How to Tie Gladiator Sandals

Co-authored by Sahra Brandt

Last Updated: November 1, 2021 References

Gladiator sandals can add pizzazz to any outfit with their strappy style! They can look complicated, but they are actually pretty easy to tie. The easiest way to tie them is to just wrap them around and around your ankle, then knot them in the back or front. You can also wrap them up your leg and tie them just under your knee so that the width of your calve holds the straps in place.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Wrapping the Tie around Your Ankle

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1
Grab one tie in each hand. After putting on your sandal, you should have the ends of the ties at the back of your ankle. Grab the left tie in your left hand and the right tie in your right hand.^{[1]
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Wrap the ties around the front of your ankle.^{[2]
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Sahra Brandt
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Expert Interview. 12 October 2021.} The right tie will go counterclockwise around your ankle, while the left tie will go clockwise. Cross the ties in front of your ankle to go towards the back again.^{[3]
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- Pull the ties tight, but not so tight it cuts off circulation. You should still be able to fit a finger under the ties!
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3
Keep wrapping the ties front-to-back and back-to-front. Wrap each tie in the same direction you started it, crossing them in the front and back each time. Go over the wraps you've already made. Keep going around and around your ankle until you have just enough left to tie a small knot or bow.^{[4]
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- You can go slightly up your leg but keep the ties below the beginning of your calf. If you try to tie it over the bottom of your calf, the wraps will fall down.
4
Tie off the straps in the front or back. It's really up to you whether you want to tie them in the back or front, but the front will be a bit easier. Simply tie a square knot or a small bow to hold the strap in place over the wraps you've already made around your ankle.^{[5]
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- A square knot is where you cross one tie over and under the other one, then cross the second time over and under the first one.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Crossing the Tie up Your Leg

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1
Grab a tie in each hand. When you put your sandal on, you should have a tie on either side of the shoe at the back. Make sure the ties are of equal length, as this is more important when you're wrapping the tie up your leg.^{[6]
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- If your sandals have an adjustable tie, tug on the ends until they're the same length.
2
Wrap the ties around the front of your leg once. Wrap the right tie counterclockwise and the left tie clockwise. Cross them over the front of your leg. The crossing point should be about 1/3 to 2/3 the way up the front of your leg.^{[7]
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- The ties will make a large "X" on the front of your leg.
3
Cross the ties behind your leg just below the knee. For this wrap to stay up properly, you have to get the ends of the tie at the top of your calf, where it's narrowing towards your knee. Wrap the ties around the back, crossing them over each other, then pull them around to the front again.^{[8]
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- Keep the straps tight enough that they'll stay up, though make sure you can still get a finger underneath them.
4
Knot the ties in front. Keep the ties going in the same direction you started wrapping them and bring them around to the front. Tie a square knot or a small bow in the front to hold the straps in place around your leg.^{[9]
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- For a square knot, cross one tie over and under the other tie, then do the same with the other tie.

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Tips

If you want to wrap your straps a little higher than your ankle but not all the way to your knee, try tying the straps over short skinny jeans. The jeans will help hold the straps in place with friction.^{[10]
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