, starting from $49.99.

Rubi Hannah Thin Strap Heel in Cabernet and Silver, $49.99.

Zara Leather Strappy High-Heel Sandals, $99.

Stradivarius Strappy Sandals in Green and Fuchsia, $60.

Atmos&Here Jen Leather Heels in White, Pink and Tangerine, $109.95.

M.N. G Saloon Sandals, $99.95.

Zara Animal Print Heeled Sandals in Neon Pink and Lime Green, $69.95.

Jaggar The Label Bare Sandal in Black and Fuchsia, $199.95.

Zara Wood-Effect Heel Leather Sandals, $139.

For more fashion stories, try these on for size (yep, we went there):

• Cult buy: You'll want to wear this versatile satin skirt every single day during winter.
• The $60 Cotton On puffer jacket bringing an extra layer of warmth to my winter workouts.
• "I tried wearing bright colours and bold clashing prints to see if it would make me happier at work."

All of our editorial products are independently selected and curated by our team because we love them and reckon you'll love them too. If you buy something we link to on our site, Mamamia may earn commission.