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Fashion trends are moving faster than ever before, especially with the innovation of TikTok and Instagram. It’s getting harder and harder to keep pace with what’s trending unless you’re really doing your research. Let’s dive into the future trends being forecasted for the footwear industry, so you can be in the know and in the look!
Wedges
The stiletto pump—ruler of fashion for so many years—seems to be on its way out and making room for the wedge heel. More supportive, comfortable, and wearable, the wedge heel is a great option for any number of events. Outdoor weddings become a much less daunting prospect with the advent of wedge heels returning to mainstream fashion—no more sinking your nicest stiletto heels into the mud.
You can even elevate your most casual, comfy outfits with the addition of wedge-heeled sandals or slip-ons. Adding that height can turn your most comfortable, around-the-house outfit into a style statement worthy of a Hadid sister.
Ballet Flats
Anyone who lived through the early 2000s knows that the return of the ballet flat is met with equal parts dread and excitement. This new iteration of the trend is a little less ballet pink and a little more influenced by industrial and grunge fashion, with some shoes featuring an extra-large tread that contrasts sharply with the ultra-feminine body of the shoe. Bright colors, patterns, and artwork adorn the shoes as well, a far cry from the muted neutrals of the original ballet flat trend.
Just make sure to get yourself a good shoe deodorizer, a few pairs of no-show socks, or a new bottle of your favorite perfume to spray into your shoes before you put them on. Trust me, you and everyone in your office will thank you.
Boots
Even with summer coming, boots are never ever out of season. During a hot summer day, you might want to stick with your favorite sandals and tennis shoes, but once the cool nights hit and the parties start, you’re going to want to hit the town in the thigh-highest boots money can buy. Whether you’re cowboyin’ up to a Nashville weekend with your girls or going out dancing with a first date, you can never go wrong with a good pair of tall boots.
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If you’re more of an ankle boot girlie (anyone going to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour), you’re gonna want to go with something that you can bedazzle completely yourself, or something that’s already completely covered in rhinestones!
Mesh, Jelly, Chunky, Oh My!
As unconventional fashion becomes more mainstream and everyday, fashion turns to alternative textiles and materials to create ever more interesting clothing and shoe creations. Jelly sandals for adults are predicted to trend heavily for the next few years, and many different designers are coming out with seasonal collections that contain artfully structured mesh, lace, and webbing. Too bad you don’t fit into your favorite childhood jelly sandals anymore, or you’d be a few miles ahead of the fashion curve!
Alternative fabrics and materials are making a splash in the fashion world in shoes, as well as clothing. Wedge heels with straps woven from paracord, sandals made from vegan leather, and thigh-high boots made entirely out of rhinestones are taking over from the traditional leather styles of years past.
Of course, a running theme that started roughly in 2020 and looks like it’s liable to continue trending is the chunky shoe. Chunky tennis shoes, chunky boots, chunky heels, chunky wedges, and chunky sandals are littering the runways and closet floors of the most fashion-forward members of society. Combine your chunky shoes with a chunky sweater and you’ve got an outfit for any day of the week.
Run, Jump, Play
The running community has exploded in popularity since 2020-being confined to only your house or the outdoors really motivated people to start running regularly, no matter if it was for their physical health or mental health. The running shoe industry was quick to keep up with people’s colorful tastes, churning out hundreds of supportive shoe designs in a rainbow of different colors and constructions, for runners of every size and ability.
The chunky trend can even be seen here, in the thick foam soles of the latest trending running shoes. Of course, these are very scientifically designed to support your feet, legs, and joints while you run, but right now they’re looking very fashion-forward, and they probably will for the next few years. So, find your most comfortable workout clothes, lace up those shoes, and throw yourself out into the sunshine and the latest fashionable workout, and look good doing it!
