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Looking for a way to increase your mile time? A nice pair of shoes should do the trick. Sure, a sporty pair of shoes can help your speed, but a fabulous pair of shoes will help you gain confidence. It’s easy to walk strong and tall when you love what’s on your feet. Whether it’s a pair of heels or sneakers, footwear trends for 2023 include a style for every occasion (and weather) to ensure you’ll love going wherever you go. You may be trendy, but you certainly won’t be late!
Unlike clothing trends, shoe silhouettes themselves remain more consistent over the years (and a good pair of shoes will last you far longer than that). But individual shoe styles and trends will shine in each category. Take the sneaker category for example. Until around 2016, it was considered weird to wear sneakers with more formal attire like a dress or suit. Then everything changed when the massive Balenciaga Triple S sneaker was released in 2017. Suddenly dad’s shoes were cool again. Around the same time, brands like Nike that focus on both streetwear and sports saw successes, like the revival of the Nike Air Force 1 (which is still going strong). And finally, brands that were once considered exclusively sportswear have burst onto the fashion scene. Suddenly style icons were wearing Asics running shoes and New Balance sneakers to fashion week.
The star sneaker of 2023 is undoubtedly the Adidas Samba sneaker: a shoe originally created for indoor football, made popular by Bella Hadid. The original shoe retails for less than $80 and sold out quickly after going viral on TikTok as Hadid’s shoe of choice. Likewise, the $850 version of the shoe sold out just as fast when included in a pink hue as part of the Adidas x Gucci collaboration. The sleek, low-top style of the Samba sneaker sets the trend and is sure to be replicated by brands throughout 2023.
Another category of footwear (and arguably the best) are boots. Knee-high or high heel, pointed or square toe, there are so many boot trends that I can’t mention them all here, although I mentioned my 12 favorite pairs in another story. For 2023, you can expect the boots to be elevated, literally. Say goodbye to the trend of lug soles and hello to thin-heeled boots.
iMaxTree.
Mary Janes
Mary Janes have made a healthy return to shoe trends. While the style was once only associated with ultra-preppy fashion and school uniforms, it’s now considered an It Girl staple. Similar to penny loafers and trendy ballet flats, Mary Janes maintain a sophisticated everyday style while being comfortable. They can be worn to the office with pants or a long dress just as easily as they can be teamed with a mini dress and can easily be worn over a pair of socks. Designers like Miu Miu and Chanel are leading the preppy footwear trend with Mary Janes and ballet flats at the center of their 2023 collections.
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Thin heeled boots
Platform boots have been crushing the competition for years now, but a new boot trend has finally found a way to creep in: the skinny heel boot. Balencaiga released a high and cropped version of heeled boots last season with studded silver hardware and the rest is history. In 2023, elegant black leather boots with heels will be the most popular shoe on everyone’s feet. The key to this trend is wearability – the heel height itself shouldn’t be very high at all! Instead, look for a boot with a kitten heel height. This style looks amazing with long dresses and skirts.
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Ballerinas
If you love the Mary Jane trend, chances are you’ve already busted out your old ballerina flats. Ballerinas burst onto the fashion scene this fall (if you think they’ve gone out of style already) and quickly took over Instagram as part of the #balletcore aesthetic. The trend is a very literal take on real ballet slippers with brands like Miu Miu and Sandy Liang creating slippers that look like they could be worn for Nutcracker ballet. If you love the look of ballet flats but aren’t sure how to style them, it’s important to remember that they don’t have to be styled so literally. Ballet flats look great with loose cargo pants or jeans and a bomber jacket.
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Soccer sneakers
In order to score major style points, you’ll need a pair of football sneakers in your closet – Adidas Sambas to be exact. You don’t need to intend to wear these shoes for sport, they are perfect for non-sport everyday use. If you need some style inspiration, you can see some of Bella Hadid’s best Samba looks here. For style, lean into the football look by pairing the sneakers with higher socks. This shoe comes in multiple colorways, so don’t be afraid to branch out beyond the traditional sneaker shades of white and black.
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Metal impressions
Metallics have had a big time in formal wear and now you can have shoes to match your sparkly dress! Metallic boots, heels and ballet flats are declaring themselves the new neutrals – and I totally agree! Even though silver is a total statement, it goes with all colors. Whether you’re wearing a floral dress, a black trench coat or a sporty puffer jacket, a metallic accent will elevate the look. The trend is particularly taking off with knee-high boot models, a perfect option when you need a break from formal heels.
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Track shoes
She’s a runner, she’s a fashion star. Ultra-sporty and safe sneakers for a run-in are still going to be a trend in 2023 (comfort lovers, rejoice!). Sports-focused fashion continues to be a tentpole for top designers like Balenciaga and I predict that as long as sporty sunglasses are in, so will legit runway sneakers. For a fully functional and fashionable pair, check out sports brands like Asics and Salomon.
iMaxTree.
Designer rain boots
Speaking of functionality, rain boots are now becoming an all-weather footwear option, especially if they come from a designer brand. Chanel’s embossed logo rain boots are flying off the shelves and Bottega Venetta’s rain boots are still selling very well. These styles look especially good when paired with taller socks underneath. The only question is if you spend hundreds of dollars on rain boots, do you really do you want to wet them? For a more affordable option, brands like Hunter offer styles that will last for decades.
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exaggerated heels
Of course you know heels, but do you know heels heels? While that’s not the technical term for them, it certainly seems appropriate. Designers like Loewe have launched heels that have exaggerated protruding heel shapes. Think of it as a pointed heel but upside down. While this style probably won’t suit mainstream taste, it’s sure to be worn by fashion maximalists and trend setters throughout 2023. Dare to try it?
