The Cool-Girl Versions of Your Favorite Shoe Styles

Cool girls understand the importance of a good shoe, which can take any outfit to the next level without much effort on your part. After all, when you’re donning an amazing pair of shoes, you can keep the rest of your outfit simple and fuss-free—which is something we’re definitely on board with. 

In every stylish woman's arsenal are six essential shoe styles: booties, flat sandals, sneakers, pumps, mules, and flats. You probably already own several pairs of each, in basic shapes and hues, so we're here to present you with something a bit different: the cool-girl versions of these essential shoe styles. We looked to the likes of Zara, Nike, Ganni, Isabel Marant, and Rag & Bone, to name a few, and found an array of footwear options that are sure to make you (and everyone else) do a double take. We're talking unexpected details, statement-making hues, and unique heel shapes, among the noteworthy characteristics. So if you're looking to upgrade your shoe collection, you've come to the right place. 

MULES

Mules went from being a trend to a staple style a few years ago, and we're constantly on the hunt for fresh, new iterations. Luckily, they're not hard to find.

ANKLE BOOTS

You should never part with your basic black Chelsea boots, but a Western or colorful sock pair will do wonders for your wardrobe.

Sandals

Now is the time to invest in a pair of interesting, on-trend flat sandals for spring and summer, because you can always just recycle your neutral ones from last year.

Pumps

Pumps are as classic as it gets, but truth be told, they could use a little personality. Consider a sculptural heel or of-the-moment pastel hue.

Sneaker

It seems like every month there's a new It sneaker, so take our advice and opt for styles that are part classic, part on-trend. That way, they won't look dated if you're still wearing them two years from now.

Flats

Wearing flat shoes feels so good, and they might as well look as good as they feel, right? Luckily, that's not a tall order. Flat shoes are cooler than ever these days.

See what we meant by cool-girl shoes?