If you’ve also Googled “alternatives to white sneakers” in the past few days, you’re not alone.
There was a time when white sneakers were practically the only shoes I wore. Running errands? White sneakers. Heading to the office? White sneakers. Trying to make a dress feel more relaxed? You get the idea. Their appeal is obvious—they go with everything, they never feel too try-hard and they’ve been a solid wardrobe staple for years.
:quality(85):upscale()/2025/01/10/828/n/1922564/9a14ca9467816c64b72ed5.49841047_.jpg)
— Additional reporting by Angela Elias and Balim Tezel
Kyley Warren (she/her) is an award-winning writer and editor with more than four years of experience in the publishing space. She previously worked as an assistant editor on PS Shopping and is an expert on all things related to shopping and fashion. Before joining PS, Kyley worked with Entertainment Tonight as a style commerce writer, and her byline has appeared in publications globally.
Spring may have only just sprung, but clear trends are already beginning to define the new season. Waisted silhouettes have risen in favour over the past few seasons and are set to hit new heights this spring. With the ease of warm, languid days, there’s a shift towards boho aesthetics, with delicate blouses leading the way as an entry point to the style. Now, I’ve found a top that brings together these two key trends: the elegant Bubble-Mem Pintuck Top from Arket.
As nice as it might make a person sound, firstly, being a true empath isn’t an easy gig, and second, the chances are… you probably aren’t one. 1-2% of the population could be empaths according to the limited research we have (limited because it’s not yet an official diagnosis), which isn’t very high. And yet, chatter around being an empath in a more casual context has grown, though the experts aren’t sure exactly why now. On TikTok, where there are 761.7K posts under the empath hashtag, discussion of this is often in tandem with mental health, relationships with others, and spiritualism. It’s not official therapy-speak, but it’s joined the ranks in how people overuse diagnoses like narcissist (which, people often peg as being the total opposite of an empath). Atarah Valentine, an identity-based neuroplasticity coach and certified hypnotherapist says, “The word empath has become the new pop-culture buzz word. So many people wear it as a badge of honour.” So many people have claimed it as their identity. Orloff says, “The zeitgeist cracked open, and suddenly everyone wants to be an empath”.
In all honesty, it takes a truly special event to coax me out of my beloved flat shoes. Day to day, you’ll find me in one of three silhouettes: a trusty trainer, a classic Mary Jane, or—my ultimate favourite—a pretty ballet flat. Equal parts comfortable and elegant, they balance form and function, pairing with everything from well-worn jeans to floaty skirts. Put simply, I’ve yet to find a shoe that suits me better.
