Ring the Alarm: Wedge Sandals Are Officially Back and Cooler Than Ever
Not to freak you out, but wedges are officially coming back from the dead. Whether you never stopped wearing them (kudos to you if so) or felt the need to ditch the style immediately post-graduation, everyone has a tumultuous relationship with the shoe style, so there's no denying that a 2023 return is literally shocking news. But before you fully freak out, the wedges that are coming back now are far from the chunky platform wedges you used to know. The shapes this year are much sleeker, and the designers behind them are much buzzier.
Thanks to Bottega Veneta and Khaite, 2023's wedges are defined by cutout heel shapes that could be works of art in their own right, and many other designers are following suit. With sculptural shapes and streamlined non-platform silhouettes, we'd even go so far as to say that wedges are *the* shoe trend of the moment, and the retailers carrying these styles you're about to see below are proving me right. Even the fall 2023 collections echoed this sentiment, with Ferragamo, Givenchy, and Missoni showing sleek wedges via slingback and Mary-Jane styles that convinced us this isn't just a one-off shoe moment—it's a whole trend movement. Now that spring has finally arrived, we're ready to depart from our old ways and preconceived notions and embrace the trend for all it's worth.
Ahead, see where we've charted 2023's wedge shoe trend from the runways to fashion people's feeds and then shop the pairs that are defining the movement.
When Bottega Veneta resurrects an age-old shoe trend with a slew of modern updates, you pay attention. This season, the brand introduced wedges in both standard pumps and the metal-adorned slingback style seen here, and they immediately piqued our interest. Not only did it mark the return of wedges in our minds, but the cutout heel shape is also an especially exciting update.
These have been causing a big stir in our editors' Slack channels since the day they first dropped. Between the curved shape of the heel and the tactful use of hardware, it's safe to say these are the designer shoes ranking highest on our wish lists right now.
Yep, it was love at first sight. We had already started to see this cutout heel shape percolate, but when this Tamara Mellon drop landed in our inboxes last week, it solidified wedges as the It style to know. The designer also informed us that this style features her built-in cloud-cushion sole for extra comfort. A win-win, if you ask us.
Up next, discover the 8 trendy basics that will become the foundation of my 2023 wardrobe.
Anna is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who has been a member of theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing team for over seven years, having begun her career in L.A. at brands like Michael Kors and A.L.C. As an editor, she has earned a reputation for her coverage of breaking trends, emerging brands, luxury shopping curations, fashion features, and more. Anna has penned a numberBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing cover interviews, including Megan Fox, Julia Garner, and Lilly Collins. She also leads the site’s emerging travel vertical that highlights all things travel and lifestyle through a fashion-person lens.
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