Last week, at M&S's biggest fashion store in the UK, I got to see the entire new autumn shoe collection in one place and it's the most considered shoe collection I've seen from them, ever.
Every important everyday-chic shoe shape for the season is here, and the mood is exactly what we saw on the autumn catwalks: elegant, streamlined and grown-up, with the kind of refined silhouettes you find in designer collections. But affordable.
Yes, we're in a heatwave and it's the absolute height of summer, but if you like to get ahead and know you'll need new shoes for autumn, these are the pairs to know about now.
The best new season M&S shoes to know now
First up is the olive-green high-vamp ballet pump. Soft leather and a higher cut across the foot give this familiar shoe a completely new silhouette. Wear it with jeans or tailored trousers and suddenly everything looks more current.
I assumed I'd have my pick of everything I'd seen in the shop, but online I discovered plenty of us are securing our new-season shoes already.
Case in point: the navy version of high-vamp ballet pumps, above, are low on stock already. The black pair, shown below, are fully stocked, while the silver version of this shoe is almost sold out. Meanwhile their pointy toed suede ballet flats come in three colours.
Leather Metallic Round Toe Ballet Pumps
Leather Metallic Round Toe Ballet Pumps
Luckily for us, though most of the best autumn's best shoe shapes are fully available, and even better, they're all incredibly wearable.
Like these red ballet pumps and slingbacks, they're predominantly flat or low-heeled, will work with clothes you already own, and yet have enough fashion newness to update an outfit instantly.
Leather Patent Flat Chisel Toe Slingback Shoes
Leather Patent Flat Chisel Toe Slingback Shoes
Then there's M&S's satin ballerina, also in olive green. It's close in spirit to the sneakerina and taps into the move towards slimmer, lighter shoe shapes. This is an everyday shoe you'll wear with travel trousers, gym kit, shorts and jeans.
For something smarter, there's a tan suede slingback with a low kitten heel. It's exactly the sort of polished shoe the Princess of Wales might wear for an engagement, but its appeal goes far beyond occasion dressing. With tailored trousers, a midi skirt or dress, it gives a work outfit instant fashion credibility.
M&S has also reworked their ruched loafer, with a mock-croc version plus a sleeker penny loafer in black mock croc that looks more refined than the traditional styles we've been wearing. They've also included a softer mocassin like loafer, there's even lace-up jazz shoes in the mix. With so much variety there really is a chic, everyday shoe for every taste.
With its London Fashion Week debut coming next month, M&S is showing exactly how seriously it understands what we want from affordable modern fashion.
If you're someone who likes to get ahead, take note. Even if you're reading this on a sun-lounger in a bikini, autumn's most considered affordable shoes have already arrived, and some are already selling out.
