With good weather on the way it’s time to ditch the Chelsea boots and Uggs you’ve been wearing all winter and swap them for something a little more suited to the season. Here’s our pick of the catwalk’s top styles for SS12.
1. Deck shoes: Comfortable, practical and infinitely stylish, just the mention of deck shoes manages to conjour up visions of long days sipping Pimms on sun-soaked marinas. You may not own a private yacht, but for a comfy casual look deck shoes are still seriously on-trend. They needn’t cost you a fortune either – Next has a great section of deck shoes in various styles which won’t break the bank. If you just add one pair of shoes to your wardrobe this spring, then this should be it.
Multi boat shoes from Next, £28
2. Espadrille: Once only suitable for wearing to the beach, the espadrille is now a spring/summer style staple. Wear with cut-off trousers or shorts plus a blazer or jacket for best effect. And if you’re feeling adventurous, the runway this season hosted a range of espadrille-slash-brogue hybrids that gave a twist to this traditional look – you can see a selection on the GQ Magazine website.
3. Heels: If you’re on the small side then news of this trend will be music to your ears. We’re not, obviously, talking transvestite-style stiletto heels, but subtly built-up soles are all the rage this season. Prada works this trend on everything from brogues to desert shoes – even its sneakers have small platform heels.
4. Saddle shoes: Two-tone saddle-style shoes are set to be hot for spring/summer. Wear them in suede or leather, and don’t be afraid to go a little crazy with the colours. The tan and lime green combination seen at Mark McNairy is a fresh twist on the trend and is sure to be much-copied on the high street.
5. Penny loafers: The fashion crowd turned their backs on these classic shoes when they started being seen in back-alley clubs paired with white shirts and too much hair gel – but this year penny loafers are enjoying a renaissance. The key to working this look is to keep it classy. Navy leather loafers with red soles from Tommy Hilfiger are in. Faux leather versions purchased from your local market stall are not.