I Thought This Shoe Trend Was Dated, But These Elegant Spring Outfits Proved Me Wrong
White pointed-toe heels might make you nostalgic for an era post Indie Sleaze, but Dua Lipa and Zendaya just proved that they're making a quiet comeback.
Let me paint a picture for you: the year is 2011, you're about to go on a night out and you're listening to We Found Love by Rihanna. You're wearing a rarah skirt and tank top in a neon pink hue, and on your feet there are white pointed-toe heels. Life is good.
Fast-forward to today and the white pointed-toe heel, especially with a stiletto, is definitely seen as a little divisive. In terms of shoe trends, whilst being popular in the early 2010s, it fell out of favour by 2020, with some thinking it became a little passé. Many instead started wearing a more slender sandal, or even a shoe with a platform heel for comfort. Not only this, white shoes also carry an element of lacking practicality. Unlike darker hues like black, brown, even rich shades of burgundy, white shows up scuffs like no other.
All this being said, one thing we've learnt in fashion, is that everything comes back around. We already saw the evidence when the year 2016 was a trending topic on social media earlier this year, and the Valentino Garavani Rockstud shoes are also making their return this spring. So, when this week I spotted not only Zendaya but also Dua Lipa wearing this style of white heel, I knew a comeback was afoot.
Whilst Zendaya wore hers with a grey tailored two-piece that included a chic pair of long Bermuda shorts, an oversized blazer and a white shirt with long fluted sleeves—a pared back yet put together look—it was her brilliant white heels that 'popped' for me. The actress has been seen out and about a few times in the last few days promoting her latest film, The Drama, which also stars Rob Pattinson.
Similarly Dua Lipa, who needs no introduction in terms of her London cool-girl style, was also photographed wearing white pointed-toe stiletto heels this week. Where Zendaya chose to style hers with tailoring, Lipa wore hers with a black wool coat, with what appears to be a white dress worn below. I also noticed a peep of red sole, which can only mean one thing: hers must be Christian Louboutin.
As we approach spring and the weather gets warmer, we're looking to shoes suitable for sunnier climes. The white pointed-toe heel is exactly that: whether you wear them with tailoring, a dress, a skirt or even jeans, this once divisive shoe is back on our radar. The question is, will you be wearing it?
The Best White Pointed-Toe Heeled Shoes
Rebecca Rhys-Evans is a London-based fashion and beauty editor with a decade of editorial experience. She started working at Who What Wear UK in the summer of 2022, where she was hired to lead all branded content for the UK site. Be it styling the latest designer collections, or reviewing the most recent beauty skincare products, Rebecca is the voice (and often face) for Who What Wear UK’s commercial partnerships. A self-confessed internet obsessive, she loves all facets of content creation—be it writing, filming, art directing or styling—and revels in collaborating with brands to help harness their product and tell their story. Before Who What Wear, Rebecca contributed to FLANNELS.com, BURO., Polyester, Screenshot, Marie Claire, Refinery29 and Culture Trip, reporting on everything from internet culture, sustainability and trends.