These Valentine’s Day Shoes Give You All the Excuse to Splurge on Festive, Fun, and Flirty Footwear
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Valentine’s Day is almost here, and while the romantic holiday is about celebrating love with chocolate, roses, and jewelry, it’s also about stylish Valentine’s Day outfits. Though an outfit equation may center around a designer handbag or a statement coat, Valentine’s Day shoes can really make any outfit pop with festive feet.
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Each year, shoppers eagerly await for designer shoe brands to roll out special silhouettes that commemorate Valentine’s Day and give them the perfect excuse to add a new pair of luxury shoes to their footwear rotation. These Valentine’s Day shoes can range from heart-embossed sneakers to similar iterations of Elle Wood’s costume Heart-Shaped heels from Legally Blonde or Christian Louboutin’s Petal Sandals that Carrie Bradshaw responded, “Hello, lover” to in an episode of Sex and The City.
This year, Valentine’s Day-inspired dressing has been more relevant than ever. First, we saw a wave of pink and red hues hit the catwalks, declaring that post-lockdown looks are heating up and celebrating love through fashion is timeless. For example, for fall/winter 2022, designers like Alaia, Blumarine, Giambattista Valli, Versace, Max Mara, Bottega Veneta, and more took the meanings of these romantic colors — adrenaline, alarm, drama, attention — and translated them into striking head-to-toe numbers.
Additionally, we saw the style set embrace ‘Lovecore’ — the appreciation or incorporation of the visual aspects of romance and affection. Everyone from Rihanna to Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian has been spotted in cupid-beloved colors like pinks and reds, as well as designs featuring hearts, florals, and cherries, convincing us that these style choices aren’t just for Cupid’s bow and arrow.
So whether you’ve got a romantic dinner on the books, are planning a Galentine’s wine night with the girls, or are headed to a V-day bash with friends, we’ve rounded up the best Valentine’s Day shoes that any footwear fanatic is sure to appreciate. And if you are opting out of the festivities this year, this is your sign to treat yourself because, after all, the most important rule for Valentine’s Day — and every other day — is self-love.
The Top Valentine’s Day Shoes for 2023
Best for a Night of Burlesque: Tamara Mellon Galactic Heels
Best for a Night at Home: Olivia Von Halle Contessa Feather Pom-Pom Slippers
Best for a Romantic Getaway: Amina Muaddi Lupita PVC Heels
Best for a Casual Dinner: Aquazzura Love Me Pavé Heart Pointed Toe Shoes
Best for a Pre-Fix Dinner: Valentino Valentino Garavani Tan-Go 100 Patent-Leather Pumps
Best for a Pizza Date: The Row Leather Ballet Flats
Best for a Club Night: Jessica Rich Racy Mules
Alaïa Cœur Patent Leather and PU Mules
Size range: 36.5-41
Colorways: Noir, Blanc Optique
To add the missing oomph to your Valentine’s Day outfit, check out Alaïa’s Cœur Patent Leather and PU Mules. The juxtaposition of a playful patent leather heart design with the edge of a sleek pointed toe transparent PU details creates the perfect nod to Valentine’s Day for the modern woman with refined taste. Style them with a cropped pants suit for any formal occasion.
Buy Now at Saks Fifth Avenue
Buy Now at Mytheresa
Buy Now at Bergdorf Goodman
Buy Now at Net-a-Porter
Alessandra Rich Suede and Patent Leather Pumps
Best Valentine’s Day Shoes for A Night of Burlesque
Size range: 5-12
The Italian-born, London-based designer Alessandra Rich is the royals’ label of choice, and it’s not hard to see why. Known to not follow the trend cycle of the moment, the womenswear brand is known for celebrating femininity with elements of elegance and confidence infused into its designs.
If you’re headed for a night of lavish surprises, Alessandra Rich’s pumps will keep you comfortable and stylish as you eat, drink, and dance the night away. They feature a sky-high stiletto and a piercing pointed toe, which lets everyone in the room know you mean business. Of course, we can’t forget to mention the rich suede material, bow embellishments, and sleek ankle strap, all of which add a flirtatious and fun vibe to your plans.
