The “wrong-shoe theory” is exactly what it sounds like. Stylist and creator of the term Allison Bornstein coined it in a video she posted on TikTok last month, explaining how the simple styling trick can have a massive impact on how interesting your outfit appears. According to Bornstein, the wrong-shoe theory is how fashion people always seem to achieve a cool and visually appealing outfit that no one else is wearing.
Essentially, the idea is to choose a pair of shoes that are categorically mismatched to the rest of your outfit. In her video, Bornstein uses the example of wearing sneakers in a nonfunctional way—e.g., with an elevated outfit like trousers rather than with something sportier like leggings. The reason this works so well is because it takes the sneakers out of their original function as athletic shoes and makes them feel like a much more intentional choice.
If you’re starting to get the picture, good, because the theory extends far beyond just sneakers. It really comes down to choosing shoes that oppose the aesthetic of the rest of your outfit. So if you’re wearing an airy summer dress, skip the obvious choice of strappy sandals and go for a pair of tough moto boots or academic loafers instead. Some of the most expertly dressed fashion people swear by this trick, and to prove it, we sourced a ton of outfit examples from across the internet. To see the viral shoe theory in action, just keep scrolling.
To us, no outfit screams “wrong-shoe theory” quite like this one that combines relaxed track pants with crystal-embellished slingbacks. It’s almost so wrong that it’s right.
Along those same lines, socks and loafers look infinitely more interesting with sporty track shorts than they would with something like a pleated skirt.
Baggy cargo jeans are anything but delicate, yet the choice of styling them with the most delicate shoes out there—satin ballet flats—is pretty genius.
The wrong-shoe theory doesn’t always mean going with a completely different kind of shoe, though. Here, sportier rubber flip-flops work better than a pair of strappy leather sandals would.
Heels are hardly our first instinct when wearing denim shorts, but the contrast between casual and polished just somehow works.
Leggings and an oversize jacket just scream Sunday morning coffee run, so you’d expect to see that kind of outfit with sneakers or slides, but styling it with stiletto boots instead is a stealthier choice.
Ground an airy, delicate dress with sporty sneakers and crew socks.
Instead of leaning too far into the academic aesthetic by wearing loafers with a pleated skirt, technical sneakers like this pair from Salomon make the outfit feel mismatched in an intentional way.
We find it easier to think about combining different genres of dressing. Here, she married a vacation-ready wrap skirt to a pair of loafers from her work wardrobe—two genres that normally don’t see any crossover.
Pay attention to silhouettes too. Chunky sneakers balance out a super-streamlined maxi dress better than other kinds of flat shoes would.
