I Live in NYC and See These 5 Specific Shoe Trends Everywhere I Look

There's not a lot of time for BS when it comes to footwear in New York City. People are bizzay. They're walking here! There are cobblestone streets and subway steps to contend with, not to mention those super-steep, death-trap stairs at Prada's Mercer Street entrance. Work boots and competitive athleticwear aside, footwear on the streets of NYC has to work harder than just about anywhere else, so if a shoe or sandal trend is trending here, it feels like it's really earned it.

I truly love peeping what's going on below the ankles of people in the city. It's where my eyes wander any time I'm waiting at a street corner, sitting on the L, or sitting at an outside table at Casetta or anywhere else with great foot traffic. I'm always on the lookout for what's trending in this fair city and love to talk about it, so humor me by letting me chat you through the five great footwear moments that are dominating the streets right now.

Minimalistic Sandals

More than any other style, I'm noticing super-minimal, flat sandals in classic black and brown, from trending leather toe loops to… What's the opposite of a toe loop? (See the Tkees style below—it's hard to explain!)

Knee-High Boots

The closer I get to Dimes Square, the more I'm seeing boots teamed with breezy sundresses. It's a very specific downtown vibe—extremely cool, a little romantic, and perfect for people who have to GSD (get shit done) around the city on a Saturday when it's 90° before settling down at Le Dive for an orange wine.

Red Styles

I love the way New Yorkers have collectively decided that the red trend has staying power. From flip-flops to strappy heels to mesh flats, the vibe is that this is still what we're adding to low-key, neutral outfits to let the world know we're not totally asleep at the wheel.

Two-Tone Flats

Two-tone Mary Janes and ballet flats really are everywhere I look right now, giving a preppy little something to outfits from SoHo to the UES. Slingback versions feel the coolest, in my humble opinion, especially when you get into iterations like Alexandre Birman's metallic toe-capped suede style below.

Jelly Sandals

It just wouldn't be summer without some kind of footwear from The Row going viral, and the latest style to do so is the jelly Mara flats. Originally recognizable from The Row's pre-fall runway last September, the sold-out style is now usually seen peeping out from below tables at Gem Wine. Love 'em or hate 'em, jellies are a force to be reckoned with, from rubber flip-flops to fisherman sandals to perforated flats.