11 Men’s Shoe Trends For 2023, Including Pedro Pascal’s Sustainable Sneaks
There’s often a fine line to walk between dressing tastefully and on-trend without overdoing it. If you know, you know, you might say. And oftentimes, nailing that difficult balance starts from the ground up—with your shoes, of course. The best men’s shoe trends for 2023 leave enough wiggle room for every taste and every budget.
There’s room for every type of shoe in your closet, one suited for every situation: be it dressy days at the office, nights on the town or weekends lounging in the park. There’s a way to rise to the occasion (with some help from your footwear) to help you feel on trend in the year 2023. Join us once again as we round the freshest in footwear—you might just come away fully inspired to up your style game, especially now that the warmer months are finally here.
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Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Pedro Shoes is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
1. Running Shoes, Reinvented
Athletic shoes don’t simply have to be for the treadmill or walks with your dog. Sleek, super comfortable running shoes can also double as perfectly stylish kicks to wear to brunch or even on a casual date. From Hoka to Adidas, some faves below.
Black Node Sneakers
These outdoor running shoes have a bit of edge, so you can wear them any day of the week for added style while still staying comfortable. But don’t let the style factor fool you; these are built for the outdoors and the honeycomb outsole keeps you stable on any type of terrain you encounter.
Here are a few more options:
2. Summer Sneakers
Sneakers for spring and summer—how groundbreaking. And yet, if the pandemic and a “return” to normal life have taught us anything, it’s that some trends are just, well, here to stay. That includes stretchy, comfortable and yet outdoor-ready athleisure, naturally. We’re also here for the idea that yes, it’s OK to dress a bit more comfortably (not sloppy, though!) at the office. Think: Chinos with an elastic waistband or smartly tailored joggers in a dark wool-blend fabric.
And while sneakers with a suit has been en vogue for some time now, it’s OK to team up the classics—like three-stripe Stan Smith sneakers or white high-top Converse kicks—with your tailored joggers at the office. That might be the key trend to take away here more than anything: Mix up the classics with clothes that represent the “new normal.” Think of it like a sporty, somewhat trendy, hybrid style that reflects today’s new normal.
What goes well with those dressed-down but polished pieces? Sneakers, of course. But let’s get more specific: These white Common Projects sneakers you might have saved for weekend wear are perfectly suitable these days back at the office.
3. Western All the Way
The Western wear trend we’ve seen on runways and IRL (and especially on TV screens with shows like Yellowstone) shows no signs of slowing down in our book. Perhaps it’s a result of the pandemic: people went a bit stir-crazy and wanted to escape to the great outdoors, rugged footwear and gear in tow. Perhaps not.
But one thing’s clear: It’s here to stay. Western boots, be it traditional cowboy boots or even suede zip boots with a stacked heel, are simple enough to wear with blue jeans and a white henley come spring, but you can assuredly embrace the vibes of the American West with a black Western shirt and light wash denim.
Stay away from boot-cut jeans—most slim jeans should fit over your boots just fine—and opt for brands like Tecovas, the 9-year-old brand doing Western boots in a tasteful yet old-school way.
4. Merino Means Business
Shoes made from material other than polished leather, suede or even canvas were once hard to come by—but not anymore. The root of that sea change traces back to a fabric more typically found on your shoulders and hanging in your closet. Merino wool is about as innovative a natural fabric in nature as it gets, with anti-microbial, moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating properties built right in (the fiber comes from Merino sheep).
That makes it a great material for T-shirts (both workout and casual tees), plus breathable crewneck shirts & sweatshirts, among other staples. But what about shoes? Yes, that same fabric actually makes for super-comfortable, surprisingly polished shoes that are easy to take care of and last quite a long time, all the while replicating classic, low-profile sneaker silhouettes.
Companies like Allbirds paved the way for wool footwear (and have famously been worn by President Barack Obama), while upstarts like NOBULL provide a sporty alternative in sleek black. These shoes deliver some serious bang for your buck, whether worn for a training session or paired up with tailored joggers on a casual Friday.
5. Sustainable Kicks
Sustainability and eco-conscious practices in the fashion world, especially footwear, have sometimes been a moot point over the years: out of sight, out of mind. The tides have certainly turned in all areas of the menswear world, be it denim production using less water or T-shirts made from organic and recycled fibers. Of course, that throughline trickles down to your footwear, too. It’s so prevalent as to be a trend worth watching, while also being a sticking point for many shoppers.
Shopping sustainably – searching for companies that make their shoes the right way, using the right materials – doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style, as companies like Rothy’s and Cariuma have proven in recent years. Both brands inspire fervent wait-list times for shoes that, while made in slightly different ways from each other, are both admirable nonetheless.
Cariuma uses recycled materials in everything from its canvas uppers and rubber soles to its packaging, while Rothy’s launched into men’s footwear using material knit from dozens of plastic bottles (our selling point? They’re also Pedro Pascal-approved.) It doesn’t hurt that both companies offer styles from skate shoes to runners to Chelsea boots at fair prices.
6. The “Beatle Boot” Gets a Makeover
Chelsea boots might have a history more suited to the field than to wearing them with an actual suit (they were originally designed as a riding boot in Victorian England), but it’s debatable as to how they made their way across the pond to the U.S. (and elsewhere).
