7 Heel Trends That Are Totally Outdated

Heels are a staple shoe in every woman's wardrobe and the concept of the high heel truly never goes out of style. Originally invented for men to help keep their feet in horse stirrups, the shoes were eventually adopted by women who loved the feminine shape the elevated height of heels gave their bodies, not to mention the powerful feeling they got when wearing them (via Malone Souliers). Obviously, while heeled shoes never go out of style, trends change that influence the structure and look of heels, dictating what's "in" and what's "out."

After a couple of years in the house, we are happy to have places to wear our heels again, which shows in the heel trends of the season. As evidenced by the runway shows of Versace, Saint Laurent, and Loewe, this fall we are giving up crazy bold statements and going back to the basics that we missed. If you are ready to get on the hottest heel trends of the season, we have curated a guide revealing which styles of heels are outdated and which you should snatch up the next time you go shopping.

Remember when Loewe's broken egg heels were all the rage on social media, with some loving and some hating the look? While they were once a hit, bold heel styles like that are now out for the season. Rather than make a statement with crazy heels this fall, turn to the bright sparkle of crystals. Crystal heels are just enough to glam up an outfit without being too "out there." It seems that all the top brands are hopping on the trend from luxury retailers to fast-fashion brands.

Rather than bright neon colors, we are sticking with classic metallics this fall. A few years ago bright colors were all the rage, but now it is all about the shine! Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus even named metallics as trending in the shoe category.

While silver and gold seem to be the most popular metallic colors, we are also seeing other colors in the wild, such as copper and rose gold. Metallic heels seem to be a favorite of celebs as well, with high-profile names like Gwen Stefani showing off the look on Instagram.

Basic black heels are as big of a staple as the classic little black dress. And while they never truly go out of style, there are much trendier styles to experiment with this fall, such as untraditional clog heels.

Clogs are back in a big way this fall and clog heels are no exception. They elevate even the most basic looks, figuratively and literally, and come in a variety of styles. We have seen them in rubber form, wood form, and leather form. Even actress Jennifer Garner has made a case for clogs in her wardrobe (via Footwear News).

If we have learned anything over the past two years, it is that comfort is key! So why would we still waste time by making ourselves miserable in sky-high stilettos? Instead, we are leaning towards pointed slingbacks with kitten heels.

The long-time classic has made its way back around in the trend cycle. Brands like Gucci are well on board, with their GG slingback pumps. These heels can spice up basic jeans or top off an already luxe look, without the annoyance and discomfort of a tall heel.

Lace-up gladiator heels were on everyone's radar not long ago, but Versace was quick to replace the outdated trend with a new favorite: chunky platforms. With the appearance of Versace's Medusa Aevitas heel back in the fall of 2021, came plenty of dupes copying the chunky platform trend. 

Today, we see the same trendy style being showcased on shoes from other luxe retailers and fast-fashion brands alike. It is for sure a celeb-favorite shoe style that we don't see going away anytime soon, as even Beyoncé has hopped aboard the trend (via Instagram).

In 2016 and '17, the sock boot was having a serious moment. The second skin boot that trend forecasters at Who What Wear predicted would fizzle by 2019 is finally being put to rest. These boots reigned supreme recently during an era when oversized totes and grandpa sneakers were all the rage, per Highsnobiety. We had yet to reach our Y2K nostalgia paradigm where fashion took a futuristic right turn. Boots have since become longer and chunkier with large platforms, post-apocalyptic metal detailing, and flirty swing tassels. We're looking at you, Balenciaga Cagole Knee-Highs.

Five years ago, you'd be hard-pressed not to find platform booties everywhere. The heightened wooden heel and ankle cut-off boots were the biggest heel trends of 2014 and '15. Bloggers like Wardrobe Oxygen, a personal shopper and visual merchandiser, dubbed the shoes as a "beautifully grained heel" that's both "classy" and "chic." Fast forward to 2022 and we've traded wooden platform boots for mules and clogs. What we previously thought of as ugly grandma shoes have now become some of the trendiest shoes of the year, according to Today News. Fashion trend analyst Veronika Lipar also named wooden clogs one of the most fashionable trends of 2022.