You didn’t need to be front row last season to know that silver was the colour of the year (strong contenders also being red and pink, of course). Reflective accessories, foiled outwear and sparkling paillettes featured heavily on our Instagram feeds and at fashion week, both on runways and outside the shows, too. And the style set's love for magpie dressing shows no sign of abating in 2024.
Despite designers Gucci, Versace and Chanel making a case for silver tones over the past few seasons, it was in the last year that mirrored accessories hit the mainstream. Perhaps we have H&M’s Space Age inspired collaboration with Rabanne to thank for silver mania, or maybe it was Beyoncé’s sell-out Renaissance tour that put shiny hues back on the map. Not only did the star commission Jimmy Choo to design 41 custom shimmery shoes, but her shows also invited celebrities attending the concert to don metallics (notable mentions go to Kris Jenner’s mirrored trench coat and Tracee Ellis Ross’s sequin disk dress).
Meanwhile at fashion weeks across the globe, editors and influencers showed us the new casual way to do silver with reflective mini bags, Wales Bonner's silver Sambas with baggy denim, and XL glittery trousers styled with Noughties tanks – proving that the metallic trend is now more wearable than ever. In fact, silver basically became a new neutral; as we swapped black leather trousers for foil styles and incorporated mirrored accents into our everyday uniform.
If you’re looking for a less obvious nod to metals, silver boots are key to nailing 2024’s biggest colour trend. While statement trousers and shiny tote bags come and go, the demand for silver boots is only growing – with searches having nearly doubled since this time last year. So, it's no surprise really that the reflective pairs are currently top of ELLE UK's wish list.
How To Wear Silver Boots
The beauty of a great silver boot is that you don’t need to treat it differently to your favourite black or brown iterations. A mirrored shoe does all the hard work for you when it comes to curating an outfit: wear a knee-high style with a basic LBD and black wool overcoat, or mix and match metallics for a truly playful party look. To make your choice less disco and more daytime, we suggest keeping things simple and styling silver boots with boyfriend denim, white shirts and oversized tailoring.
Best Silver Knee High Boots
Without a doubt, the fashion set’s favourite silver boot is the knee-high iteration. We’ve spotted them at Saint Laurent and Chanel, set on sleek stiletto heels or wearable wedges. There’s no need to be intimidated by this trend: if you’re not ready to brave it in a mini, let a flash of metallic peak out from beneath a midi hemline. Ease yourself into this one with Jigsaw and Hush’s wearable kitten heeled pairs.
Zara
Zara
Best Silver Ankle Boots
Arguably the easiest way to tap into the silver boot trend is with a classic ankle-grazing style. Style yours for work with flared trousers or go full Nineties with satin skirts and louche knits. With sturdy block heels and sock silhouettes, these versions from Mango, Proenza Schouler and Arket are real capsule wardrobe heroes. While Warehouse's exposed zip design is an affordable alternative to Balenciaga’s celeb-approved metallic Cagole pair.
Mango
Arket
Proenza Schouler
Best Silver Cowboy Boots
No longer an ephemeral trend and now a fashion set staple, cowboy boots are officially the shoe of the moment. So, it’s unsurprising that the likes of Isabel Marant, Bimba y Lola and Whistles have released silver iterations of the beloved western style. Steer clear of fancy dress territory by swapping mini hemlines for billowing maxis when styling silver cowboy boots or tuck this year’s coveted barrel-leg jeans into them this winter.
Isabel Marant
