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Kitten heels have been teasing a return for a while now, with Prada and Miu Miu slingback pump styles debuting in spring of 2022.
Worn by literally every fashionable celebrity and influencer under the sun including the likes of Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid — we thought the kitten heel was destined to be a moment in time for big European design houses.
During fashion month, however, with almost every notable designer showcasing their upcoming designs across Milan, New York, Paris and London, kitten heels kept popping up as a shoe trend we couldn’t ignore.
Whether it be a pointy-toed Mary Jane style kitten heel pump, like the above featured in the Martine Sitbone AW23 show in Paris, or the below origami-inspired kitten heel pump for Prada’s SS23 collection, the kitten heel is well and truly resurfacing.
Prada and Miu Miu’s popular styles can be styled to be casual or edgy — worn with flared jeans or ripped denim mini skirts — as well as preppy and classy — worn with a pinafore-style dress or something fitted and metallic. These new, more feminine styles, however, lean into the pretty and dainty realm of ultra-feminine footwear.
They’re giving 18th-century court shoes. They’re giving a ball scene in “Bridgerton“. They’re giving Cinderella’s glass slipper, minus the need for a Prince Charming.
Even this minimal kitten heel sandal from the Gabriela Hearst AW23 collection shown at NYFW is giving femme — in a more basic staple kind of way.
If you’re a naturally more gender-neutral dresser, but feel compelled to dabble in some feminine energy — kitten heels could be a great way to bring some delicacy to your outfit. They’re also an amazing alternative to stilettos, as they’re abundantly easier to walk — and look generally graceful — in.
Additionally, they’re a beautiful way to wear a dainty shoe without excessive extra height — especially if you’re a tall queen.
Scroll down to shop four kitten heels that have just landed from some of our favourite Australian shoe brands.
