Before writing this, we pulled the July search numbers, because trend lists are easy to invent and easy to get wrong. The data settled it. American shoppers ran about 182,000 searches for kitten heels last month. Platform sandals jumped to 82,000 searches against a twelve month average of 56,000. Ballet flats held near 70,000, and searches for wide width sandals came in 60 percent above their yearly average. Four trends, all live right now. Here is what each one looks like on real feet, and what we carry in sizes that actually fit.
Kitten heels topped every style we track
The low, slim heel has been creeping back for two seasons, and this summer it broke through. No shoe style pulled more searches in July. The appeal is honest: you get the line of a stiletto without the ache, and a heel under two inches survives a full day of standing.
Our pick is the Maru Dress Sandal ($89.95), a 1.55 inch stiletto with a small bow at the vamp. The wine colorway is the sleeper here. It reads summer now and carries straight into September. The black patent version is the safer buy if you want one pair that goes with everything.
Platform sandals are still climbing
Platform sandal searches ran 46 percent above their yearly average in July, and raffia is doing most of the work. The Pueblo Platform Sandal ($79.95) puts an all-over raffia weave on a 2.5 inch platform, which gives you height without a heel and a texture that works as well with denim as it does with a sundress. Sizes are already thinning out, so if yours is there, take it.
Ballet flats, and the mesh version in particular
Ballet flats have held a top spot in shoe searches for two years, but mesh is the version people are actually buying this summer. It breathes in July heat and dresses up more easily than a canvas sneaker. The Match Set Mesh Flat ($69.95) adds two slim straps with an adjustable buckle, so the fit stays put on wider feet instead of gapping at the sides. There is also a natural and black colorway if solid black feels too quiet.
Slingbacks for work and after
Slingback heels and slingback kitten heels both cracked the July list, which makes sense: the open back keeps a closed-toe shoe wearable in the heat. The Mayberry Slingback Pump ($79.95) pairs a structured pointed toe with a low block heel, steady enough for sidewalks and subway grates. The diamond mesh nude finish works with tailoring on Monday and denim on Saturday.
The quiet one: wide width searches are up 60 percent
Searches for wide width sandals rose more than 60 percent above their yearly average in July. Nobody who wears a 12W will find that surprising. Trend styles rarely come in wide sizes, which is the reason this shop exists. The Nia jeweled slide ($54.99) comes in gold and silver from 12W to 15W, with a padded footbed under a band of crystal. The Gold Diamond Slide ($54.99) runs the same range. Either one makes a plain outfit look decided.
The wide range sells through first around here. If your size is in stock today, that is the moment.