When it comes to autumn/winter shoe trends 2025, slingback, kitten heels are one of several silhouettes we're excited about carrying over from the summer. This retro aesthetic has returned to the fashion scene with a bang, and as we curate our autumn wardrobes, they remain one of the best shoes to wear with wide-leg trousers, combining style and functionality with ease, and it's one that celebrities are loving too.
Toteme’s Classic Croco-embossed Slingbacks are currently at the top of my wish list. With a manageable heel, croc-printed leather and leg-lengthening, elongated pointed toe, this slingback, kitten heel is a black shoe that will pep up any outfit it is paired with. Easy to dress up with a dress or trouser suit, they can be styled more casually with jeans too. But thanks to the £530, they're likely to stay firmly on my wish list for the foreseeable.
But then I stumbled upon these £20 H&M Pointed Slingbacks, and I knew I’d found the ideal alternative. While of course, they have their differences, although both slingbacks with pointed toes, the H&M pair are actually flat, front on, they have highly similar aesthetics and the saving of £510, I'm willing to forgo the added inches.
Shop H&M Alternative to Toteme's Slingback Heels
The resemblance is uncanny if you ignore the difference in heel height between these two sleek pairs of slingbacks. They share the same pointed toe, croc-imprinted pattern, and thick straps, with the H&M flats reflecting the broader silhouette of the Toteme design well.
Of course, the price difference does mean some pretty big differences, which, aside from the heel height, largely come down to fabrication, as it usually does with many of the best designer lookalikes.
Toteme’s slingbacks are made from 100% leather, including the lining, the sole and the upper of the shoe. The H&M pair, coming in at more than £500 cheaper than the designer iteration, are made of polyester. This cheaper, faux-leather alternative gives you the same look as the designer style, but this fabric is usually stiffer than leather, so you might find that they don't have the give that leather shoes tend to have.
Both pairs are super stylish, but while the Toteme slingbacks boast a kitten heel that would make me reserve them for more formal events and work attire, the H&M flat style would work easily with more smart casual outfit ideas or laidback ensembles.
Whichever pair suits your style more, there is no doubt that both of these designs slip nicely into autumn outfit ideas and beyond. A pair of black shoes is always useful in your wardrobe and who doesn't love a shoe that makes their legs look instantly longer, with or without the heel.
