Is Joan Smalls Wearing Invisible Heels in These Paris Fashion Week Photos?

On Wednesday night, Joan Smalls stepped out in Paris wearing an outfit that practically demanded the attention of anyone who saw it.

The model wore a two-piece satin set—an oversized black blazer and matching black Bermuda shorts—that simultaneously resembled pajamas (OK, incredibly chic pajamas) and a power suit. Paired with an embellished bra and white circle bag, the ensemble was a total head-turner.

But Smalls’ look caught our attention for another reason. It looks like—well, it looks like she’s not wearing any shoes.

Marc Piasecki/GC Images.

MORE: How Joan Smalls Uses Sunscreen for a Natural-Looking Contour

At first, Small seems barefoot. But a closer look reveals she definitely has something clear around her ankles—the strap of a shoe, perhaps. But if that’s part of a shoe, where’s the rest of it? There’s no sole in sight—no clear toe to correspond with the clear strap. It’s almost as if she’s wearing clear anklets (the latest in a string of trendy lucite accessories to hit the zeitgeist in 2018, no doubt).

OK, so maybe she’s barefoot. Maybe she’s making a shoe-less statement—the likes of which will will spread around Paris Fashion Week and trickle down to us lay-folk in a few months. But then, you see the ensemble from a different angle, and get confused all over again.

Marc Piasecki/GC Images.

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Like, she has to be wearing heels, right? Why else would she be standing on her tippy-toes and crossing her ankles like that? I’m pretty sure that’s not feasible unless she’s wearing heels? Right? But if she’s wearing heels, why can’t we see the heel?

As it turns out, Smalls was wearing shoes—clear ones, with heels that were only visible from certain angles. Iconic.