Dress Shoe Sales May Never Recover to Pre-Covid Levels in U.S.

Americans don’t want to get all dressed up with nowhere to go. They may not even want to when there is.

U.S. sales of dress shoes such as formal oxfords and high heels fell 71% in the second quarter, compared to the year prior, as office workers stayed home and nightlife dried up due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to data from research firm NPD Group. The segment performed much worse than the overall U.S. footwear market, which was down 26% in that period, aided by strong sales of casual summer styles like slippers and slides.