Shoes Are Never Just Shoes—6 Trends That Will Completely Alter Your Spring Outfits
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years of dissecting trends, it’s that shoes are never just shoes. They are the first signifier of a season’s shift, the subtle yet powerful cue that change is afoot—literally. While coats and knitwear may still be in heavy rotation, and the thought of baring toes might seem wildly optimistic, now is precisely the time to start thinking about spring's top shoe trends for 2025.
Spring shoe trends always walk that fine line between practicality and fantasy. There’s the temptation of newness, the lure of fresh silhouettes straight from the spring/summer 2025 runways, but also the reality that some styles might feel a little premature for right now. (I, for one, am not about to strut through the drizzle in the season’s most delicate offerings just yet.) But knowledge, as they say, is power, and getting acquainted with the key trends early on will put you in prime position when the moment arrives.
Shoes have an uncanny ability to carry our outfits seamlessly from one season to the next. They can instantly recalibrate an existing wardrobe—think of the way a sculptural heel elevates even the best jeans or how a streamlined classic loafer adds polish to transitional layering. For 2025, the runway has served up plenty to get excited about, offering a mix of boundary-pushing statements and refined updates on perennial favourites.
As someone who has always been fascinated by the transformative power of footwear, I relish this time of year. The first glimpses of a new season’s trends offer a promise of what’s to come, a chance to step forward into a fresh mindset and renewed sense of style. So, which shoes will define spring 2025? Let’s dive in.
6 Spring Shoe Trends the Runways Are Backing for 2025
1. Braided Textures
Style Notes: As the weather improves, as does the opportunity to wear different shoe textures and designs. The last thing you want on wet and muddy days is to wear a pair of shoes that will require significant amounts of cleaning when you get home. Spring, however, with all of its bright promise, allows for more intricate designs to come to the fore, which is why we're seeing the comeback of pretty braided textures now. Infused with a French sensibility (I see so many Parisians wearing woven shoes in the warmer months), these shoes look especially chic worn with full skirts and linen trousers.
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Slingbacks are still a huge shoe trend for 2025.
These also come in an elegant brown and white colour combination.
2. Clog Comeback
Style Notes: What do Chloé, Hermès and Miu Miu and Ulla Johnson all have in common? Aside from a firm spot in my fantasy wardrobe, in their respective spring/summer 2025 collections, they each showcased clogs. From towering wedges to almost flat soles, clogs were imagined (and reimagined) in just about every guise. The main takeaway being, however, that they're very much in for spring.
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You can always count on Chloé to produce the coolest footwear—these clogs are no exception.
The addition of the shearling lining makes these look akin to traditional clogs.
Next's Forever Comfort shoes are definitely the most comfortable I own—one wear of the cushioned soles and you'll be hooked.
3. Peep Toes
Fashion is cyclical, this we know, and I personally take comfort in this. I like knowing that trends I love and ultimately haven't stopped wearing will come back around again, and the shopping options for said trend will be plentiful. This just so happens to be the case with the reemergence of peep toe shoes. While we've seen open toes added to silhouettes such as mules, it's been a minute since traditional peep toes were a thing. I say traditional, but you only need look at Alaïa and Tory Burch's interpretations to know that these are peep toes unlike which you've seen before.
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The most unexpected take on the trend I've seen. Bravo, Tory Burch.
4. Vinyl Finishes
Style Notes: Mesh shoes were a big deal last year, and while I predict we'll see the appetite for them continue into 2025, there's a fresh "naked" shoe to consider. My eyebrows raised as I saw vinyl shoe after vinyl shoe on the runways, with Tibi and Alaïa carving very distinct silhouettes with theirs. While heels are more commonplace on the market currently, I expect to see this trend sweep flats in no time, too.
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Amina Muaddi takes the transparent trend to the next level with a completely see-through wedge.
These come in a slew of colours, but the clear iteration will work with everything you own.
5. Boxing Trainers
Style Notes: When talking spring shoe, it would be remiss of me not to touch on trainer trends for 2025, as they make up so much of what's popular on the footwear scene right now. Perhaps the most distinct trend of the season, I've noticed a serious uptick in the numbers of high-top trainers we're seeing. However, with sleeker silhouettes and slimline soles, these aren't akin to basketball shoes—instead, brands are embracing the boxing trainer in all its glory. Stella McCartney's knee-grazers are yet to hit the market, but Adidas is already serving up what I have to assume will be a 2025 cult kick.
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I just know these are going to sell out.
That's right—even Onitsuka Tiger is serving up a take on the boxing trainer.
6. Elevated Flip Flops
Style Notes: I know what you're thinking—that it's too soon to be talking about flip flops! I appreciate that days where barely-there shoes still seem far off, but I had to acknowledge this trend based on how many pairs populated the runway alone. Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen elevated flip flops—the sort modelled in leather or suede, with clean architectural lines and, if it pleases you, a heel—but know that they're very much back for 2025. Look for styles with chunky straps or buckle adornments for a current take, but rest assured any minimal pairs you may already own will also work.
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Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s Deputy Editor and has over fourteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and authoritative content for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, talent interviews self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their search and keyword planning, works closely with the fashion and beauty team on strategy and continues to pen many of her own articles. Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine's contributed to publications including Grazia, InStyle Marie Claire, Elle and Look, amongst others.