From Platforms to Nude Pumps: 4 Red Carpet Shoe Trends at HollyShorts 2026

The 22nd Annual HollyShorts Film Festival officially wrapped on August 23, bringing together actors, filmmakers, producers, songwriters, and other industry names to celebrate independent cinema.

Held in Los Angeles, the festival celebrated short films under 40 minutes across a range of genres, giving both emerging and established filmmakers a chance to showcase their work and connect with audiences and industry professionals.

Katherine McNamara, Louisa Connolly-Burnham, Lauren Lukow, and Bianca Atterberry showcase their evening style with classic heels at the 22nd Annual Hollyshorts Film Festival closing night on August 23, 2026, in Hollywood, California (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

The closing-night carpet delivered four very different approaches to after-dark dressing. Katherine McNamara let an emerald-green Meshki mini take center stage with understated nude pumps, while English actress, filmmaker, and musician Louisa Connolly-Burnham went monochromatic in a slinky black Aritzia dress and towering Steve Madden platform sandals.

Producer Lauren Lukow played with contrast in One33 Social and icy white pumps, while Bianca Atterberry offered the night’s most eclectic styling, mixing menswear-inspired layers with a velvet corset, satin skirt, and barely-there sandals.

Katherine McNamara Pairs Emerald Green With Nude Pumps

Katherine McNamara knows her way around statement heels, but this time she let her dress do the talking. The actress paired an emerald-green Meshki mini with classic nude pumps, a quieter choice than the towering platforms, embellished sandals, and bold pumps we’ve seen her wear on previous red carpets.

The neutral footwear worked especially well here, keeping the focus on the dress’s dramatic draping while giving the look a clean, leg-lengthening finish.

At 5ft 4½ (163.8 cm), McNamara used the nude pumps to create an almost uninterrupted line from the abbreviated hem of her mini to the tips of her toes, a tried-and-true styling trick that made her legs appear even longer. The actress, who wears a US size 5.5 shoe, chose a glossy pair with pointed toes, squared-off vamps, and slender stiletto heels, giving the otherwise classic silhouette a sharper, more modern edge.

Katherine McNamara lengthens her legs in glossy nude patent pointed-toe pumps, revealing a trio of tiny ankle tattoos (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

Her emerald-green Meshki mini brought all the drama. Cut from airy chiffon, the dress featured a plunging cowl neckline that draped across both the front and back, balanced by a fitted waist and softly gathered fabric at the hip.

The abbreviated hemline showed plenty of leg, making those understated nude pumps an especially smart counterpoint to the dress’s more dramatic silhouette.

She kept her accessories simple with a delicate pendant necklace and a few rings. Her copper hair fell in loose waves around her face, while soft pink lipstick and defined mascara completed her glam.

Katherine McNamara pairs her basic nude pumps with an emerald-green Meshki mini dress featuring a cowl neckline that drapes across the front and back (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

McNamara’s understated pumps were a departure from some of her more adventurous footwear moments. Over the years, she’s stepped out in everything from Aldo’s affordable Nicholes pumps to dramatic platforms and designer heels, making her red-carpet shoe evolution particularly fun to follow.

Louisa Connolly-Burnham Goes All Black in Steve Madden Platform Heels

After winning Best Director for Sister Wives at HollyShorts last year, Louisa Connolly-Burnham returned to the festival with her new project, The Intimacy Coordinator—and an all-black look that proved monochrome doesn’t have to play it safe.

She paired a slinky Aritzia halter dress with glossy Steve Madden platform sandals, using the shoes’ substantial silhouette to give the streamlined dress a tougher edge.

At 5ft 3 (160 cm), Connolly-Burnham got a substantial height boost from her glossy black Steve Madden platform sandals. The actress, who wears a US size 6 shoe, balanced the towering heels with thick platforms, while slightly squared toes and buckled ankle straps kept the proportions sharp and modern against her slinky Aritzia dress.

Louisa Connolly-Burnham showcases her pedicure in black patent open-toe sandals with chunky squared platforms, ankle straps, and high heels (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

Connolly-Burnham paired them with a long black Aritzia halter dress that was simple yet alluring and beautifully flattered her figure. The crepe-satin style featured a deep, sharp V-neckline and subtle darting through the bodice, giving it a sleek, defined shape. From the fitted bodice, the dress flowed into a clean column silhouette that skimmed her figure before falling to her ankles.

