凉鞋的主要特点就是用料极少，因而能有更多的空间可以裸露皮肤用于通风透气，常在夏天穿着。凉鞋的结构通常是由几根带子固定在脚背上，因此露出人的脚趾是其主要特色，通常女士会在夏天涂上指甲油等等打扮方式。因而在中国大陆地区，穿着凉鞋以女士居多，男士甚少在休闲场合以外穿着，而设计也相对平凡，这与传统文化避免过于暴露有极大关系。凉鞋适合非正式场合、休闲场合的穿着，在正式场合绝不适宜，除非是一些特殊设计的女性凉鞋。另外一般穿凉鞋不需要再穿袜子，但近来有时尚界人士将穿花花绿绿的袜子再穿凉鞋定义为一种新时尚。

Sandals are an open type of footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps passing over the instep and, sometimes, around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometimes be blurry (as in the case of huaraches—the woven leather footwear seen in Mexico, and peep-toe pumps), the common understanding is that a sandal leaves most of the upper part of the foot exposed. People may choose to wear sandals for several reasons, among them comfort in warm weather, economy (sandals tend to require less material than shoes and are usually easier to construct), and as a fashion choice.