5 shoe trends to look out for in 2021

Looking to step up your footwear in 2021? Below are some of the shoe trends to embrace this year.

Chunky sneakers

Chunky sneakers are back in a big way – and it’s not just men that are wearing them. These shoes are a great statement item, perfect for pairing with an oversized jacket and contrasting with cut-off jeans or jeggings. Designer chunky sneakers such as the Triple S shoes from Balenciaga have taken the world by storm. However, if you don’t have a lot of money to spend on these top end trainers, there are plenty of high quality unisex mid-range options out there. For those that want to be extra bold, consider chunky sneakers in bright block colours.

Flatforms

Want to look taller without having to resort to heels? Flatforms are the newly popular solution to this – they allow you to keep your feet flat while adding height with platform soles. Flatforms were popular in 2020 and are thought to become even more popular in 2021. Many shoe brands now have their own flatforms – it’s worth shopping around and exploring styles.

Heeled Loafers

Don’t confuse these loafers with your grandad’s shoes – loafers have recently gone through a bit of a reinvention and now have heels! They’re set to be a hot trend in 2021 with many influencers already starting to sport them. The likes of Prada have even released a pair for almost £1000. If that’s a tad too steep, don’t worry – there are plenty of good quality heeled loafer brands below £50 that you can look into. What clothes go well with heeled loafers? Can I go casual with them or are they strictly formal? This guide at What To Wear offers more information on how to embrace the heeled loafer.

Ankle chains

Shoes with ankle chains are thought to also be popular in 2021. These have long been feature in goth and punk fashion, but now they’re going mainstream. Ankle chains with classic pumps are the perfect combo for when you want to look classy but also slightly badass. Sandals with golden anklets attached can meanwhile offer a more hippy vibe that could be perfect for this summer (if goth chains aren’t really you, this might be more up your street).

Outdoor-casual

Say hello to ‘outdoor-casual’. No, it’s not an actual fashion term (not yet anyway. Remember, you heard it here first!) With everything shutting in 2020, more of us took the opportunity to explore the great outdoors. This has spiked a greater interest in hobbies like hiking and walking. As a result more people have been buying hiking boots and wellies. This in turn has led to an increase in stylish wellies and ‘casual’ hiking boots that are also fit for everyday use. If you did a lot of hiking in 2020 and are likely to continue doing outdoorsy activities in 2021, it could be worth looking into these shoes – there are already predictions that they are going to be very popular.