Buy Now at Mytheresa
Adidas Ultraboost 1.0 Sneakers
Size range: 5.5-10
Colorways: Black, White
Adidas injected just the right amount of Valentine’s Day vibes into its popular Ultraboost running shoe for grown women to show a little love this holiday season and beyond. The mesh upper features stylish rainbow hearts with three stripes and a lace-up design, while the sole ensures you stay supported and comfortable whether walking to brunch or running on the treadmill. You can team these sneakers with your workout attire or casual weekend wardrobe for boost of charm with great foot support.
Buy Now at adidas
Jimmy Choo Flaca Sandals
Size range: 34.5-41
Colorways: Red/Red, Candy Pink/Red
Buy Now at Jimmy Choo
Buy Now at Neiman Marcus
Buy Now at Mytheresa
Buy Now at Saks Fifth Avenue
Olivia Von Halle Contessa Feather Pom-Pom Slippers
Best Shoes for Valentine’s Day at Home
Size range: 37-42
Colorways: Pink, Peach
A stay-at-home Valentine’s Day is a great way to stay far from the February chill and celebrate more affordably and memorably. Of course, chocolates, caviar, and champagne are must-haves, but so are Olivia Von Halle’s Contessa Feather Pom-Pom slippers. Indulge in the opulence of ostrich feathers and luxurious silk, doused in a delightful hot pink hue that can be simply justified for a much-needed dopamine rush. What more could you want in a woman’s slipper?
Buy Now at Olivia Von Halle
Buy Now at Neiman Marcus
Buy Now at Bergdorf Goodman
Loewe Nail Polish Leather Sandals
Size range: 5-11
Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe loves to balance the traditional and the unconventional — and these sandals are a perfect example of creative director Jonathan Anderson’s design aesthetic. Simply elegant leather two-strap sandals take on a surrealist twist with 3D nail polish-shaped heels for irreverent Valentine’s Day style at it’s finest.
Buy Now at Mytheresa
Amina Muaddi Lupita PVC Heels
Best Shoes for Valentine’s Day On a Romantic Getaway
Size range: 35-39
Colorways: Pink, Blue
The 2022 Footwear News Achievement Awards’ Designer of the Year Romanian-Jordanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi has become one of the industry’s most buzzed-about darlings for her fun and fabulous designs that feature the brand’s signature square-based heel. Her pink Lupita PVC Heels allow you to embrace the joys of the Barbiecore trend with comfort and cool style. These shoes call for a night of Galentine’s Day debauchery — don’t disappoint them.
Buy Now at Farfetch
Buy Now at Intermix
Buy Now at Saks Fifth Avenue
Buy Now at Mytheresa
Aquazzura Love Me Ballet Flats
Best Valentine’s Day Shoes for a Casual Dinner
Size range: 5-12
Aquazzura’s footwear offerings have become a favorite among the style set (including Kate Middleton) for their distinctive silhouettes and decadent details. The label’s Love Me Pavé Heart shoe features an embellished crystal heart and PVC details that add a dash of modern maximalism to the sophisticated suede ballet flat, making it a timeless and unique addition to your footwear rotation.
Buy Now at Aquazurra
Valentino Valentino Garavani Tan-Go 100 Patent-Leather Pumps
Best Shoes for a Valentine’s Day Pre-Fixe Dinner
Size range: 35-42
Colorways: Black, White, Pink
For Valentino’s fall/winter 2022 collection, the label designed a specific custom pink shade in collaboration with the Pantone Color Institute to showcase the garments’ singularity and intricacy. Ever since then, hot pink has been enjoying a renaissance. Valentino’s Garavani Tan-Go 100 Patent-Leather Pumps deliver elegance with optimism, featuring the ‘VLOGO’ monogram on the straps, pointed toes, stiletto heels, and dramatically tapered ankle collars. Whether you wear them with an all-pink outfit (as seen in the runway collection) or as holiday-appropriate pop of color to your all-black ensemble, these eye-catching leather pumps will make your Valentine’s Day evening plans even more special.
