This 'Dated' Shoe Trend Is Officially Coming Back For Spring

By Swedan MargenMarch 20, 2026

Let me paint a picture for you: the year is 2011, you're about to go on a night out and you're listening to We Found Love by Rihanna. You're wearing a rarah skirt and tank top in a neon pink hue, and on your feet there are white pointed-toe heels. Life is good.

Fast-forward to today and the white pointed-toe heel, especially with a stiletto, is definitely seen as a little divisive. In terms of shoe trends, whilst being popular in the early 2010s, it fell out of favour by 2020, with some thinking it became a little passé. Many instead started wearing a more slender sandal, or even a shoe with a platform heel for comfort. Not only this, white shoes also carry an element of lacking practicality. Unlike darker hues like black, brown, even rich shades of burgundy, white shows up scuffs like no other.

All this being said, one thing we've learnt in fashion, is that everything comes back around. We already saw the evidence when the year 2016 was a trending topic on social media earlier this year, and the Valentino Garavani Rockstud shoes are also making their return this spring. So, when this week I spotted not only Zendaya but also Dua Lipa wearing this style of white heel, I knew a comeback was afoot.

Whilst Zendaya wore hers with a grey tailored two-piece that included a chic pair of long Bermuda shorts, an oversized blazer and a white shirt with long fluted sleeves—a pared back yet put together look—it was her brilliant white heels that 'popped' for me. The actress has been seen out and about a few times in the last few days promoting her latest film, The Drama, which also stars Rob Pattinson.

Similarly Dua Lipa, who needs no introduction in terms of her London cool-girl style, was also photographed wearing white pointed-toe stiletto heels this week. Where Zendaya chose to style hers with tailoring, Lipa wore hers with a black wool coat, with what appears to be a white dress worn below. I also noticed a peep of red sole, which can only mean one thing: hers must be Christian Louboutin.

As we approach spring and the weather gets warmer, we're looking to shoes suitable for sunnier climes. The white pointed-toe heel is exactly that: whether you wear them with tailoring, a dress, a skirt or even jeans, this once divisive shoe is back on our radar. The question is, will you be wearing it?