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The 98th Academy Awards are less than a week away, set to take place on Sunday in Los Angeles, with nominated stars Teyana Taylor, Kate Hudson, Emma Stone and more set to attend, dressed in the finest threads.
Though gowns are sometimes known to obscure shoes on red carpets at formal events like the Oscars, the footwear is by no means irrelevant or altogether overlooked. Below, FN predicts which shoe styles will stand out on the 2026 Oscars red carpet.
Platform Heels
Platform heels will be a sensible choice for those dressing up in long gowns, helping to keep the skirt from pooling on the ground. The elevated style was trending at the Oscars in 2025, with Selena Gomez opting for Stuart Weitzman, Demi Moore going for Christian Louboutin and Meg Ryan in Prada, to name a few examples. The same brands are expected to return in 2026, with other names like Aquazzura in the mix.
Selena Gomez
Gilbert Flores
Ballet Flats and Slim Styles for Men
Slim shoes on red carpets became a trend for men in 2025, and Omar Apollo took the look to the Oscars with a pair of Valentino Garavani bow-adorned ballet flats. He’s not the only man to have donned a ballerina-style on the red carpet recently. Bad Bunny wore Dries Van Noten slippers with crisscross straps, paired with socks, at the premiere of “Happy Gilmore 2” over the summer and, more recently, Harry Styles hit the red carpet for the Brit Awards in ballet flats adorned with a dainty bow to go with a Chanel suit. This followed his ballerina-mule Dior footwear moment at the Grammys.
Omar Apollo at the 97th Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2025, in Hollywood.
Gregg DeGuire
Classic Pointed Pumps
It’s a classic for a reason: the quintessential pointed-toe pump will surely make several appearances at the 2026 Oscars. Last year, Gayle King modeled a sparkling silver pair, and in 2024, Ariana Grande donned a pink pair of Jimmy Choo’s popular Romy pumps. For the well-attended Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2025, Selma Blair opted for Betsey Johnson’s Cruze style in black, a half d’Orsay pump with an embellished lattice pattern.
Ariana Grande at the 96th annual Oscars held at the Ovation Hollywood on March 10, 2024, in Los Angeles.
Michael Buckner for Variety
Strappy Sandals
Alongside classic pumps, strappy heeled sandals are another red carpet staple. Whether it’s a simplistic look like the dainty black stilettos worn by Coco Jones at last year’s Oscars, or a bejeweled pair like Doja Cat’s Amina Muaddi sandals worn on stage at the 2025 iteration of the event, the strappy look can take many forms. Jenna Ortega went for a platform Christian Louboutin style, the Rosalia Alta, for the Vanity Fair party in 2025.
Coco Jones at the 97th Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2025, in Hollywood.
Gregg DeGuire
