Spring Shoe Fashion 2010

I love when the seasons start to change because it’s always an excuse to buy more shoes. Even though everything is covered in snow, I’m already looking forward to updating my shoe collection for spring.

So here are the spring shoe trends I’m most excited about…

Bright Statement Pumps

These are so refreshing and just plain fun when compared to winter’s darker and edgier heels. Any bright color and/or exciting pattern will do for this look, but florals will probably be your safest bet if you’re worried about standing out too much. Keep it classy by sticking with conservative shapes and cuts; the excitement should all be in the pattern.

Glammed Up Gladiators

I have to admit, I was really slow to pick up on the gladiator trend — in fact, I still do not currently own a pair of gladiators. They’re back again, though, and with more bells and whistles than ever. This year’s gladiators seem to be moving up the ankle, with straps and also a scrunchy hooded look that I’m quite fond of.

For the most flattering look, get these in a nude color so they don’t cut off the line of your leg, but if you want to assert your fashionista side, try black or a bold solid.

Unconventional Flats

As the weather slowly warms up and it no longer feels like torture to expose your feet, it’ll be time to start trading out your heavy winter boots for whimsical spring flats. I adore the huge variety of styles to experiment with this year. These playful looks will definitely add that “pop” to any outfit.

Oxfords and oxford-inspired styles are all over the place, as are demure vintage looks. You could also experiment with the canvas sneaker effect — classic Keds make a great investment piece.

The Winner
And here is my absolute favorite shoe from this week’s browsing adventures:

It doesn’t really follow any of the trends I just described above but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m crazy about it. I love the shape, the height, the colors, the perfect combination of simplicity and detail; the other side also has a beautiful exposed zipper, see here. This just goes to show that while fashion trends are fun and make for great inspiration, you sometimes need to look beyond what everyone else is scrambling over to find what you’re in love with.