Keke Palmer put a crystal-covered spin on the clear shoe trend and jelly shoe revival at the 2026 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival on Aug. 15 in Oak Bluffs, Mass.

Palmer attended events on Aug. 14 and 15 and hosted “Unstoppable on the Vineyard,” a two-day activation where she sat on a panel, answered audience questions and led a wellness session. The “I Love Boosters” actress wore what appear to be Mach & Mach’s pink Crystal Flame Round Toe Mules, a $1,495 silhouette featuring rounded toes, 3.7-inch heels and clear PVC uppers dotted with pink crystals. Even the insoles were light pink.

Jelly shoes have long been a staple of summertime, but where did they come from? The design was born out of necessity in the aftermath of World War II, when leather was in short supply. French shoemaker Méduse traces its first soft plastic beach sandal to 1946. Brazilian footwear giant Melissa later helped make the jelly shoe ubiquitous with the Aranha, introduced in 1979 and inspired by sandals worn by fishermen on the French Riviera.

The style is coming back into popularity once again. In Lyst’s second-quarter 2026 ranking, the $58 Skims Jelly shoe took the number-three spot, while Chloé’s $670 Jelly mule landed at number five. The Skims pair was a flat with ventilation holes, while Chloé took transparent TPU up a curved kitten heel with a peep toe and gathered knot. Palmer’s crystal-covered Mach & Mach pair joined the same move toward more unexpected, crystal-embellished, jelly-like shoe silhouettes.

Paired with her clear footwear, Palmer wore a vibrant sunshine-yellow dress in a halter style with gathered fabric around the waist that draped over her hip. Palmer added gold jewelry, including bangles and a few dainty necklaces.

Palmer’s summer shoe rotation has also included Valentino Garavani Rockstud Kidskin Pumps, which she paired with a coral Valentino minidress in July. During the Tribeca Festival in June, she shifted between Chanel pumps and Femme Los Angeles’ Paulo slippers. More broadly, Palmer often gravitates toward bold pumps and sandals from Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Giuseppe Zanotti, while regularly reaching for Vans and Nike sneakers off-duty. Ahead, take a look at some of Keke Palmer’s best shoe moments of 2026.