With the industry glitterati making their Fashion Week dash from Milan to Paris, the men’s spring ’16 runway shows have already proven to be a crucial sneak peek at next season’s hottest footwear trends.
From seasonless styling to espadrilles or sandals, the shoe choices can be dizzying. So we’ve highlighted the top five men’s trends to look for next spring:
1. Socks and sandals (yes, really)
Normcore is here to stay. In fact, designers are forcing you to wear it now: Marni’s thick wool socks were literally attached to sandals on the runway, while labels like Bottega Veneta and Versace featured luxe cashmere socks under strappy sandals. While the look is polarizing, the message here is more about the idea of seasonless styling, meaning fall layering is extending to spring shoes.
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2. Espadrilles
Moving on to a more wearable trend, espadrilles had a major moment at the Dolce & Gabbana show. Each apparel look featured an espadrille in a different finish, from printed stripes to lace treatments. Espadrilles are pretty much a spring staple, so to keep the style looking fresh, look for elevated design details — perhaps in perforated leather — to keep it from looking too casual.
3. Smoking slippers
Much like the espadrille trend, smoking slippers offer an easy slip-on-and-go message for next spring. The style was seen on many looks at Moschino, a brand that’s typically outlandish with its footwear choices but was decidedly muted this season. Since the silhouette is so simple, you can really have fun with bold colors and textures here.
4. Athleisure sneakers
While last spring was all about white low-top court styles — several brands just used Adidas’ Stan Smith throughout the show — this season is all about elevating the athletic-runner look. While the shoes may look practical, like Emporio Armani’s speed-laced style, refined details such as mixed leathers and suedes keep it looking polished.
5. Casual dress
Sneakers always seem to have a moment on the men’s runways, and this season, the low-top can almost be mistaken for a dress shoe. Classic brands like Salvatore Ferragamo even added laced-in leather tongues that mimic the kiltie panel on traditional dress styles. You can definitely wear these with a suit.
