shoes

If the last few years have been good for anything, it’s the prolific rise of the flat shoe. During lockdowns, we suddenly had no use for heels—no offices, date nights or parties to wear them for. But that wasn’t going to stop us shoe-loving folk from getting our fix. We got creative, trying out as many working-from-home and park walking-appropriate shoes we could find. From Birkenstocks and brogues to shearling slippers and combat boots. Never before has there been such a demand for flats, and never before has the selection been so eclectic.  Although we’re now back to some semblance of normality with plenty of excuses (none missed) to enjoy our joyful and rather impractical shoes once again. The place in our fashionable hearts...

Boot season used to be confined to the winter months, but not anymore. Fashion types have cemented boots as a year-round shoe staple, from cowboy boots to knee-highs worn with mini hemlines. Of course, this isn’t news to Brit girls—our changeable weather (even in the height of summer) means that we keep our boots within arm’s reach at all times. More brands than ever showcased boots in fresh and inspiring ways in their summer collections for 2022, and a lot of those themes have continued through to the autumn/winter collections as well. So as we start to look forward to the new season, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit our favourite 2022 boot trends, as witnessed on the runway. Some we’re already wearing, and some we can’t wait to wear more of when th...

We bang on a lot about trainers here at Who What Wear, but we don’t need to justify that. No longer for simply working out, sporty footwear is now just as commonplace during fashion week as it is at the gym. The phenomenon for cult sneaker styles is perhaps at its peak, what with queues round the block for the newest Yeezy’s, and waiting lists longer than Hermès for the latest Aimé Leon Dore collab. But when it comes to styles fashion people actually wear on repeat year after year, there are some classic sneakers which a) you don’t have to know someone to get hold of, b) won’t cost the same as a museum-worthy art piece and c) will never date. There’s a reason, after all, why brands like Converse, and Adidas can now be considered iconic...

In the dating game, it has long been believed that shoes and belts are a dead giveaway for not only true style prowess but wider personality traits too. Scuffed leather toes = you don’t care enough about yourself? I’m not totally sure if the theory is to be taken as gospel (as between you and me, my husband had terrible shoes when we first met and things have managed to tick along just fine for 15 years!) but it is true that shoes can make or break a look. That’s why, even as a very considered shopper, I can justify the need for what some people might call an excessive amount in my wardrobe—those trusty Tevas won’t work for a wedding and those office heels aren’t right for a brunch date, black won’t go with everything, and so on and so forth.  You Deserve to Make Money...

I don’t know about you, but in the last year or two I’ve become completely and totally obsessed with wearing wide-leg trousers. To the point where I now can’t imagine what I wore before them. Whatever it was, the skinny-trouser era is well and truly over for me, and as I take on my thirties, smarter, looser trousers have been there to welcome me with open arms. I promise it’s not just because they’re a huge trend right now—although that helps given there’s now a lot more choice on the market. Mostly, it’s because they’re comfy, cool and make me feel incredibly polished every time I wear them. They work for work, for the pub, for date nights, for relaxed weekend brunches—you name it and I’ll wear wide-leg trousers for it.  The only downfall with discovering a whole new trouser shape th...

It’s proving to be one of the brand’s most buzzed-about styles as we head into the new season, and that’s because it’s the kind of versatile trainer you can wear throughout the year with ease. For heel-lovers, these shoes still provide that sass, and for sneakerheads, the elevated finish and small details make for quite the sought-after collection. Have you noticed the diamond-like facets of the sole or the starburst-like seams across the side panels? Even in white Nappa leather, these delight, but you’ll also find the style landing in a range of colours and finishes: metallic silver, candy pink and soft yellow provide more adventurous options for those who like your sneakers to come with a statement. The silver, in particular, would make for the perfect after...

Muaddi has been on the fashion scene for a while, but she only went solo with her shoe brand last year. Growing up in Italy was always an inspiration for Muaddi to want to design shoes, but she first sought out a career working at magazines—an invaluable network for any fledgling designer. She attended the European Institute of Design and worked as a stylist at L’Uomo Vogue and GQ, ensuring she understood the world of fashion before completely fulfilling her dream. In pursuit of following in the legendary footsteps of footwear designers like Manolo Blahnik, Muaddi travelled to Italy’s famous shoe-making district, Riviera del Brenta, to learn the trade and co-founded her first brand, Oscar Tiye. Following that, Muaddi then moved to Paris, where she collaborated with French couturier Alexand...

Socks and sandals aren’t really one of those combos you can quietly dip your toe into. You’re either committing to it or you’re not—you can’t just wear it a bit like a sheer sleeve on a blouse or a touch of leopard print on a bag. It’s quite the divisive dressing choice. I happen to wear this combination often, most frequently a pair of Alexa Chung x JuJu’s Embellished Jelly sandals and a ribbed-knit sock, and my friends hate it because they say it looks “ugly” and like I’ve “just thrown on the first shoes at the front door.” I have to insist that it really is fashion, despite the eye rolls I get in return. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating sho...

You may not suffer with the same flat footedness, but if you landed on this article, it’s highly likely you do have wide feet and feel under-served by the current wide-fit options available—many of which appear to be quite cheap-looking (what is it with fake patent leather and wide-fit shoes?) or completely outmoded. I will feature some of the stronger options below, but I’m also here to give some pointers on general silhouettes, trends and finishes to look out for. Some are very obvious like pointed toes are an instant red flag and I’m sure that even people with slimmer feet struggle with a pointed-toe style with a very high heel—the pressure this puts on your toes is not worth any amount of trending credentials, in my opinion. We only get one pair of feet and they carry us through life, ...

The trouble is, chunky loafers with their masculine vibe and heavy appearance can actually be quite hard to style. Jeans are one of our most-worn items, and the obvious choice to wear with easy slip on shoes, but even then you need to be careful with the shape and length of the denim. Your best bet, in a stylist’s opinion (that’s me), is to keep it classic— a tonal colour palette and pared-back basics will always look best. Think black jeans and camel coats. Worried about them feeling too clunky? Pair with a mini or midi skirt for balance. Prefer to lean into the androgyny? Pair with a cargo pant for an extremely 2022 vibe.  Keep scrolling, and you’ll find eight examples of easy outfits you can wear with your chunky loafers, and the specific pieces we find always work with them. Most ...

When Anna Wintour, someone who could literally choose any shoes in the world, opts to wear the same pair every day, you take note. For the Vogue editor in chief, it’s Manolo Blahnik or nothing, and she’s famously been quoted saying she “just doesn’t even look” at other brands in the 2017 documentary about the designer’s life. Clearly she’s onto something, and Anna is not alone in her devotion to Manolos. From Diana to Kate, Meghan to Carrie (Bradshaw, of course)—the designer’s beautiful footwear has graced the feet of so many of the world’s most stylish and elegant women.  This fanbase is not just a result of them looking so fabulous (that too)— but it’s also because slipping one on genuinely feels like a Cinderella moment. Manolo designs...

Not to sound like a belligerent old bore, but I’m getting a bit tired of social media movements that decree something in fashion or beauty to be “over” or “out.” It strikes me as ironic that the democratisation of fashion can lead to less individuality rather than more. In the latest installment of things TikTokers don’t like is an unassuming and really quite practical pair of sandals that I’m sure 95% of you will own. I have some. Most of my friends have a pair. Pretty sure my mum does too. And perhaps that’s the problem. A simple pair of two-strap sandals (you know the kind with a block heel, a front strap and an ankle strap) are supposedly naff and—worst burn of all—cheugy. There’s no denying that the simple shoes—popularis...