Booties dominating the shoe market

They are the shoe that can be dressed both up and down, and are a very popular fall must-have, otherwise known as booties. The ankle-height shoe continues to be more popular than ever. According to a study by BB&T Capital Partners, booties continues to dominate the mass-retail shoe market.

Retail analyst Corinna Freedman of Macy's Herald Square flagship stated in the report, "sell-throughs of fashion footwear remain challenged, though fall sell-ins are reportedly solid. We see pockets of newness in fashion footwear but believe that overall fall fashion trends remain focused around the bootie as a key item once again.” So, what has kept booties so popular?

For starters, brands have been able to constantly keep the style of shoe updated in some way or another, including cutouts and lower shaft profiles. Adding details like fringe, or changing up materials to things like suede also help the shoes appeal to people with tastes for different materials and detailing as well. While booties are reigning supreme other shoes seem to either be not doing so well sales wise, or they are trying to find ways to switch things up.

Freedman's study noted that high-heels have shifted from five-inch stilettos to more comfortable three-inch offerings. Taller boots have been de-emphasized for pre-fall and fall after last years season when taller boots were heavily marked down. Having been a shoe offering for a long-time, the bootie seems poised to reign supreme for a while, it's having its era in the spotlight, and one that the shoe market has certainly taken note to.