I Thought These Shoes Looked Cheap—French Women Just Changed My Mind

Whenever the warmer months roll around, I find myself in the midst of a familiar dilemma. To white shoe or not to white shoe? This is a question I contemplate on an annual basis. I like the idea of white shoes, as they go with everything and have the power to make every outfit feel fresh and springlike. But whenever I've tried on a pair, be they boots, heels or sandals, they've always looked a little, for lack of a better word, cheap. As such, I've never actually bought a pair of white shoes. Now, however, I may be convinced otherwise. 

No one can influence my style like French women. I've spent years trying to emulate the way they put their outfits together, and if I'm being honest with myself, I don't know if I've quite cracked their je ne sais quoi just yet. Still, I scan the feeds belonging to my favourite French content creators daily looking for snippets of style inspiration, and upon my latest scroll, it became instantly apparent that white shoes are a big deal to French women right now. In the space of a few seconds, I came across an array of Gallic women wearing white shoes with relaxed trousers, miniskirts and jeans—all of whom looked very chic in the process. Turns out, I may be a white-shoe fan after all. 

Scroll on to see how French women are wearing the white-shoe trend this season, then proceed to shop my edit of the best pairs on the market. 

How French Women Are Wearing the White-Shoe Trend

Anne-Laure wears white ballet flats with Fendi Baguette bag, lace skirt and large-fit t-shirt.

Aïda pairs her white sandals with a monochrome ensemble for easy elegance. 

Julie opts for a chic look involving a white skirt, blue-stripe shirt and white loafers. 

Shop the White-Shoe Trend

Next Up: The 8 Best Shoes to Wear With Wide-Leg Trousers

This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.