Shoes: Fashion isn’t limited by the pandemic

Masks make choosing and wearing the right accessories difficult. Big earrings, for example, are very distracting when putting on and taking off a face covering. Wearing a hat means that more parts of the face are hidden.

But there is one fashion winner: shoes.

They don’t bother you but they still attract attention. We often find our gaze drifting away from the masked faces of the people we are talking to or sitting by their shoes. This will increase, especially when people can be outdoors more, said Karolina Landowski, trend expert at the Gallery Shoe trade show.

Footwear has also adapted to the situations we face. If you look at today’s designer collections, you see a pattern: it’s all about comfort. “This is partly due to the coronavirus,” said shoe expert Landowski. “There has been a shift to casual footwear styles, not least because more people are working from home.”

This means a flat heel and a comfortable shoe shape. Ballet pumps and loafers are very popular. “Today’s shoe shape often looks like a comfortable pair of sandals and you can wear them easily,” explains Landowski. But flat sandals with trekking elements are also trending, says Claudia Schulz of the German Shoe Institute.

In non-pandemic times we might ask: Isn’t that boring? A little too conservative? No, is the answer in this unusual fashion year.

Flat shoes, for example, come in a variety of bright colors. “Lilac and sage will be big trends, but also neon elements to draw attention to the shoes,” reports trend expert Schulz.

Trendy shades this season also include white and cool pastels, including cool pinks and bright light blues, adds Simone Reiner, editor at trade magazine “Textilwirtschaft.” “Vinyl sandals with a transparent and metallic look are also a sign of this trend.”

Other popular colors include white and cool pastels, including cool pinks and bright light blues, adds fashion editor Simone Reiner. “Vinyl sandals with a transparent look and metallic elements are also part of this trend.”

Plush sandals and kitsch slippers are also eye-catching as we used to see on grandma’s feet before bed. They are now back, thanks to the trendy shoe label.

Flat shoes don’t have to be dirty, says Claudia Schulz, pointing to pumps with heels and flip-flops. “It’s also hard to imagine fashion without a pair of ankle boots.” Sneakers are also a must this year they remain an all time favorite, especially with the comfortable sole.

Original high heels, however, weren’t exactly trending this year. “The heel also has to adapt to the call for comfort,” explains Claudia Schulz. “That’s why there are now more models with block heels or short cat heels.”

Loafers are also designed with different types of heels, from very flat to small. This means they can be combined in several different ways, such as with trousers or with dresses.