When footwear fashion leaves you behind

Burberry Prorsum tapestry boots

Burberry Prorsum wool-blend tapestry boots, $750

Topshop sling

Topshop ‘Sling’ peep toe platforms, £55

zara metallic wedge platforms

Zara metallic wedge platforms, £59.99

ugly shoes

Arielle De Pinto platforms, £280

Lately I’ve come to realise that I just don’t LIKE most of what passes for footwear fashion at the moment.

Oh, sure, there are the pointed-toe courts and the delicate, strappy sandals: I love both of those styles, and just a few years ago, I didn’t think I’d EVER want to wear those particular styles again, so it’s testament to the power of fashion that I’ve totally changed my mind about them. What once looked a little bit dated and un-stylish, now seems totally normal, to the point where my opinion has come full-circle, and I once again can’t imagine NOT liking those styles.

I call this process an “adjustment of the eye”. It’s not that I consciously follow fashion: I’ve actually never been interested in trends, and will consciously avoid things that seem like flash-in-the-pan fashions (unless I really, really love them…), which will be over in the space of a season, and therefore date instantly. I can’t deny, however, that changing styles do have their influence – those pointed toes that once seemed old fashioned now look fairly contemporary again, purely because we see so many people wearing them, for instance.

Will the same thing happen with the other footwear styles that are currently fashionable, I wonder? The chunky white platforms? The retro sneakers? The BIRKENSTOCKS? I guess anything’s possible, but right now, I can’t really see it happening, and so I’m spending much of my shoe-blogging time scrolling through footwear websites without seeing anything that really appeals to me. It’s been a while now since I had that “OMG, I MUST have those!” reaction to a pair of shoes, and I currently only have one pair on my wish list (not counting all of the “fantasy” pairs of Louboutins, of course, which I’d buy in a heartbeat, if I woke up and found myself suddenly wealthy…), which is pretty much unheard of for me. (OK, two pairs, if you count the Boden flats I blogged about earlier this month, but I’m never going to cough up that much for flats, so I’m putting them in that “fantasy shoe” category unless there’s a seriously good sale)

So, what do you do when the current trends are so far removed from your own taste that there’s hardly anything you want to buy? Well, I think all you can do is wait it out, get the maximum use possible out of the shoes you already have, and take comfort in the knowledge that it probably won’t be too long before fashion changes again, and the styles you love start to make a comeback. Or, of course, you can always hit up sites like eBay, to track down shoes that aren’t necessarily “in fashion” any more, but which you nevertheless love.

What do you think about the current footwear trends? Do you think they make a refreshing change, or are you, like me, feeling a little bit uninspired by some of them?

5 Comments

  • I would say I’m 50% a fashion victim and 50% my own style but I have to agree where with you. The chunky white rubber looking platform slingbacks and sandals are just not my thing. Don’t think they’ll ever be either. I do like the “smirkensmocks” though and how they look on others, but didn’t want to get a pair myself so I opted for a pastel pink sandals from zara instead. I think it’s great you remain true to your own style, but it’s also good to grab a nice thing here and there from each season too! I prefer to go for items that will last me years now! Classics! 🙂
    Great post!

    Secret little Stars xxx
    http://www.secretlittlestars.com

  • It’s all ugly the “trendy” stuff. I borrowed mums old black birks toward the end of my pregnancy to have some slip ons but I don’t wear them now I can bend again! I have a lot of shoes, a lot of workhorses I love so until all the ugly shoes go away I’m content to look, cringe & keep my card firmly in my wallet!

  • Luckily for me it’s rather easy to find ‘sensible’ shoes in the shops (not that I buy many shoes, I’m really selective, but I can still dream with my wishlist!)… The problems come when I search a specific garment, like a pair of black trousers or a simple navy blazer… Entire seasons can pass before I finally find one that is relatively normal, of decent quality and with a good fit on me, because trendy shops are practically bursting with fashion pieces with strange applications, holes, patches and so on. I mean, it’s great if you’re looking for statement pieces, but if you’re on the look for basics to accompany them, it’s another matter entirely…

  • I was trying to work out why I hadn’t bought any shoes this year and I think you’ve nailed it – the offerings out there just aren’t inspiring me. It’s not like I’m going to go barefoot – I’ve got more than 100 pairs of shoes anyway – so I think I’m waiting until I absolutely love something before committing to buying them.

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