The Shoe Trends NYC Girls Actually Wear Every Day
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but leave it to NYC girls to find the best practical shoes for a stylish day around the city. After all, who better to test-drive trends than the style set who wears them and will walk actually around in them? As an L.A.-to-NYC transplant, I can tell you that that whole walking part really does make a difference in how you get dressed in the morning or for a night out. Luckily, however, whether it’s a pair of fancy-feeling flats or the best heel options that won’t kill your feet at the end of a long day, there are countless shoe trends that make the cut for city life, and today we’re highlighting eight of them. See what they are and shop our picks for each below.
Wedges
All hail the return of wedges.
Shop wedges
Western Boots
Comfortable, cool, and a welcome break from sandals in the summer.
Shop Western boots
Strappy Sandals
Of course NYC girls are wearing one of the season’s biggest trends.
Shop strappy sandals
Woven Flats
The keyword here is breathable.
Shop woven flats
Block-Heel Sandals
For when you need some height but still have to commute to work.
Shop block-heel sandals
Throwback Sneakers
The latest sneaker trend at the top of our lists.
Shop throwback sneakers
Satin Slides
The fancy flats of summer.
Shop satin slides
Slingbacks
The quintessential work-to-drinks shoes.
Shop slingbacks
That’s all for shoes, but check out more trends I’m loving right now.
Since starting as an intern back in 2013, Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour has held several roles here at Who What Wear, and she is currently Editor-at-Large. Upon joining, she was a senior about to graduate from business school at USC. Fast-forward to 2025, and she's moved to NYC from her hometown of Beverly Hills and spends her workdays a little differently from when she was just starting out. Currently, she focuses on a weekly mélange of shopping content and her Trust Me—Buy This newsletter. As far as her personal style goes, she's largely drawn to neutral, classic pieces but will always make an exception for something colorful or bejeweled as long as it's deemed worthy enough. After all, the only thing she loves more than a party is dressing up for one. On her downtime, she can usually be found at home eating something delicious and trying to force her husband to watch Summer House.
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