The seven essential new-season shoe styles
When Net-a-porter’s global buying director – a woman who usually spends three quarters of her year tottering around the fashion capitals of the world in heels – posts a picture of herself in luxe tracksuit bottoms and sleek caramel-coloured trainers, you know that the tectonic plates of the shoe world have truly shifted. “Welcome to the new normal,” Elizabeth von der Goltz captioned her image. Yes, I’m sick of that phrase too, but she’s only saying it because it’s true and we need only look to our feet for evidence.
I write this in cosy sheepskin slippers (sales of which are up 1,290 per cent, according to Notonthehighstreet.com). In my hallway among the recently flung-off footwear are several variations of trainers, the Birkenstocks I’m going to make last as long into autumn as I can (just add socks) and the “back-toschool” Stella Mccartney loafers which I joyfully retrieved for a rare trip into the office this week (my feet didn’t know what had hit them – and yes, I did have blisters by the time I got home).
You might assume that you don’t need to think about investing in new shoes this season, that you might not have much need for them. And you’d be right, in a way. But even the oddest of seasonal shifts brings with it nuanced new trends, many of which are perfectly placed to help you get through whatever the next few months bring with your best-dressed feet forward.
You may have some of these bases covered already, but actually this is an excellent time to find on-trend shoes that are friends, not foes… a new normal thing which should be, well, normal.
The chunky boots
Last year everyone from Holly Willoughby to the Duchess of Cambridge fell for the stompy hiking boot. The great thing about fashion now is that it realises when it’s on to a good thing and develops the theme rather than starting again entirely. So, welcome to the chunky Chelsea boot (up 130 per cent on last year at matchesfashion.com) – though, don’t worry, if you invested in hikers, they still hit the mark. At Net-a-porter, it’s a mix of these Chelsea and combat options which has already been selling well with Bottega Veneta, Gianvito Rossi, The Row and Prada all creating bestsellers, while fashion search engine Lyst reports that interest has risen by 69 per cent for these styles in the past month.
M&S has seen a rise in sales and searches for boots this week, and is leading its autumn chunky boot offering with both pull-on and lace-up versions. There’s an excellent selection available from Arket too, while if you can invest a little more try Dear Frances’s Park boots (£480) or Spanish label Hereu Studio’s mid-calf Chelsea boot (£408) which come with big tabs for an extra tough feel. The most modern way to wear your chunky boots is with a floaty feminine dress or skirt but straight cut jeans and a slouchy knit is perfect, too.
The trainers
Nearly a decade into their fashion renaissance, trainers are going nowhere fast. I think if we were to go granular, you could conclude that it’s canvas uppers, rather than leather, at the forefront now. At the Venice Film Festival, Cate Blanchett has been wearing Gucci’s take with elegant jumpsuits. In the US, the most-talked about shoes of the Presidential election so far are
Kamala Harris’s Converse which went viral this week after she wore a pair on the campaign trail, saying she was “laced up and ready to win”.
For an update on Converse, try Novesta’s chunky-soled canvas designs. For the sleekest trainers, eco-friendly Vejas remain a classic while M&S has a plain white vegan style.
The wellies
The latest evidence that we’re all flocking to the country (apart from reports of house buying frenzies from rural estate agents)? That searches for wellies have risen by 50 per cent, according to Lyst, and many brands are selling out of their most practical, waterproof boots. Outdoor outfitter Fairfax and Favor has seen a run on its intrepid yet chic Explorer kneehighs.
“We believe this is down to more and more people falling in love with the outdoors during lockdown, spending time walking, hiking and exploring their local areas,” a Fairfax and Favor spokesperson says. “Our boots are designed to take you on that journey.”
The vogue for wellies is the logical conclusion of us being fed up with confronting soggy shoes if we get caught in the rain, and an intolerance for being anything less than completely comfortable. Hence, trendsetting Scandi influencers are wearing short wellies with their pretty frocks; look to Hunter, Everlane and Ganni (whose first drop of wellies sold out on matchesfashion.com) for more stylish wellington possibilities.
The ballerinas
There have been 10,000 searches a month for ballerina pumps of late. Hardly surprising when these are the closest we can get to slippers in “proper” shoe form. Lyst says interest is highest in round toes, but the square toe may soon dominate. M&S is launching a new square toe ballerina (they’re chic and look seven times more expensive than they actually will be) and there’s a good selection at COS. My all-time favourite modern ballerinas are Essen’s Foundation design which I now have in two colours – they’re a beautifully flattering silhouette and as comfy as trainers.
The loafers
If ballerinas don’t provide sufficient chunkiness, or you’re in need of something a little more polished looking, then the 2020 loafer may be your solution. Not that there’s anything radically different about this year’s offering, in fact, I’d counsel that the more classic you can go, the better – case in point, Massimo Dutti’s gorgeous burgundy version. You could be more Fashion with Prada’s chunky-soled style, for £645 – searches for these are up 43 per cent in the past fortnight.
The Mary-janes
OK, OK, you’re craving newness, a shoe which you don’t have laying around at the back of your wardrobe somewhere. Enter the Mary-jane, the school swat option which has had star backing in recent days. Emma Corrin, the actress who will play Princess Diana in the next series of The Crown, sported silver Miu Miu Mary-janes in Venice. On British TV screens, Holly Willoughby returned to the This Morning sofa and trialled Maje’s back-to-school-esque MJS. I love the look of Mary-janes with cropped jeans and a ruffled blouse, and Russell and Bromley’s version seems to be the perfect pretty but practical iteration.
The escapist shoe
The heel is not dead. Net-a-porter reports that besides really comfy shoes, it’s the most fantastical footwear which is selling well. They’re calling it “escapist” and “emotional” shopping, buying beautiful heels which you might only wear to travel from kitchen to living room or for a restaurant dinner. A trend which harks back to the #glamforyourbinman movement of lockdown, Bottega Veneta quilted mules and Amina Muaddi’s sculptural creations are standouts.