Why wearing mismatched shoes is now totally trendy

Remember back in 2019 when US Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon went viral on Twitter after she shared a photo of herself wearing a navy and black shoe to work?

“It’s 4:04 p.m. and I just noticed I’ve spent an entire day in two different shoes,” she wrote for a post that received more than 26,000 likes and hundreds of comments from people saying the he politician’s error was totally relatable.

Back then, wearing shoes that clashed together was considered a major faux pas, but in 2022, mismatched shoes are everywhere.

Take Paris Hilton, for example. The reality star and fashion icon wore similar but different heels – one bare, the other bare with silver embellishments – when she appeared on The Tonight Show earlier this year, with the host Jimmy Fallon posting on Instagram to point out the “mistake”.

“When you’re rushing out of the house in the wrong shoes,” the post read — as if the LA style queen didn’t mean to pair her designer stilettos.

The trend isn’t just for women either. The new Ellesse Tanker tennis shoes are available in two colors – light blue for the left shoe and dark blue for the right.

Inspired by 80s tennis stars, the collection is modeled by Instagram star Franklin aka King of Trainers, so who are we to argue?

Ellesse track jacket, £75; Track pants, £50; Tanker Trainers, £100, available from Offspring from July 30

Spanish shoe brand Camper offers a wide range of styles for men and women with ironically named Twins, with colorful sandals, leather lace-ups and even slippers in contrasting designs.

Camper Twins Mens Multicolored Leather Sandals, £93 (was £125)

Paris Hilton isn’t the only celebrity to be a fan of the trend. In fact, trailblazing stars have been wearing unmistakable shoes on the red carpet for years.

Helena Bonham Carter landed on many “worst dressed” lists when she defied the old adage “red and green are not to be seen” with her satin heels at the 2011 Golden Globes.

Responding to the criticism she has faced, the actor said: “Fashion is all about having fun. I think fashion has been hijacked by the fashion industry creating rules on what ‘we have to wear and I want to break the mold and see that the world won’t fall apart.

Offbeat style queen Sarah Jessica Parker has donned contrasting heels on several occasions, including at the 2016 Met Gala, when she paired a white suit with blue satin pumps, each with a different embellishment down the front.

From time to time, runway designers like to experiment with irregular shoes. When Celine launched red and white boots as part of her Spring/Summer 2017 collection, they proved popular with street style stars.

More recently, Alessandro Michele sent a model on the Gucci Resort 2023 show with one black and one white shoe to match the mid-slit outfit.

So while the trend isn’t exactly new, the difference this time around is that you don’t need to buy two pairs of shoes to put together your own contrasting ensemble – which is a one point bonus. financial view.

There are plenty of options on the high street and online, with everything from chunky sandals and everyday trainers to dazzling high heels in offbeat designs.

LRNCE Bhal Bhal nude sandals, £115

As designers — and shoppers — embrace individualism more than ever, mismatched shoes are a cool way for fashion fans to break the so-called rules and stand out from the crowd.