In 2026, we’re as obsessed with ’90s style as we’ve ever been – and that goes for the shoes, too. Decades after Carrie Bradshaw (and her designer Mary-Jane habit) arrived on our screens, a quick glance pavement-wards at fashion week reveals footwear trends that are still ’90s inflected.
Take the two-tone pumps that are right back at the top of the fashion agenda thanks to the dawn of Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel – Linda Evangelista wore a similar pair on the house’s spring/summer 1992 runway. (Dior also has its own answer to the black-and-white heel, which all of its show-goers just wore in Paris.) The heeled red loafer that Helena Christensen wore on the Gucci runway for autumn/winter 1995, meanwhile, feels every bit as current as we head into 2026.
From mule sandals to square toes, Vogue dissects six ’90s-inspired heel trends to reacquaint yourself with for spring 2026 – assuming, that is, you ever let them go in the first place.
Vogue’s edit of the ’90s heels that are trending again in 2026
Vogue has already dubbed these “granny shoes” (complimentary). Chanel’s spring/summer 2026 footwear line-up really encapsulates this particular trend, via classic two-toned pumps with a sensible heel and an almond toe, which were sent down the catwalk with relaxed co-ords, trouser suits and extravagant ball skirts. Need more convincing? Michelle Obama has already worn them.
Helena Christensen wearing a strategically unbuttoned shirt, skin-tight trousers and oxblood horsebit loafers? It has to be ’90s Gucci. The difference between that era’s loafers and today’s? In 2026, they’re especially office-appropriate, with a modest heel that elongates the line of tailored pants.
A mule sandal perfectly encapsulates ’90s minimalism. Think Kate Moss on the Marc Jacobs catwalk wearing a perfectly ladylike heel. While black mule sandals go with anything, red versions look especially appealing ahead of spring.
Guests on the front row at Dior’s Haute Couture show tottered into the venue wearing square-toed heels whose directional shape contrasted with a little bow detail. This square toe shape has found its way onto flats and boots as well as heels, so don’t expect it to go anywhere soon.
A Marmite shoe if there ever was one, PVC sandals haven’t changed much since the ’90s, tending to feature either a single thick strap or two more slender fastenings – both creating a barely-there effect you’ll find either liberating or exposing.
The ’90s Versace woman was the epitome of glamour, from her coiffed crop to her vertiginous heels – in this case rendered in chartreuse satin. Today’s court shoes look just as good (and feel even better) with a kitten heel.
