Many Vogue editors are fans of an ugly shoe—be it a JW Anderson Wellipets mule, a classic Croc or a Kendall Jenner-approved Birkenstock Boston clog. So it’s with some delight that the team has embraced the notion of the “wrong shoe”, a concept pioneered by stylist Allison Bornstein and advocated by TikTokers worldwide, that encourages choosing the most unlikely footwear possible to pair with your outfit. “I realized what makes a look feel interesting and personal is the addition of accessories that feel slightly ‘off’ or mismatched with the vibe of the rest of the look,” Bornstein told Vogue last month.
According to @toibycontinued, @ellie.delphine and @truthfullycharlie (all top wrong shoe theory TikTokers), a classic example of the approach is pairing a feminine summer dress with chunky trainers (think a New Balance 530 sneaker). For the A-list, it involves sharp mannish tailoring worn with poolside flip flops – thank you Elle Fanning during her down-time at Cannes. Our ultimate wrong shoe icon? Jennifer Lawrence, who at the same film festival memorably paired a floor-sweeping red Dior ballgown not with stilettos, but with leather flip-flops.
So which will emerge as the wrong shoe to rule them all for fall 2023? First, we must consult the most covetable yet kookiest footwear on the catwalk. Think: Burberry’s sleeping bag ankle boot, Loewe’s Crayola-red house mules, Stella McCartney’s crystal-embellished courts and Valentino’s feather-sprouting biker boots. Then consider the upcoming season’s standout ready-to-wear trends: the va-va-voom hourglass silhouette, power dressing, utilitarian shapes and the anarchic punk.
What conclusions can we draw about the wrong shoe combinations we’ll see trending for fall 2023? Wearing a padded après ski-chic boot to work with a girl boss skirt suit; pairing a bodycon LBD with gardening-friendly mules; adding the sparkliest stilettos to practical hoodies and lo-fi denim, and combining punk-inflected plaid with plumes of glamorous feathers. Jennifer Lawrence, we hope you’re taking notes!