I know, it doesn’t feel like we had much of a summer before autumn has even started, but with the ever unpredictable British weather not quite giving us the tropical temperatures we imagined for 2023, we’ve been getting into autumn planning a little earlier this year. But no worries, the shops are already full of the cosy pieces that we spend all year counting down to wearing again, so while we prepare to shelve the linen, dresses and shorts we got some wear out of on holiday at least, it’s also time to start taking stock of which autumnal pieces we’ll be factoring into our wardrobes again, starting with the all important shoes.
Unlike clothing, the benefits of a good shoe is their year round wearability. Now might not be the perfect time to wear a heavy duty wool coat or a tiny string bikini, but you will always need a covered shoe to keep you prepared whatever the weather might bring. Granted, not all styles fall into this category (and I’ve been caught in the rain in barely-there sandals more times than I’d like to share), so to save your feet from seasonal woes, I’ve thought long and hard to put together a list of all of the pairs of shoes that you can buy now, wear now, and still be wearing in autumn (and possibly winter too). Sound good?
As a stylist and editor, I’ve taken the time to think about the pairs that are not only well worth your money, but I would genuinely wear day to day too, so you can expect comfort, cost, and style factor to play into this selection. But, I’ve also thought about the pieces that stand the test of time too, so if you’ve come in search of MSCHF’s big red boots (or big yellow Crocs for that matter), you may be disappointed. These are the anti-trend shoes that you can wear long past their TikTok expiry date.
Some of the choices are obvious, the loafer, for example, is a staple for good reason, but there are also a couple of additions that might surprise you, but they all make perfect sense. So, looking to up your shoefie game? Keep scrolling for the 7 pairs of shoes you can wear now with your summer dress, and again in autumn with a cosy knit and jeans. Now that’s what I call versatility.