Buy Now at Net-A-Porter
Buy Now at Moda Operandi
Magda Butrym Leather-Trimmed Satin Sandals
Size range: 6-11
For those familiar with Magda Butrym, it may not be surprising that the Warsaw-based, influencer-loved brand was born to make everyday dressing more elegant and sophisticated. Defined by its cool and modern approach to feminine dressing, the label has become a favorite among stylish celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. This Valentine’s Day, opt for the brand’s head-turning Leather-Trimmed Satin Sandals to feel bold, confident and perhaps a tad flirtatious. They feature a 105mm heel and long strappy ankle ties adorned with two 3D flowers — one detachable flower at the front and a fixed flower at the heel — delivering a modern vision of romanticism.
Buy Now at Mytheresa
The Row Leather Ballet Flats
Best Valentine’s Day Shoes for a Pizza Date
Size range: 35-42
Colorways: Red, Maroon, Black
If you’re heading out for a pizza date with eyes on finding a heart-shaped pie, these ballet flats are the second-best companion. The brand by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen is known for its exceptional leather goods, and of their shoe line-up, these minimalist flats are bound to be your new, everyday staple. Though the ballet flat is still very much on-trend this season, The Row’s deovtion to timeless and elegant style makes these a worthy investment for 2023 and beyond.
Buy Now at Mytheresa
Jessica Rich Racy Mules
Best Valentine’s Day Shoes for A Club Night
Size range: 35-42
Colorways: Green, Pink, White, Noir, Leopard, Yellow, Snow Leopard, Gold
Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day, it’s still a fun excuse to celebrate with your girlfriends and head out on the town for some fun. Take Jessica Rich’s Racy Mules out with you, and you’re guaranteed to have a night you’ll never forget. Not only did Jessica Rich win the Emerging Talent award at the 2022 FNAAs, but also she is the one that creates the transparent PVC-inspired sandals and pumps spotted on A-listers like Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, and Kylie Jenner. Her Racy Mule is a classic style with an easy slip-on design, luxurious satin fabric, pointed toe, and a sleek, gold 120 mm stiletto heel. This shoe will have your back when you don’t feel like putting a lot of effort into dressing up.
Buy Now at Jessica Rich
Dr. Martens Devon Heart Leather Platform Boots
Size range: 5-11
Colorways: Black, White, Cream, Blackcurrant
Your search for classic designer boots with a quirky twist ends here. The Dr. Martens Devone Heart Leather Platform Boots have everything you know and love about the brand’s trustworthy and stylish boots but with a new fun component. These Valentine’s Day-inspired shoes deliver an edgy appeal with heart-shaped buckles and a chunky platform. Whether you’re heading for a relaxed sushi dinner on Valentine’s Day or on any day of the year, style them with cropped leather pants, a bodysuit, and a cropped cardigan.
Buy Now at Dr. Martens
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Lugged 2.0 Platform Hearts
Size range: 8.5-11
Did you used to draw hearts on your childhood Chucks? Well, get ready to fall head over heals for Converse’s brand-new Valentine’s Day shoes. The Chuck Taylor All Star Lugged 2.0 Platform Hearts shoe is a standout in the new collection for it’s on-trend platform lug sole and tasteful heart embroidery along the shoe’s eyelets. You’ll feel like a kid at heart again while the OrthoLite cushioning provides the foot support adults need.
Buy Now at Converse
Meet the Author
Nikki Chwatt is the Style Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News, where she both writes and edits stories on the latest clothing, accessory, and shoe must-haves. As a city dweller, she’s garnered a love for all types of shoes — sneakers, heels, mules, ballet flats, boots, and sandals — since each is necessary for the different seasons and occasions that she encounters. In her spare time, Chwatt keeps up with street style and designer launches to understand which accessories are highly coveted by the style set.
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