Clugg or Mary Jane? Our guide to the best spring shoe trends – and how to wear them
Are your ankles buffed and ready? When your dry and scaly legs haven’t seen daylight for months, the first glimpse of your own foot can feel as novel as blossom. Anything from the calf up still doesn’t really matter at this point in spring. And you can get away with not having a pedicure for at least a few more weeks. But it is now time to pack away the boots and opt for a shoe that exposes just a little bit of ankle.
Before the new season has even truly begun, there are two key styles selling out in the fashion world. In one camp, the pretty: Alaia’s bejewelled or mesh Mary Jane flats are coveted by editors and insiders; you’ll need to employ a shoe whisperer (or just get on the phone and ring round the boutiques) to track down popular pairs and sizes. Prices start at around £400 and spiral up to £700, depending on your chosen level of blitz.
The other shoe with a waiting list is considerably (and deliberately) uglier. Ugg, purveyor of squashy boots and fuzzy slippers, has presented its first pair of clogs. A Clugg, if you will. The first batch of the £115 Goldenstar style launched on February 28 and has almost sold out entirely, with more than 1,200 people viewing the style every day and piling onto the waiting list.
These two shoe looks are divisive, and poles apart. But perhaps that difference serves to highlight the only real rule when it comes to accessories this spring: anything goes. It really does feel like the shops have something for everyone, with hybrid pairs allowing you to pick and mix elements you like. Here’s our guide to the best of the trends and how to wear them.
Pretty and poised
The pretty Mary Jane
Arguably the headline act in the shoe world this spring, the new-age Mary Jane comes in two shapes: rounded flats that are loosely inspired by traditional Japanese socks, and a doll-like neat block-heel that the French refer to as “babies”.
Whichever silhouette you choose, there are endless finishes to try: Alaia’s cult flats come in everything from fishnet material to rhinestones, while Vibi Venezia has velvets in sweet wrapper colours. The Mary Jane works best when you add a tough or masculine element to your outfit, be that a trench coat or pair of this season’s cargo trousers.
Left to right: Mesh flats, £490, Alaia at net-a-porter.com; pink velvet flats, £85, vibivenezia.com; platform shoes, £48, next.co.uk
Left to right: Red mary janes, £65, charleskeith.co.uk; Spectadior Pumps, £890, dior.com
The jazzy ballet flats
Ballet flats are back, and in every colour other than the pink of a classic slipper. Metallic finishes feel the most edgy but are surprisingly easy to style, particularly with light denim jeans and a crisp white shirt.
Simone Rocha’s mint green and Miu Miu’s ribboned tie-ups are the It-versions, but see Anthropologie and Zara for high street alternatives that are still made from leather and won’t collapse or stain if they see a puddle.
Left to right: Metallic flats, £525, Simone Rocha at matchesfashion.com; bow flats, £120, anthropologie.com; leather flats, £49.99, zara.com
The pastel kitten heels
Neat, pointed and – crucially – comfortable, say hello to your ideal “spring wedding guest” shoe. Produced by everyone from Prada to & Other Stories, there is an array of sugary pastel hues to choose from, ready to perfectly coordinate with a colourful trouser suit. The slingback, too, is back, and looks great with this heel height.
Left to right: Brushed leather pumps, £890, prada.com; leather slingbacks, £110, stories.com; fairytale kitten heels, £275, russellandbromley.co.uk
Cool and ugly
The ugly clogs
The aforementioned Clugg is a force to be reckoned with – you’re about to spot it in all settings from posh pub lunches to supermarket dashes. Higher up the designer scale are jewelled felt slip-ons by Brunello Cucinelli and Off White. Mango does the best budget-friendly suede variation with statement studs. Wear with tailoring for the full cool/ugly look or offset them with a wafty boho dress.
Left to right: Slip on clogs, £460, Off White at net-a-porter.com; Goldenstar clogs, £115, ugg.com; studded leather clogs, £69.99, mango.com
The wooden flatforms
At Miu Miu and Marks & Spencer, the wooden flatform rises. The toes may be open but this isn’t quite a sandal. The stacked sole means you will stay well above any water line should it rain, plus this is a look best worn with wide-leg jeans, not airy cotton summer dresses.
Left to right: Studded sandals, £770, Miu Miu at matchesfashion.com; Bobbie leather clogs, £345, Aeyde at harveynichols.com; block heels, £55, marksandspencer.com
The loaded loafer
No sole is too chunky, no chain is too hefty: these are the loafer lessons extolled by designer labels from Bottega Veneta to Alexander McQueen. On the high street, think carefully before going big on the bling – nothing cheapens a shoe like a rusty faux horsebit. See John Lewis for takes that look far more expensive than their price tag.
Left to right: Snake effect loafers, £162, Ganni at theoutnet.com; chain loafers, £85, johnlewis.com; chain heel loafers, £24,99, hm.com
The disco platform
Blame Florence Pugh for this one. The actress completes almost every evening outfit with this shoe style: a round-toe platform heel that she swears she can dance all night in. Hers are Versace and Valentino, but Nodaleto’s Bulla Jones style is lower and more comfortable – the shape is inspired by a Le Corbusier armchair.
Left to right: Satin platforms, £625, Nodaleto at net-a-porter.com; Raffia platforms, £329, lkbennett.com; platform shoes, £65, monsoon.co.uk
The suede sneaker
Demand is high for Adidas’s vintage Samba trainers – a menswear style that has recently become a must-have for women. The slim suede profile feels fresh again when compared with the bulky and inflated models that have dominated in recent years. Loewe’s Runner and La Redoute’s graphic style offer a similar retro feel in strong colours.
Left to right: Runner sneakers, £550, Loewe at harrods.com; Samba shoes, £80, adidas.co.uk; multicolour trainers, £54, laredoute.co.uk
What are your go-to spring shoes? Let us know in the comments
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