After discussing the colours of the season, the vibes & silhouettes, and the direction of denim, it’s on to footwear. Current footwear trends are much inspired by the ‘80s and ‘90s, with a little ‘70s for good measure. That’s why we’re seeing an extreme assortment of ‘80s dressy, delicate refinement AND ‘90s casual combat chunkiness. The platforms are a ‘70s touch.
Toe boxes are ‘80s pointy or round, and ‘90s square or snip toe. Heels are daintily stacked, stilettoed and blocked, or ruggedly lugged and flat-formed. There are lots of hybrids, colours, clever technical fabrics, low heels and flats, laces, and interesting soles. Maximal footwear hardware is coming through too.
Footwear in earth tones, patent, and shades of brown leather/pleather are top of the list, with all sorts of animal print like leopard, cheetah, snake, giraffe, pony and crocodile. I’m also seeing lots of black, red, and white footwear, as well as some green, teal and purple.
The Western boot is a late ‘80s influence, and here to stay as an iconic classic. The sneaker is the shoe of our fashion era and there is a mind-blowing assortment of the ped. From Converse and Adidas, Eccos and Allbirds, Seinfeld looks and retro Pumas, and everything else. There isn’t a wrong pair of sneaker or sneaker hybrid these days, and you can wear them with anything.
‘90s Dr. Martens are back with a vengeance. There are lots of new Dr. Martens-esque boot silhouettes to complement the trend. Heeled loafers and oxfords are a thing, and dressy flats reign supreme. The haute hiking boot is huge. If you like square-toed footwear, milk it. Floral footwear and wrapped pumps are having their trendy moment. Over-the-knee boots are back, and so are tall slouchy boots which are worn over straight legs or with midis. Mid-calf boots worn over pleated pants and skirts or dresses ‘80s style are coming through too.
Here’s a collection of key footwear styles for the season:
I like the footwear trends, although earth-toned footwear and animal print is not my thing on this leg of my style journey. Instead, I’m feeling patent cream and red boots, and bright yellow weatherproof Converse. I have Western shooties so that’s covered too. I’d love a pair of refined slouchy tall boots but they must be flat or low-heeled. This is what I have on order to refresh for the season:
Over to you. Which footwear trends are you feeling this season?
