The most-worn shoes in my wardrobe are a pair of Chanel ballet flats in gleaming silver. They were one of those mythical charity-shop finds – unworn, in my size, and, most miraculously, reasonably priced (it was the Oxfam off the Kings Road, in case you wondered). They seem pleasingly princess-like when worn with a girlish dress and ankle socks; err on the right side of unexpected when peeking out from trackpants; and make a potentially boring jeans-and-T-shirt outfit anything but.
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Fellow fashion magpies will be glad to know that silver shoes have been picking up pace, appearing in various guises on many a SS25 catwalk – and off, upon fashion-week showgoers – not to mention several well-dressed celebrities, including Florence Pugh, Iris Law, and Jenna Ortega.
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Silver shoes are a safe bet for evening, but consider them for daytime, too. Of course, a vertiginous heel isn’t practical for pavement pounding, which is why everyone ought to own a pair of metallic flats. The usually prim Mary Jane is instantly cooler when fully foiled, while the humble ballet flat becomes an object of art when encrusted with crystals. Treat both as you would a trainer or everyday loafer, and team them with baggy jeans and a vintage blouse, or a calf-length midi skirt and cardigan.
'I enjoy the contrast of wearing subtle embellishment during the day, [as it creates] unexpected allure,' says Jane Frances, founder of Dear Frances, and the inventor of the sell-out Balla Crystals flats, mesh ballerinas liberally adorned with gems that cool girls have been going gaga for over the last few years. The creative director wears hers when she knows she has evening plans 'to transition into an evening seamlessly.' In other words, the early-aughts diktat that one must keep a pair of heels under one’s desk for dinner plans is totally outdated; flats are more than fine, chicer even – and comfortable, too.
'I particularly love how Erdem grounded confectionary-hued, frothy dresses with silver loafers,' says stylist Corina Gaffey, of the designer’s SS25 show, which proved that shiny clodhoppers have the power to transform a hyper-feminine cocktail dress, making it instantly cooler.
Coperni employed a similar trick, teaming a fluttery little dress in powder-pink chiffon not with strappy heels, but with a pair of five-toe ballerinas in polished silver. 'Silver shoes temper blush pink from looking too sweet,' says Gaffey.
When it comes to comfort, the ballet flat has nothing on a pair of silver trainers, as sported by many a fashion editor – and Iris Law, who gilded a slinky jersey top and skirt with the Adidas Taekwondo shoe. Adidas’s SL 72, Onitsuka Tiger’s Mexico 66, and Asics Gel-Kayano 20 all serve a similar purpose, while trainer-inspired ballet shoes are the perfect hybrid of sporty and ladylike.
That’s not to say heels aren’t an option – they absolutely are, and according to Miuccia Prada, the higher the better. At Prada’s SS25 show, otherwise girlish outfits (namely a sage-green princess coat and pink tights) were given a futuristic twist via sharply pointed metallic pumps and space-age sunglasses, while Miu Miu leaned into the silver heel’s ‘80s associations, showcasing vertiginous, slingback stilettos – in peep and closed-toe form – which Lotta Volkova duly styled with fine-knit legwarmers.
There’s something powerful about a knife-like shoe. See too Florence Pugh, who wore a white Thierry Mugler suit (an archive piece from 1991) with a pair of silver stilettos to a recent TV appearance. Think of it as the 2020s version of power dressing – a little post-apocalyptic and one may argue, aptly so.
Foiled shoes have trodden red carpets for a while, and with good reason. Whatever the outfit, a silver heel just works. 'If you're ever at a loss for what shoes to wear with your dress, silver will be the answer,' says Gaffey, pointing out The Attico’s SS25 show, where foiled, peep-toe heels further amped up the glamour of naked party dresses made from lace ribbons and chandelier-like crystal drops.
'I love that silver is a neutral but offers a bit of "wow",' says Jessie Loeffler Randall, the woman behind New York-based brand Loeffler Randall and those famous pleated bow heels (which come in a rainbow of colours, including silver). 'I think gold has been such a trend for so long that silver feels newer and more modern.'
Prada’s razor-heel stilettos may not be suitable for the summer season’s calendar of events, specifically those that involve (oftentimes soggy) grass. Enter: the silver platform, searches for which have surged by 500% over the last month, according to influencer-led shopping platform, LTK. In fact, Jenna Ortega recently donned a pair to the Met Gala. The actor wore a custom Balmain dress made from metal rulers with a shoe from Christian Louboutin’s archive called the Sandaloo, which measures in at an eye-watering 6.3 inches. There’s no point in doing things by halves, after all.
The Best Silver Shoes To Shop Now
Aeyede Silver Mary Janes
Dear Frances Silver Ballet Pumps
Loeffler Randall Silver Ballet Flats
Le Monde Beryl Silver Pumps
Onitsuka Tiger Silver Trainers
Miu Miu Silver Slingbacks
Miista Silver Lace Ballerinas
Adidas SL 72 OG Trainers
Christopher Esber Silver Pumps
COS Silver Slingbacks
Aquazzura Silver Wedge Sandals
Christian Louboutin Silver Slingbacks
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