The Beatles—you know, that little rock band from Liverpool—brought a new sound to the States, and arguably, a sharp new way of dressing: Chelsea boots paired with slim drainpipe trousers. You could say the Chelsea boot is timeless, but that doesn’t mean it’s not having a moment right this very season. You’ll find sleek iterations in seasonally friendly brown suede from retailers like La Canadienne, while even famed sneaker brands like Common Projects are now making luxe Chelsea boots.
The Chelsea boot is more comfortable and more cool than ever before, with plenty of brands getting in on the action. It’s also now a style you can wear with well-fitting chinos or even light-wash jeans, aside from tailored style situations. If you don’t yet have a pair, you need one ASAP.
7. Stomp It Out with Combat Boots
Combat boots were once the footwear refuge of punks and counterculture icons, and have popped up at music festivals and concerts over the last decade. But just like the field jacket or the chino, what was once a military staple—and then a subversive style move—is ready for the light of day in a proper way.
The bulky, hard-wearing style of the combat boot goes well beyond its original intended use. Nowadays, you can use it to play off unique tailoring for a high-low look—keep your suit clean and crisp, and opt for dark colors so the combat boots look dressy. Either way, the Dr. Martens 1460 Lace-Up Boots are a timeless choice to dip your toes into the style, but upstart brands like Thursday Boots are making the combat boot slightly more luxe and business casual-friendly.
It goes without saying that your combat boots should be buffed to a nice shine if you want to pull off a dressy ensemble, but your combat boots can also pull double-duty as intended by punk rockers in the old days: With black jeans and a trucker jacket, for instance. The combat boot is going to do the talking in any #OOTD, and that’s not a bad thing at all.
8. Active Recovery Shoes Are All the Rage
Some footwear trends are more surprising than others. For instance, there’s no longer a one-size-fits-all approach to workout footwear, and if you’re active in the gym or putting in long miles on the road, perhaps you’re already hip to the scene. It’s widely accepted that technology needs to pull its weight in the running shoe department, but active recovery footwear shoes present another idea: What if your footwear could speed up your recovery process long after your run?
Brands like OOFOS, trusted by professional and amateur athletes, are making stylish men’s recovery shoes that look as tech-forward as they feel, so you can feel confident stepping out in a more streamlined pair of shoes post-run. In fact, shoes from a brand like OOFOS make for a nice travel shoe option (note the slip-on capability).
The great thing about recovery footwear is that they’re sporty enough to fit in with today’s athleisure trends without missing a beat—no matter how much time you spend in the gym. Anyone who values a supportive shoe could do with a pair of active recovery shoes: Think of them like casual sneakers, but with better, more innovative technology.
9. Blundstone Boots Are Everywhere
Blundstone boots are, in their most classic variety, a different take on the Chelsea boot, with durable elastic side gores, front and back pull tabs and a bulky toe that turns them into more of a rugged work boot.
And here’s the thing: It really might seem like every single person you’ve spotted lately has a pair. Blundstone boots run the gamut from suede options to a more streamlined, dressy Chelsea boot, but it’s the classic Blundstone #500 Boots that have captured the attention of so many. They’re at once rugged and yet highly comfortable, and they’re a perfect foil to everything from straight fit blue jeans to workwear canvas pants and a waxed trucker jacket.
And since styles everywhere are leaning more casual post-pandemic, it seems that remote workers everywhere want a simple, sturdy pair of boots to slip into before posting up at a coffee shop for a day’s work. A bonus: They’re perfect for travel thanks to the slip-on construction, and they work reliably when you’ve got to take on rainy days or inclement weather.
10. Black to Basics
A simple way of dressing lends itself to a touch more room for pursuits that require creative brainpower. And yet, powered by shows like Peaky Blinders, the black boot—the more sturdy and “stomp-able,” the better—is showing up on the feet of the stylish more and more these days.
Seeing as tailoring is getting all the more colorful and occasion-specific, a more simplistic pair of sleek footwear is sometimes just the ticket to let a colorful suit do the talking. Allen Edmonds makes a highly functional pair of waterproof, black lace-up boots that check all the right boxes in the rugged-meets-refined world of Tommy Shelby-inspired style, while classic British footwear maker Grenson is making a durable pair of contrast-stitched moc toe black boots that would pair nicely with sturdier suiting fabrics like corduroy or wool.
As long as the pair in question is well-built, the black boot could be the missing piece your next tailored affair needs.
11. Hybrid Sneaker Boots
Are they sneakers? Are they boots? Yes, in short. From footwear giants like Nike and Converse to styles like Vans hiker sneakers, the idea of throwing two ingredients into a blender and ending up with one stylish final result has never been more prevalent as you shop the best men’s shoe trends of 2023.
What exactly does that mean? It’s simple enough on the surface: Blending the traction, tread and springy step of a sneaker with the durable upper of a boot, or else adding boot-like qualities, like a lug sole, to sneaker silhouettes.
The result is a trend that will carry well into 2023, whether it’s found in stomp-worthy silhouettes like Nike’s sporty ACG line. These are almost the perfect shoes for these “in-between” times—cool enough to wear at the office a few days a week with slim black jeans and a white Oxford shirt, yet adventurous enough to spend a day at a city park or an off-the-grid getaway.
There’s a dizzying array of sneaker boot options, but when in doubt, look for something that suits your personality.
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