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I’m going to ask you to think way back to when you first started dressing yourself, and honestly, I’m tearing up just thinking about baby Eva getting to experience the wonders of her closet (and the freedom to choose her own outfit) for the first time. Don’t get me wrong: My mom dressed me so well, and I’m always reminded of it when I look back at baby pictures. But there’s something about dressing yourself as an itty-bitty baby that’s so special; there’s complete creative freedom, an innocence that we sometimes tend to lose as we get older and more aware of “societal expectations.” When you’re young, you can wear what you want and no one will say anything, like mismatched shoes — something we definitely all did.
The funny thing is that some of these dressing “mistakes” we made as kids, like clashing patterns and mismatched shoes, are actually coming back in style — just take a look at Sarah Jessica Parker’s latest outfit for proof of the latter. The shoe designer, who walks to the beat of her own drum when it comes to fashion, recently arrived at the flagship SJP Collection store wearing a sleek white peacoat complete with diamond-encrusted buttons, a frilly dress that subtly peeked out from her coat, a studded shoulder bag, and mismatched heels.
Parker wore one turquoise pump, embellished with pearls, and one black heel, also embellished with pearls, and now I’m really considering switching up my footwear game to make it more “controversial.” What was once a fashion faux pas is now officially an SJP-backed style move that I can’t stop thinking about. Because honestly, wearing the same two shoes is boring, and sometimes, breaking a fashion rule can be so exhilarating (especially if it looks as good as it does on Parker).
Parker isn’t the first to pull off the mismatched shoe trend, and she won't be the last (mark my words). Florence Pugh rocked one black boot and one white boot during a recent NYC outing, proof that clashing styles work for every type of footwear, whether that’s heels à la SJP (and her iconic on-screen character, Carrie Bradshaw) or knee-high leather boots.
The nice thing about the trend is that it’s easy to get into. Yes, brands are unveiling their own take on the mismatched shoe trend, like these Sam Edelman sandals that are available in a slew of mismatched-yet-coordinating colors. But if you don’t find a pair you like, an easy hack is to buy two sets of the same shoe — in different colors or prints, of course — and et voilà, you can mix and match the styles to get that contrasting look while staying comfortable.
Sure, you can try with totally different shoes, but the key to making the mismatched trend look refined is to stick with the same style, with the only difference being the color or pattern of said shoe. Shop some mismatched shoes below to channel your inner child (and SJP, of course).
Get the Look:
Circus by Sam Edelman Bobbie Ankle Strap Sandal
Shop now: $90; nordstrom.com
Charlotte Stone Raf in Solimar
Shop now: $258; charlotte-stone.com
Camper Twins Mismatched Boots
Shop now: $188 (Originally $235); nordstrom.com
Ugo Paulon Patel 50MM Mismatch Thong Sandals
Shop now: $520; farfetch.com
Camper Twins Mismatched Loafers
Shop now: $210; nordstrom.com
Ugo Paulon Gibbs 100MM Mismatch Sandals
Shop now: $370; farfetch.com
Jeffrey Campbell Fluxx Sandal
Shop now: $84–$130; nordstrom.com
Steve Madden Lessa Platform Ankle Strap Sandal
Shop now: $60–$110; nordstrom.com
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