Cropped bottoms and lace-up footwear are two of the biggest trends at the moment. Cropped pants and jeans have been mainstream for a while and there’s no stopping their momentum. It’s quite the relentless trend. Lace-up footwear is a newer trend that has only recently gone mainstream. The trends are complementary and easy to combine in the same outfit.
The first three outfits here show cropped bottoms with lace-up footwear in stylish action. I like the relaxed, untucked top layers combined with the structured footwear. The loose layers are comfortable, easy to wear, great for short-waisted ladies, and those who do not like wearing belts. Some of the layers are tonal, and some are high contrast.
I love the way the lace-up footwear closes the gap on the ankle. The length of the jeans and trousers are shorter than ankle length — an important detail — and showcase the style of the footwear more deliberately. So if you love to showcase your shoes, cropped bottoms are one way to go.
Flat lace-up footwear can work equally well. You can lengthen the leg line in other ways to offset the flatness of the heel if creating a longer leg line is a figure flattering priority. And of course, lower heels are another option.
If lace-up footwear is not your thing, you can achieve the same effect with cage heels or ankle strap footwear, which are equally trendy. The model below has done just that and looks tonally chic. I appreciate when new trends work well together to create a pulled together, fresh and flattering look. It makes the outfit creation process a whole lot easier for my clients.
