SS12 Shoe Trend Alert: Ankle Straps

The trend alerts continue, and they’re comin’ on strong.

We’ve covered some of the patterns already, but if I had to predict one thing that’ll show up most come next spring, it’s not white or buckles or shiny shiny gold (though here are drive-by pics to show that Zac Posen has also jumped on the C3PO train, as has Thakoon… love those gilded toe caps!).

It’s ankle straps.

Yep.  Some are thin, like these Zac Posen’s or the Derek Lam ones I posted about earlier.  But mostly, we’re getting thick ankle straps that fasten in all kinds of interesting ways.

There are zips, like at the Custo Barcelona show:

There are ties, like these at the Timo Weiland show:

And, of course, there are buckles (buckles!), like that last Timo Weiland shoe above, like the ones at Christian Siriano a few days ago or like the show to which I will dedicate the rest of this post, because the shoes were gorgeous and spring-like and made me want to get all flirty in the sunshine: DKNY.  So feast your eyes on these pretty pretty puppies, and let the Fashion Week shoe parade march on.

SS12 Fashion Week Footwear: Derek Lam and Tommy Hilfiger

You know those multiple choice “Determine Your Style” quizzes you always find in fashion magazines and websites where they ask you a bunch of questions like “What essentials do have with you at all times?” and then they give you choices that run all the way from a) Wallet, phone, keys, and I’m good through to d) An extra pair of shoes, a change of earrings, 3 lipsticks, a rainproof trench, an Hermes scarf, the hottest smartphone of the moment, 12 credit cards, my e-reader, and the duffel-bag-sized purse to hold it all.

Yeah, those.

Anyway, I always come out of those being the girl who’s based in the classics and jazzes things up with accessories and mixtures of color and material.  So it should come as no surprise that as SS12 Fashion Week continues, my two favorite footwear collections so far have been Derek Lam and Tommy Hilfiger, both designers whose visions are based in the classics (of American sportswear) and jazzed up with mixtures of color and material.

Derek Lam took some simple silhouettes and combined texture and detail in playful ways, seen up at the top of this post.  And Tommy Hilfiger did this collection of loafers and boat shoes gone upscale in bright bold colors.  The mix of fabrics and patterns and patent leather and gold (love those stripes on the heels) have just about made me swoon.

Runway to Retail: Miu Miu’s Trompe L’oeil Glitter Heels

Miu Miu’s Fall 2010 runway styles have switched away from the narrow-heeled styles that we have been seeing from so many designers in recent seasons.  Miuccia also seems to have done away with the platform entirely (there may be about 1/4 inch at the ball of the foot, which is just enough to make for a nicely-padded foot-bed). Instead of the the expected platforms, she has created a very high, forward-swept, gracefully-chunky* heel silhouette. These shoes have a very solid feel to them and are made of mixed materials for an overall, layered look. Miuccia is playing with contrasts of textures and materials this season.

* And just how often do we find these two adjectives hanging out together?

On the runway, these shoes were the final glam touch to conservatively cut outfits that were also matched with luxe, over-sized clutches. These are shoes for the modern gal who is looking to add some 40′s-era elegance to her fall wardrobe.

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SS12 Fashion Week Footwear: Spats at Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham’s show was full of clothes that look like Posh herself could show up wearing them somewhere, which I suppose is the mark of a successful celebrity designer.  Her clothes are exactly what you’d buy if you wanted to dress like La Beckham… and weighed approximately 90 pounds.

I’m not hugely blown away by the clothes (though they’re relatively wearable–I’d take that dress on the left pretty quick), but I LOVE her massive use of spats!

The majority of her outfits were accompanied by this often overlooked shoe accessory.  There were over-the-knee spats and snakeskin spats and zip-back spats and more.  Here are a few shots.

Now if only spats could show up in stores come Spring 2012.  I’ll keep my fingers (or, I guess, more properly, my toes) crossed for it.

Spring 2012 Shoe Trends: Buckles and Gold

The shoes keep on strutting down the runways, and we’re starting to see some recurring patterns that are making me happy.  If Spring 2012 brings these to bear fruit, we shall all be well-shod little ponies, friends.

Buckles, Buckles, BUCKLES

The models at the Christian Siriano (left), Duro Olowu (center), and Band of Outsiders (right) shows trotted out pretty pretty shoes that combine texture and color and material beautifully.  And WITH BUCKLES!!  I love me a shoe with buckles in lots of places.

Shiny Shiny Gold

Some designers are deploying this trend sparingly, like at the Erin Fetherston show (left), and some are going full-on Midas, like Cynthia Rowley (center).  And there there’s Jill Stuart (right), who’s doing some of both (note the mixing of pastels and gold on the front model’s shoe and the more prominent gold on the retreating model).

Not only do I love me some buckles, but I also never outgrew the little girl lust for SHINY, so the gold trend will also probably be gracing my shoe collection come next spring/summer.