Connolly-Burnham wisely kept everything else pared back. Chunky hoop earrings and a bracelet supplied just enough shine, while sleek, center-parted hair echoed the dress’s clean lines. The one real jolt of color came from her red lipstick, a classic finishing touch that instantly enlivened the head-to-toe black palette.

Louisa Connolly-Burnham pairs her platform sandals with a black halter dress by Aritzia featuring a plunging neckline and a column silhouette (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

Lauren Lukow Adds a Fresh Twist to Black with White Pumps

Lauren Lukow made black-and-white feel surprisingly romantic, pairing her textured One33 Social dress with icy white pumps. Rather than defaulting to black heels, the producer used the crisp footwear to break up the dark palette and highlight the dress’s sweeter, more feminine side.

Her icy white pumps offered an elegant alternative to the towering stilettos elsewhere on the carpet. The d’Orsay cut exposed the sides of the foot, while pointed toes and slim ankle straps kept the silhouette refined. Low block heels finished the pair, giving the look a more relaxed, almost ladylike quality.

Lauren Lukow wears a pair of icy white low-heeled pumps with a d’Orsay silhouette, ankle straps, a high-cut vamp, and short block heels (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

She paired them with a black floral jacquard mini dress by One33 Social, featuring a playful silhouette and rich textured finish. The fitted bodice featured a deep plunging neckline that drew attention to the center of the dress, balanced by short puff sleeves that added a softer, more romantic touch. Waist cutouts revealed hints of skin, giving the structured design a flirtier feel.

The defined waist then opened into a flared A-line skirt that fell around the knees, giving the mini dress a fuller silhouette and adding to its playful, feminine charm.

Lukow wore her blonde hair in loose curls and kept her makeup soft and minimal. She skipped statement jewelry, wearing only a simple ring to finish the look.

Lauren Lukow pairs her low-heeled pumps with a black floral jacquard mini dress by One33 Social with puff sleeves and waist cutouts (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

Bianca Atterberry Puts a Sultry Spin on Menswear with Corset and Strappy Sandals

Bianca Atterberry delivered the night’s most unexpected mix, layering menswear-inspired shirting and a necktie beneath a fitted velvet corset before finishing the look with a fluid satin skirt. Her barely-there black sandals were the clever final move, delicate enough to offset all that layering without competing with it.

The glossy black patent sandals were minimal but hardly boring. Fine straps traced diagonally across the foot and between the toes, while open square toes gave the barely-there silhouette a distinctly modern finish. Slim heels added height without introducing another heavy element to an already layered outfit.

Bianca Atterberry keeps things light with her footwear, opting for strappy black patent sandals featuring open square toes, a thong-style strap, a strap across the toes, and a diagonal strap (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

Up top, Atterberry layered a black velvet corset over a crisp light blue pinstriped button-down and burgundy-and-gray plaid tie, turning familiar menswear codes into something decidedly more sensual. A floor-length burgundy satin skirt softened all that structure below the waist, its fluid finish also picking up the richer tones of the tie.

Her accessories kept things playful, with a chunky red statement ring, earrings, and a bracelet. She wore her hair in tight, defined curls and finished the look with smoky eye makeup and a glossy neutral lip.

Bianca Atterberry pairs her minimalist sandals with a layered ensemble, including a light blue pinstriped collared shirt, a burgundy tie, a matching column skirt, and a black corset bustier (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

From Nude Pumps to Platforms: HollyShorts Proves Classic Heels Still Have Range

From Katherine McNamara’s leg-lengthening nude pumps to Louisa Connolly-Burnham’s towering Steve Madden platforms, Lauren Lukow’s icy white heels, and Bianca Atterberry’s barely-there sandals, the HollyShorts carpet showed just how differently a great pair of heels can shape an outfit. Sharp pumps remain especially relevant, with V-cut, ultra-pointed, and square-toe silhouettes among the shoe trends defining 2026. For more inspiration, these celebrity looks show how nude pumps, d’Orsay silhouettes, platforms, and crisp white heels have endured across very different red-carpet eras.