WSA introduces next fall’s shoe trends

Think of the World Shoes and Accessories trade show at Mandalay Bay Convention Center like a fashion crystal ball. It's the best forecast Las Vegas has for the shoes and accessories we'll be wearing six months from now. The trade show whirled through town last week and picked up several new trends with it.

According to Renee Labbe, vice president of global trends for trend forecasting Web site stylesight.com, you might actually get a little more longevity out of your fall '10 shoes. "Designers stepped up to the plate with convertible options," she says.

It's like two shoes in one. Boots can be worn folded down as a bootie or straight up into riding boot style. Some provided a folded down or laced up version, too. Labbe says laces have an altogether louder presence. Look out for more menswear-inspired lace-up booties and a new spin on the hiking boot with high heels reinterpreting those laces.

In another effort to stretch the use of your shoes, designers have borrowed from your spring footwear with winter sandals worn with knee-high socks and layered socks circa 1985. Givenchy ignited the fire behind this look with a socklet built into one of its sandals.

Labbe acknowledges that designers tried emphasizing socks last fall, but expects it to actually catch on this time around due to the recent leg obsession. "Every time you turn around people are talking about what's going on with legs," she says. "(These shoes) mimic what a legging does."

As far as heels go, expect to come back down to earth. Ballet flats get a nice resuscitation with crocheted coverings and oxfords dominate the scene. Expect these on every shoe store shelf you visit next fall. Covered wedges return with a stronger presence, but the new ones will have somewhat of a "fem-bot" look with a seamless transition between the shoe and heel.

Embellishments come in the form of tassels, spikes, chains and studs, as well as reflective add-ons, most of which we've seen already. It's the fabrics that will really turn heads. Crocheted overlays and mesh nettings make for snagging concerns. There will be a lot of material mixing. Suede is a big player with comfort continuing to be at the forefront of designers' minds, but it will mingle a lot with leather.

And, forget about the old "don't wear white after Labor Day" clause. Alexander Wang's pre-fall collection was all white and Labbe expects that to be the rule, not the exception.

"All the classics are coming back," she says, "but the rules are out the window."