Hands down, the biggest shoe trend for spring of 2017 is SNEAKERS! Walk into any shoe department, and you’ll find sneakers have by far the most real estate dedicated to them.

(Note, even if you skim this post, be sure to read through to the bottom to find out my best shoe shopping strategy!)

I know the fashion industry has been trying to convince us to wear these formerly “gym only” shoes with everything from suits to floaty dresses, and I think it may be accepted in the larger US fashion capitals; however, in Denver, I see sneakers with jeans, casual clothes and perhaps a casual spring/summer dress at best.

That doesn’t mean it’s any less fabulous of a trend. Whether you prefer untraditional faux fur embellished sneakers, metallic treads or Nike, Adidas, or New Balance retro kicks, I say for off duty, go for it. Get as much mileage out of this trend as possible! Your tootsies will thank you!

Although I typically report on professional dress, and there are plenty of beautiful, work worthy shoes out there, the bulk of the newer trends seem to be on the casual side.

And even though it’s mid-March, I still haven’t seen a plethora of brand new shoes in the stores, but here is a run down of some of my favorite new trends:

Embroidered and embellished

Embroidery is a big trend across both clothing and accessories, and it’s showing up on shoes, too. True to Colorado style, I found some beautiful, embroidered boots at Neiman Marcus at a surprisingly reasonable price!

Tassels and pom pons

Again, tassels and pom pons are popular this season, mostly as accessories, and these over the top espadrilles and slides are no exception. You might remember from my spring trend report that Maximalism is a major spring theme, so these shoes fit right in. (I think they’re super fun!) With a shoe like this, unless you’re really, really into maximalism, you might want to keep the rest of your outfit a little more monochromatic. Think, a bright sundress!

Mules

A throw back from the ‘90’s, mules are making another come back. The best way to not feel like you’re wearing the same trend over is to choose mules like the metallic and studded ones pictured. They pair well with cropped and ankle pants.

Suede

Just about every shoe you can imagine is being shown in suede. Traditionally suede is a fall/winter fabrication; however, I’ve found it not to be any warmer than regular calfskin. And isn’t it fun to buck tradition?

Block heels

Block heels, vs. a kitten heel or stiletto, are the heels of choice for spring 2017. For a highly wearable work shoe, choose a low, block heeled pump. They look freshest in a pointed toe.

As I mentioned earlier, even in mid-March, the selections of fun, new shoes are fairly slim. Here’s my biggest shoe shopping secret. Buy shoes online! The choices are virtually limitless. While I don’t recommend online shopping for clothes, because there are too many variables in size, shoes are slightly more standardized, and it can be the best way to find what you really like.

Here’s my online shoe shopping strategy:

I only buy from a store where I know I can return the shoes in person. (I’m terrible at shipping things back.) But…I might try Zappos, as I hear they are really easy to work with and have great customer service.

I often buy the same shoe in a couple of sizes or I buy a few different styles and hope one will work.

I know this strategy is labor intensive, and it’s not for everyone, but if you’re frustrated trying to find spring shoes, I highly recommend it!