Best Shoes of 2017

Are you looking for the best shoes of 2017? Well, you probably shop more than we do, so maybe you have suggestions for the list. If you have any favorites that you think should be on the best-of-2017 list, please let us know. Below are a few of our favorites — and the headline is the sneaker: five of the seven picks are sneakers, in a year when fitness culture and fashion fully merged.

It has been an important year for fitness — who doesn't enjoy yoga, CrossFit and running? The list follows that energy: a platform fashion sneaker from Miu Miu, a serious Nike runner, a rainbow glitter collaboration sneaker, a floral Fendi sneaker and a fuzzy UGG sneaker — answered by one towering spiked wedge and one club-ready lace-up, for balance.

Miu Miu Platform and Nike VaporMax

The Miu Miu Metallic & Cork Platform Sneaker is the fashion sneaker perfected: metallic trim over a cork platform, so the shoe reads as jewelry and sport at once. Miu Miu — a division of Prada, from its inception in 1993 a private territory of expression and a creative playground christened with Miuccia Prada's family nickname — offered, at a time when Prada was at its most minimalist, a sensual, rebellious counterpoint, and the platform sneaker is that counterpoint in footwear form.

Nike is obviously keeping a close eye on the balance between trend and performance: the Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit Moc women's running shoes put a laceless Flyknit upper over the year's most talked-about air sole. Where the Miu Miu is a sneaker as ornament, the VaporMax is a sneaker as engineering — and 2017 wanted both.

The Spiked Espadrille Wedge

The dress shoe of the list is not a stiletto but a wedge with weapons: the Christian Louboutin Madmonica 120 Spiked Leather Espadrille Wedge Platform Sandals — a spiked wedge platform sandal with metallic jute trim, a covered wedge heel of 4.75 inches (120mm), an espadrille platform of 1 inch (25mm) that compares to a 3.75-inch heel (95mm), a leather upper, open toe, adjustable ankle strap, leather lining, the signature red leather sole, made in Spain.

Christian Louboutin is the French fashion designer whose footwear has incorporated shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature — however, the soles are just the start. The Madmonica shows the rest: spikes, jute, metallic trim and a wedge silhouette borrowed from the espadrille tradition, made in Spain where espadrilles belong.

Rainbow Glitter and Floral Prints: The Collaboration Sneakers

The Converse x JW Anderson Sneaker — from the catwalk to the crosswalk, you can travel by rainbow in these sparkly sneakers. If colorful is what you want, look no further; and this is a limited-edition sneaker, which in 2017 meant it was also a collectible. Beside it, Fendi running-style lace-up sneakers made of a canvas blend printed with multicolored floral patterns, with a contrasting leather insert in a tone-on-tone wave pattern, a color-block rubber sole, a black suede toe cap, and the Fendi logo printed on the tongue.

The Fendi sneaker is the bridge to this section's deep dive: see more of our favorite women's Fendi shoes of 2017, where the house gets three pages of its own — a Waves mule, and the Rockoko knit sandal boots in red and in black.

Latisha, Ricci, and the Companies to Know

Latisha from ShoeDazzle: stop traffic on the way to the club in this sexy silhouette — Latisha's varying cutouts and lace-up detail are head-turning, the list's one unapologetic night-out shoe. And UGG has a fuzzy sneaker called Ricci, which comes in a few different colors — comfort's answer to all the glitter above.

Companies of possible interest round out the page: Brian Atwood — whose love for fashion began fixating on his mother's clothing, who studied art and architecture at Southern Illinois University before trading the Midwest for New York, and whose collections since 2001 are coveted for exquisite craftsmanship, hyperluxe design, and fearless, sky-high silhouettes — alongside Gucci, Walter Steiger, Stuart Weitzman, Louis Vuitton (famous for shoes, purses and luggage, loved for generations of high-quality craftsmanship), Alexander McQueen, Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik. Do you have a pick for the best boot of 2017? We are not sure which boot should get the honor. And before choosing a heel, read about the best shoe height. Do you think we missed any amazing shoe trends this year? Let us know.

Photos