These Are the Biggest Winter Shoe Trends, Period

This season, winter fashion has been taken up a notch. Rather than reaching for classic trench coats and black skinny jeans, fashion girls everywhere have been opting for amped-up pieces, and we're all for it. Wearing bright colors and forward silhouettes is the new normal, and footwear is no exception.

Winter footwear this season—everything from boots to flats to heels—is far from boring. While we’ll always love our trusty staples come the cooler seasons, it may be time to swap out your old classics for something a little bolder. Sure, classic styles will always be important in your wardrobe, but adapting to this season’s trendiest shoe styles is a surefire (and easy) way to instantly up your fashion game this season. Shoes have a transformative power, so even wearing one of this season’s trendiest pairs will make anything look automatically cooler—even jeans and a tee. 

If you’re at a loss for where to start, we’ve done the hard part for you. Below, we’ve broken down the biggest shoe trends of winter 2020. So whether you’re on the hunt for some new boots or perhaps a new pair of party shoes, these are the styles to have on your radar. Read on to discover the biggest winter shoe trends to add to your closet now.

Hot Pink

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(Image credit: @styleheroine)

If you're looking to add some color to your wardrobe, you can't go wrong with hot pink heels—the color trend that has been popular during 2019 and will continue to be huge moving into 2020.

Shop the trend:

Pumps with tights

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(Image credit: @annarvitiello)

This shoe trend is more about the styling. Pumps are back in a big way, but the coolest way to wear them this winter? Paired with tights.

Shop the trend:

Wide-Shaft Boots

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(Image credit: @toteme)

Wide-shaft boots are the fresh trend that will truly explode next year. Dive deeper into it here, where I'm breaking down exactly why it's set to take off and the coolest ways to wear it.

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Shearling Boots

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Shearling boots have been a rising trend ever since they were spotted on the Celine runway. Look for shearling-lined styles like the versions here and pair them with skinny jeans.

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Chunky Sole Boots

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(Image credit: @tylynnnguyen)

No matter if you're style veers minimal or maximal, there is a chunky sole boot you'll want in your closet this winter.

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Knee-High Boots

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(Image credit: @angelafink)

Knee-high boots have emerged as one of the must-own silhouettes to wear now and long into the new year, whether paired with jeans, trousers, dresses, or midi skirts.

Zebra-Print Boots

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(Image credit: @aimeesong)

Zebra is the animal print that has replaced other popular ones like leopard. If you want a shoe that adds a bold element to your winter wardrobe, this trend is for you.

Shop the trend:

Next, discover the best pieces to buy from Net-a-Porter, Shopbop, and Nordstrom.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.