These Shoes Will Be The Protagonist Of Your Spring Style Story

We spent the bulk of the past year inside, devoting our precious closet space to matching sweatsuits and toiling over mattress reviews online — shoes were the last thing on our minds. But, now that we’re itching to spend a little more time outside, our appetite for fresh footwear is back. While we were busy trying out banana bread recipes and going to bed really early, designers and buyers were hard at work making sure we had pumped-up loafers, barely-there sandals, and woven slides to choose from when we emerged from our hibernation haze.

As Nordstrom fashion director Elizbeth Kanfer explained, “We were thinking about new ways of dressing that were driven by comfort and casual lifestyle, so we went into market [looking for] something modern, pared-down, but long-lasting and timeless.” And while the team was on the hunt for versatility, the ideal shoe was an “essential that did not look basic or boring — we wanted to start being optimistic through print and pattern.” Their intuition paid off — what’s trending at Nordstrom now, says Kanfer, “is anything that feels fun and emotional.” Adds Lisa Says Gah merchandising director Tori Freedman: “I think people are wanting to have fun with their shoes again!”

Personally, we couldn’t wait to step into some festive footwear again — so, in addition to consulting Kanfer and Freedman, we chatted with Zappos Style Room creative director Karrie Meiklereid and Katherine Theobalds (designer and founder behind the artisan shoe imprint Zou Xou), in an effort to determine which kicks to add to our wish lists this spring. They gave us a behind-the-scenes look at what’s on the horizon this season, from puffy leather slides to built-up bottoms and clogs (of course).