The "Cheap" Shoe Trend People in London and Paris Are Suddenly Wearing

As a fashion editor, I always endeavour to bring you an unbiased take on the trends—I'm well aware I don't have to personally like something for it to hold value for others. As long as it's relevant, has grounding and could enhance someone's style in one way or another, I'll report on it. However, I have to admit, there's one trend in particular that I had previously written off but which, surprisingly, I've been coming round to recently. Because of this change of heart, I can be transparent with you. Before this year, I always thought white shoes looked cheap. I put this down to a pair of white, two-inch heels I wore nonstop between the ages of 16 and 18. I forget where they were from but I almost certainly picked them up in a bargain bin for under a tenner. They were awful—a shiny, faux-leather material that started to peel after I wore them out in the rain one time, yet I still insisted on wearing them again and again. It's this image that's been tethered to the white-shoe trend in my mind ever since. 

However, I've started to realise that not all white shoes are made equal (read: to the low standards of my first pair). In fact, all the chicest outfits I've been saving on my feeds for the last couple of months seem to feature, in particular, white, low-heel shoes; and we can trace their influence back to Prada. At the start of the year, fashion people began snapping up Prada's bright white slingback shoes for their Fashion Week wardrobes. Emblazoned with the iconic logo, they were a cult item during the warmer months, with the brand releasing several variations as we progressed into autumn and winter. And now we're seeing the full effects of the white-shoe movement, with searches for the term spiking by a massive 250% in the past week. 

Across London, Paris and New York, white, low-heel shoes keep cropping up, paired with party outfits and tailoring in equal measure. Pointed toes pay homage to the Prada OGs, but French influencer Anne-Laure Mais (pictured further down) also proves that almond and round toes have just as much worth, too. The key to making what I would formerly have described as a "cheap" shoe trend look chic is this: styling. In all my favourite examples, the outfits themselves are elegant. Then there's the heel height; low heels feel more effortless than their high-heeled counterparts. Also, the selection of white shoes available has diversified to include ivory and off-white—whilst stark white looks sharp and cool, these diffused tones will blend more seamlessly with your outfits, and in turn, ensure they don't feel out of place. 

The moral of the story is to keep an open mind, particularly where shoes are concerned! I'm officially a convert, and I've rounded up an edit of the chicest pairs of white, low-heel shoes across every budget (including any from Prada I could find in stock). Scroll on to find yours. 

Next Up: It's My Job to Spot Shoe Trends—9 Pretty Styles That Will Rule 2024