Think of the phrase 'everyday shoes', and it's highly likely that trainers will immediately spring to mind. Comfortable, casual, versatile, and cooler than ever thanks to designer collaborations and trend-centric, limited-edition styles, the humble sports shoe has gone from gym-only to must-have wardrobe staple over the past few years – and the obsession is showing no signs of slowing down, either.
But recent seasons have shown that a new style of shoe is rising the ranks among the fashion set, and swiftly overtaking the trainer as the cool girl's daily go-to. As we enter summer, let us introduce the everyday heel.
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While the concept itself might seem contradictory, this new wave of heel is far from the sky-high stilettos and ankle-breaking platforms seen on the front-rows of yore. Nowadays, the street style set favours footwear practical enough to go from show to pub to party, but that offers a certain level of elegance, too – and so demand for lower heels that are equal parts chic and comfortable has gone through the roof.
'Lower heels for everyday wear have spiked in popularity since lockdown,' says Amy Bannerman, eBay’s Pre-Loved Style Director. 'It would seem that stiletto lovers and high-heel wearers retired their tallest shoes and now opt for more practical options for everyday. The rising trend of nineties and noughties fashion also saw the return of the kitten heel, with today’s designers reinterpreting the classic shoe in bolder colours and designs.'
Sling-back, pointy-toe kitten heels in particular seem to be having a moment right now, thanks in large part to brands like Miu Miu, Gucci and Prada, who have made them a staple of recent collections. On the SS25 runways – and the streets outside – we saw them paired with everything from wide-leg jeans and oversize tailoring to micro-shorts and mini-dresses.
The Best Designer Everyday Heels To Shop Now
Jimmy Choo Scarlett 50 Leopard Print Pony Pumps
St. Agni Leather-Trimmed Calf Hair Pumps
Gucci Signoria Embellished Patent-Leather Slingback Pumps
Stella McCartney Spur Satin Pumps
Prada Prada Satin mules
Jil Sander Leather Pumps
Toteme Toteme Croc-effect leather slingback pumps
The Row Viv Leather Pumps
Ferragamo Gyoia Bow-Embellished Patent-Leather Pumps
The move to full-time office attendance, as well as the subsequent rise of the workwear aesthetic, have certainly contributed to the return of the everyday heel, too. The new lower, more comfortable styles, however, offer all the same smartness and polish, minus the sore feet that come from spending all day in spindly stilettos.
'In recent years there has been an overall trend for casualisation, which is why lower heels have been particularly popular,' explains Sandra Choi, creative director of Jimmy Choo. 'I think the popularity for the lower heel height will continue – the feminine elegance of this silhouette is the perfect contrast to minimalist and androgynous tailoring. There is also a trend for voluminous clothing coming through – the extra lift of a small heel, rather than a flat, is helpful to balance the silhouette.'
Indeed, Jimmy Choo's buzziest new styles have been decidedly more on the lower (heel) end compared with the years prior. The brand's bright-red, lace-up-detail Scarlett 50 pumps were the undisputed must-have shoe of last London Fashion Week, and have just been released in fabulous metallic silver, dusty blue and leopard-print pony-skin iterations that are already flying off shelves. The just-dropped Staz mules (as worn by Chloë Sevigny in Jimmy Choo's Spring 2025 campaign), Stevie pumps and Didi slingbacks are also high on many fashion editors' new-season wish-lists. All have a humble heel height of 50mm or lower.
And while Choi is particularly partial to designing shoes worthy of being the focal point of an outfit – that 'make a statement but also bring an element of joy to fashion', as she puts it – everyday heels of the more plain, restrained and 'sensible' kind are also on the rise, thanks to The Row, Jil Sander and Proenza Schouler's minimalist, ladylike designs.
In short, there's an everyday heel for everyone, and embracing the trend is more about approach than buying into an exact style. 'The perfect everyday heel should feel like an extension of yourself, something comfortable and not a nuisance,' summarises Choi. 'It’s all about being practical in your choice of footwear.' And for once, that doesn't just mean trainers...
The Best High Street Everyday Heels To Shop Now
&Other Stories Embellished Slingback Pumps
Arket Heeled Leather Mules
Zara Leather & Sheepskin Kitten Heels
Zara Leather Strap Heeled Shoes
COS Pointed Leather Slingback Kitten Heels
Zara Zebra-Print Fur Sandals
Massimo Dutti Split Suede Heeled Shoes
Zara Kitten Heel Strappy Shoes
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Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
