extremes

Heels Come in Unexpected Cool Shapes This Fall

A series examining the outer edges of style.

What do eggs, elephants, and lighters have in common? They’re all different shapes of heels that you can buy this fall. Like many weird trends, you can blame this one on Vetements. Over the past two years, the Vetements booties with Bic lighters in the place of stiletto heels have become a huge street-style hit. In their wake, the backs of shoes have become increasingly sculptural and unexpected.

Of course, a trend this high-concept doesn’t come cheap, but it’s fun to look — and to imagine what sort of lifestyle might require spending nearly $1,000 on heels that spell “Call me” in French. Scroll ahead to check out the best strange-heeled shoes of the season.

The Heels That Started It All

Trendy, yes, but if you’re a purist or Demna fan girl, this is your holy grail.

The Party Heel

Glittery and ready for the holidays.

The Mid-Century-Modern Heel

Chrome and wood will match your living room perfectly.

The Egg-Shaped Heel

Step on an egg without making a mess.

The Dumbo Heel

Tell your friends you got them at a trunk show. (Har.)

The Heel That Does All the Talking

The Venetian Heel

The Row took inspiration from the colorful vases of Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa to create these swirled, glass-like heels.

The Other Street-Style Favorite

Not a Vetements girl? J.W.Anderson’s barrel-shaped shoes are also very popular among the street-style crowd.

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Heels Come in Unexpected Cool Shapes This Fall