5 Shoe Styles I'm Saying Goodbye to This Fall and 5 I'm Replacing Them With

fall shoes

(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

I'm a big proponent of the seasonal closet clean-out. You get to be reunited with your favorite pieces from seasons past and clear out anything that doesn't feel like you anymore, and then comes the fun part: shopping for their replacements. While taking inventory of my fall shoes, I noticed five trends that stood out to me as the ones I was the most excited about wearing/shopping and five that—I'm not going to lie—I couldn't wait to toss.

Keep scrolling to see which shoe trends for fall I'm loving and which ones are getting the boot. (No pun intended.)

Buying: Suede Boots Tossing: Platform Boots

There's nothing that says fall like a chic pair of suede boots. Many of the pairs I've been eyeing also have a Western feel to them, which I love. Unfortunately for my platform boots, I'm no longer interested in stomping around the city in these hard-to-walk-in extra-high platforms. I want to go for a more elevated look this fall, and platforms feel outdated. It's time to toss them and replace them with a swanky suede substitute.

Buying: Ballet Flats Tossing: Stark-White Sneakers

Ballet flats absolutely dominated the last two seasons, and it looks like they're sticking around for fall. I personally can't wait to style mine with socks and lean into that preppy/back-to-school vibe that always comes back in style every fall. Unfortunately for my all-white sneakers, they didn't make the cut this season. I'm seeing more and more of my style icons use their sneakers as an opportunity to try some color, and the all-white look just feels so yesterday.

Buying: A Touch of Leopard Tossing: Pops of Neon

I like to keep a bold shoe style in my rotation, and this fall, it's all about one print—leopard. This sexy neutral has been popping up on the runways, the Instagram feeds of fashion people, and celebrities as one of the most popular prints for fall. I snagged a pair of leopard-print pumps already and am planning to wear them with a chocolate-brown sweater. To my former favorite brightly colored pairs, it's time to bid them adieu.

Buying: Sleek Runners Tossing: Chunky Sneakers

Move over, chunky sneakers, it's time for sleek, lightweight sneakers to take center stage. I mentioned earlier that sneakers with color are trending, and this sleek design makes them feel more approachable and easier to style. If you like to keep your sneakers on the neutral side, don't worry. I linked a few pairs of those too.

Buying: Knee-High Boots Tossing: Chelsea Boots

I've never been a big fan of Chelsea boots. However, a few years ago, my friends talked me into buying a pair, and for some reason, they have been taking up space in my closet for far too long. I'm swapping them for a classic pair of knee-high boots, as they are my favorite date-night footwear during the colder months.

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Assistant Editor

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Grace has always been a lover of all things fashion and beauty. Upon receiving her first degree in visual communications from FIDM in Los Angeles, she moved to New York City and continued her education at LIM College, majoring in fashion media with a minor in society and culture. Grace has worked for PhotoBook magazine, Insider, and Harper's Bazaar. As a writer, Grace has had pieces published covering topics including racial justice, fashion, politics, and current events. During her free time, she loves wine tasting, creating content for her social media, spending time with friends, traveling to new places, and Pilates, and has a love for reality television, especially The Real Housewives. Grace is the person in your friend group everyone goes to for recommendations for the best place to grab drinks in NYC on a Friday night or the best hotels and restaurants to try when traveling to a new city. While fashion is her main love, she loves all things wellness and lifestyle as well. Her ideal sunday is brunching with friends then walking around furniture shopping and listening to a podcast. As the assistant shopping editor at Who What Wear, Grace loves finding the best buys out there for the WWW readers.