5 Summer Footwear Trends That Will Dominate the Season

Spring/Summer 2021 Shoe Trends We Know You’ll Love

While we aren’t big fans of micro-trends that only last for a single season or even less, we do love footwear styles that have either made a comeback in fashion from seasons past or new shoe trends that have arrived in the year that we can see ourselves wearing for quite a while. 

These kinds of pieces are the best, especially when it comes to the latter, as these are items we want to invest in for the sake of classic fashion and the comfort of our feet.

From sandals to block heels and flats to flatforms, here are a few of our favourite Spring/Summer 2021 shoe trends that we’ve been seeing everywhere and that we’ve fallen in love with.

Summer Shoe Trends: What Shoes Are Trending This Summer/Spring?

Thong Sandals/ Flip Flops

While your standard rubber flip flops may not be the most fashionable, they’re probably on your list of most practical and comfortable summer shoe essentials, and are undoubtedly some of the most classic silhouettes you can think of that will absolutely never go out of style. That’s why we’re so glad to see these leather sandal styles popping up, which bring us flip flop ease and comfort paired with chic yet casual 90s vibes.

The Spring/Summer 2021 season has made the thong sandal trend grow strong, with different designers and big brands coming out with their own versions of the shoe trend, and we completely understand why. 

Who doesn’t love the idea of simply slipping into flip flops that do a great job at making your feet as comfortable as possible while also making your night-out outfit look as good as your beach get-up? We love sandals that can do it all, and we think these fancy flip flops are one of this year’s biggest summer shoe trends you should hop onto.

Mules

Ballet flats have certainly had their time in the limelight, but the Spring/Summer 2021 trends as of late have shown us that mules are the year’s new ballet flat. 

Not only do these shoes bring immediate laidback refinement to your wardrobe, but the slip-ons are incredibly easy to wear and to take off, which is why they have become the favorite pair of many women and have found their place at the side of many front doors at this time of year. 

Designers like Tory Burch have set their eyes on the silhouette, with fun styles appearing on runways and in brand windows. If you’re looking for a shoe this summer that looks good in both sandals and heel form and that you can swap your sneakers in for an upgraded casual to office look, mules are the perfect silhouette to go with.

Strappy High Heels

While high heels may not be the comfiest shoes when put side by side with sneakers and sandals, we can all agree that a good heel can make any outfit look extra chic. Spring/Summer 2021 has brought with it the strappy heels trend, and this is something we will definitely get behind. 

High heels are obviously shoes that have been around a while, so we love to see a bit of reinvention. This year, we’ve seen heels that have featured thin straps that wrap around the ankle and all the way up to the calf. 

From celebrities to fashionistas on the streets, we’ve seen people wear different forms of this shoe trend in everything from chunky heels to stilettos, and brands and designers gave us a lot of creative versions of the footwear, like the uniquely embellished pair above by JW Anderson.

Square Toe Kitten Heel

Perhaps the biggest and most noticeable of the summer shoe trends we’ve been seeing pop up everywhere this Spring/Summer 2021 season is square toe-front shoes paired with a kitten heel. 

We’ve seen everyone wearing this shoe trend on Instagram and on the streets, and we love this trend because of how universally flattering it is. Whether you have wider feet or narrow feet, the square toe shape looks good on whoever is wearing it.

We think this style is a super cute and romantic summer shoe, perfect for pairing with a sundress or flowy skirt. Alternatively, this shoe also looks good with a much more casual look and can even be paired with jeans and a t-shirt. No matter what you pair it with though, these summer essentials are sure to make everything you pair with it look high fashion.

Platform Boots and Sandals

We’ve seen so many different renditions of the modern platform shoe since it debuted in the 1930s. We’ve seen groovy versions of it in the 60s and 70s, and much more grunge versions in the 80s and 90s. Now in Spring/Summer 2021, the platform is still going as strong as ever, with chunky leather boots and exaggerated sports sandals finding their way back onto the runway.

Popular sandals brand Teva’s Flatform silhouette has become both a fun and functional fashion accessory, as it makes an impact while still remaining lightweight, with designers like Jason Wu borrowing the classic silhouette and bringing it to fashion week. 

Ulla Johnson has also come out with her own platform sandals that combine this trend with the strappy look. When it comes to boots, we’ve seen a ton of vintage pairs and fan-favourite brands like Doc Martens come out of wardrobes once again.

Final Note

The Spring/Summer 2021 shoe trends we’ve seen so far have knocked it out of the park when it comes to stylishness and re-wearability. We love going out and buying ourselves a new pair when they truly speak to us and we can see ourselves wearing them again and again, and these pairs have certainly proved that. 

Whether you’re for comfort, style, or both, take a pick from the sandals, heels, and platform shoes of this new season.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What type of shoes are in style 2021?

While there is no one shoe that has absolutely dominated the Spring/Summer 2021 cycle, a recurring trend this season and in the past few has been a focus on combining style with comfort. So whatever shoe you’re looking into, comfortability is the real name of the game.

What kind of heels are in style 2021?

While high stilettos were certainly popular in the past decade, these shoes have made room this Spring/Summer 2021 for lower heights in the form of kitten heels. And if they do go high, platforms have taken the pedestal given how much more versatile they are and easier to walk in.