The 5 Shoe Trends You’ll See Everywhere This Fall (& One Controversial Style I Have Major Feelings About)

Retro-inspired and low-profile sneakers are the It style of the season right now, and luckily they’re both incredibly comfortable and super easy to wear. Look for sneakers with thinner soles (as opposed to the super-chunky dad sneakers of 2020) and sleek silhouettes, like Onitzuka Tigers or Brooks Chariots. For those who like to get a little adventurous with their footwear, this trend also includes Mary Jane- and ballet flat -style sneakers, like the Vivaia Sneakerinas.

How to Style Them:

These designs often aren’t the focal point of your outfit, but a supremely chic supporting accessory that works well with everything from tailored trousers to barrel-leg jeans to skirts and dresses of all lengths. However, if you find yourself being drawn to the more colorful options on the market, try playing up those whimsical vibes by making the rest of your outfit equally vibrant.

With the rise of all things preppy—tennis skirts, golfcore, polo collar sweaters, Mary Janes—it was really only a matter of time before boat shoes would become a must have shoe. And so here we are. Aritzia just released its second collection in partnership with Sperry, and Rothy’s has a new machine-washable pair ideal for finicky fall weather. And while there are funkier colors and styles out there, I highly recommend sticking with classic brown leather for better longevity.

How to Style Them:

You can treat your boat shoes in the same way you would some classic loafers. Lean into the preppy vibes with straight-leg jeans and a cardigan or with a miniskirt and some ankle socks. Or you can play up the Wrong Shoe Theory and swap boat shoes in for any outfit you’d usually pair with heels or boots.

Animal prints in general are a huge trend for fall 2025 (and beyond), so of course that applies to footwear as well. But it’s not just leopard spots and zebra stripes making their way into our wardrobes, but calf hair and other furry textures too which really help to play up those nature-inspired vibes. I recommend sticking with prints in realistic color combinations, which tend to be much easier to style with other neutral tones, over clearly faux variations. That said, you can have a bit more fun with wild hues if your calf-hair boots or flats are one solid color rather than a print.

How to Style Them:

Natural-looking animal prints are often thought of as neutrals by stylists and fashion designers, so feel free to throw them in anywhere you might a plain black, white or brown clothing item. If you’re still a bit wary, however, consider the Three Color Rule and simply repeat the colors of your animal print throughout the rest of your look to keep things nice and cohesive.

Yes, your beloved ankle, Chelsea and moto boots are still fine to wear this fall without risk of looking totally out of the loop. But knee-high styles are definitely the more popular silhouette for 2025 and can help give even the most basic autumn ‘fit feel a bit fresher and more modern. Feel free to explore different heel heights and widths to see what’s most comfortable, and don’t feel beholden to any one shaft design either. Western cowboy, sleek ‘90s croc and riding boots are all on the table, so go ahead and take your pick.

How to Style Them:

Mini and midi skirts are wonderfully chic paired with a knee-high boot, but with a maxi the look can feel a bit heavy, so I advise sticking with shorter hemlines here. And while you could layer a pair of wide-leg jeans or trousers over the tops of your shoes, why would you want to hide the majority of your trendy new shoe? Leggings or skinny jeans are easy to tuck into your boot shaft and create a long, lean look from hip to toe.

Yes, this is sort of a subset of the knee-high boot trend, but it’s still worth calling out independently as you don’t have to opt for a very tall style to embrace the trend. These Wellies-inspired boots have a real utilitarian look and feel to them and often feature a lug sole with noticeably impressive traction.

How to Style Them:

The two most popular ways I’m seeing folks style pull-on boots is either with skinny pants or structured miniskirts. With a slim-fitting pant leg you can have some fun with oversize tops, be it a chunky knit or large blazer, to help balance out your proportions. And while those options certainly work for a miniskirt as well, in that instance you could also try a thinner cardigan, blouse or turtleneck instead.

The Maison Margiela Tabi shoes have been around for quite some time now, and while they definitely pop up every so often to cause a stir—who could forget the delicious story of the Tabi-stealing Tinder date and the incredible show of female kinship that returned them to their rightful owner?—I’d never have considered them “trendy” per say. That is, until now.

Tabis, Vibrams and other toe shoes are suddenly all over TikTok as a bizarre fashion flex, including on the feet of K-pop stars Jenny, Hyori and Shin Min-a. As Refinery 29 put it, “Fashion is Under Siege By Vibram’s Freaky FiveFinger Toe Shoes.” And according to Lyst, toe-highlighting footwear saw a wild 110 percent spike in sales between April and June of 2025.

What was once a “you either get it or you don’t” shoe style is now appearing far more mainstream than I ever could have anticipated. So if the idea of showing off your toes without necessitating a pedicure is making your heart sing, I say go for it. I’m still firmly in the “I don’t get it” camp, but talk to me in six months...perhaps the tides will have turned.