Fall’s Biggest Shoe Trends Include Cowboys Boots & Outdoor Slippers

The season for full-coverage footwear is fast approaching. This means saying goodbye to the controversial flip-flop, one of summer’s top footwear styles endorsed by celebrities like Hailey Bieber (who wore a $925 pair by The Row), and hello to lug soles and other fall 2023 shoe trends. 

In particular, autumn is synonymous with practicality: shoes in weatherproof designs and durable materials, boots that reach the knee (and beyond), and so on. But just because the temperatures drop, this doesn’t mean our style-savvy must follow suit. From coveted fashion collections to popular retailers to TikTok, the best and biggest trends for this time of year can be fun as well as functional. 

Ahead, we’re rounding up the top seven among them — including cowboy boots, bedazzled styles, and even a special take on open-toed shoes — to shop now. 

With the coastal cowgirl aesthetic racking up close to 160 million views on TikTok, Beyonce’s Renaissance and Taylor Swift’s Eras tours in full swing, and runway labels like Ralph Lauren leaning into the look, expect to find Western boots on fashion’s finest feet this fall.

The best thing about ballet flats is their slip-and-slide simplicity. Add to that the comfort of your favorite pair of house slippers and you’ve got sleek shoes that are fit for the outdoors despite their stay-at-home appeal.

Designers like Dior, Marni, and Louis Vuitton reverted to classic colorways for their footwear this season with special attention shown to pairings of black and white. Whether it’s on a sneaker, a boot, or a pair of heels, this elegant yet striking two-tone look adds interest to any style.

For a classic fall boot with a high-fashion touch (see: Givenchy’s Shark Lock Boots), a style with extra material that folds over the shaft of the shoe goes the extra mile. The bold trend applies to chunky utilitarian boots, knee-high stilettos, and everything in between.

We’ve had our eye on fancy flats and shiny accessories ever since fashion week made its glittering return to in-person programming, and we’re happy to report that sparkles are still trending. When it comes to selecting the style, the blingier, the better this season.

Square-toe sandals have been around for quite some time thanks to brands like Bottega Veneta, Rejina Pyo, and By Far, and we love seeing the trend take off for cold-weather shoes, too. Designers like Adam Lippes and Jacquemus favored the boxy silhouettes in their fall/winter 2023 collections, which is reason enough for us to call this trend green-lit for the season ahead.

With bright tights ranking as a top fall fashion 2023 trend, take a styling tip from the runways of Vivienne Westwood, Coperni, Giambattista Valli, and beyond by rocking a pair of open-toed shoes in the same hue for a head-turning, fall-friendly ensemble.