@zouxoushoes / Instagram

In This Article

Sculpted Knee-High Boots Dressy Mules Textured Bootie Sporty Janes

Decadent Chocolate Boots Gathered Loafer Glove Flats Cozy Quilted Boots

Key Takeaways

• Winter weather may require practical footwear, but this season's top shoe trends manage to achieve that without sacrificing personality.

• From sculptural knee-high boots to ruched loafers, there's a timely, high-style option for all sorts of cold-weather scenarios.

If you're anything like me, you started the season with high hopes for your outfits, but the frigid temps have derailed your plans. Winter trends—in all their layered, multi-textured glory—remain cooly chic, but I find myself disregarding them in the face of icy temperatures and frozen sidewalks. I retreat, layer on my coziest outfit, and reluctantly slip into low-fuss shoes. This year, though, will be different: While comfy stompers still reign supreme for cold-weather dressing, this year's trendiest styles actually blend function with form. Ahead, discover eight winter shoe trends that make a statement with stamina.

Meet the Experts

• Regina Popp is the senior director of fashion and trends at DSW.

• Lauren Chan is a model, fashion editor, and Global Inclusivity Ambassador for Naturalizer.

01 of 08

Sculpted Knee-High Boots

@izzipoopi / Instagram

Architectural styles are here to replace your worn-out riding boots, upping the ante with a funky toe box, sculptural heel, molded leather, or otherwise unique structure. On that note, we’ve noticed an uptick in the undeniably 2000s-inspired slouchy boot—controversial, yes, but also sartorial shorthand for “It girl.” Take your pick.

Product Picks

Chelsea Paris

Dolce Vita

JW Pei

02 of 08

Dressy Mules

@abimarvel / Instagram

Kitten heels refreshed the trend cycle over the past few winters, and delicate mules are having their own comeback this time around. According to DSW's fashion director Regina Popp, more is certainly more: “Organic gold hardware and 'beltification' looks fresh on shoes, while there are some fun interpretations of mesh, lace, and velvet, often with touches of bling, that are hard to resist.”

Product Picks

For Love & Lemons

Larroudé x Markarian

Schutz

03 of 08

Textured Bootie

@zouxoushoes / Instagram

Don't neglect the basics—and that includes a dressed-up ankle bootie. The classic silhouette is practical and sleek, with an aesthetic ambiguity that takes you from work presentations to happy hour. In the spirit of maximalism, we'd suggest a tactile texture (think suede, croc, and lacquer-like finishes) to keep things fresh.

Product Picks

Staud

Sunni Sunni

BCBGeneration

04 of 08

Sporty Janes

@dualipa / instagram

The sneaker-Mary Jane hybrid has staying power. Popp says she'd bookmark this contemporary style for late-winter vacations. (It's co-signed by Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid, and Julia Garner, too.) The playful style entered the zeitgeist when Puma offered up the Speedcat ballet sneaker last year, but lots of similar styles are up for consideration now.

Product Picks

Ganni

Puma

Camper

05 of 08

Decadent Chocolate Boots

zouxou

Popp says she'd describe this season's overarching themes as "cozy, contemporary, and comfortable." While some of the trendiest silhouettes are staunch classics, she notes "a richness in the materials, detailing, and color for winter." In this case, we'll take a bite of the ongoing chocolate brown trend with rich, fully saturated boots.

Product Picks

Zou Xou

Brother Vellies

Miista

06 of 08

Gathered Loafer

@laufey / Instagram

Flats and loafers are comfortable with a preppy edge. They feel like your fur-lined house slippers, but better. "Grandpa-core" loafers are on the rise, and If you can't release the thick-tread chunky loafers of trend cycles past, opt for a hybrid silhouette with a slightly abbreviated sole. Ruching around the seam adds textural interest to a time-honored shoe.

Product Picks

Zou Xou

Reformation

Alohas

07 of 08

Glove Flats

@theabbybible / Instagram

Lauren Chan, model and Naturalizer global inclusivity ambassador, has a soft spot for trim ballet flats. Following its resurgence, the trend has found new life in glove flat form, with molded-to-your-foot silhouettes and teeny design tweaks (like ever-so-elongated toe boxes). Another consideration: This simple-yet-sophisticated style is versatile enough to transition into the warmer months, taking you into lighter springtime outfits and beyond.

Product Picks

3.1 Phillip Lim

Mango

Naturalizer

08 of 08

Cozy Quilted Boots

@hunterboots / Instagram

Inevitably, you'll hit chilly days where slipping into actual shoes feels impossible. That's the job for a quilted puffer boot, a wearable spin on this season's campy duvet trend. (And another trend on Popp's radar.) High-visibility volume is key, so opt for an over-puffed boot with details like quilting, fur accents, and metallic finishes.

Product Picks

London Rag

Hunter Boots

Aquatalia