Naomi Watts’ Best Shoe Moments: From Chanel Sock Boots to Minimal Sandals

At the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, on February 8, 2020, Naomi Watts paired a colorful Chanel Resort 2020 dress with one of the look’s most unexpected elements: graphic black-and-white Chanel sock boots.

The footwear sharply contrasted with the dress’s fluid silhouette and fuchsia watercolor-style print. With their white sock-like uppers, contrasting black cap toes and low block heels, the ankle-covering boots interrupted the leg line beneath the midi-length hem, making the shoes almost as noticeable as the dress itself.

Naomi Watts pairs black-and-white Chanel sock boots with a fuchsia printed Chanel Resort 2020 dress and red Chanel clutch at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, on February 8, 2020 (Credit: Instar / WENN)

At 5 feet 4½ inches (163.8 cm) with a US size 7 shoe, Watts has worn everything from flats to towering designer heels. Here, the high ankle and contrasting toe gave the Chanel boots considerably more visual weight than a leg-baring pump or sandal would have beneath the midi-length dress.

The black-and-white construction also fits into Chanel’s long history of contrasting footwear. An earlier example appears in the house’s black-and-white spats-style ankle boots worn by Jessica Chastain, which similarly combined a dark cap toe with a contrasting light upper.

Watts completed her Spirit Awards look with a structured red Chanel clutch and Azza Fahmy jewelry, creating a deliberate mix of vivid color, romantic print and graphic footwear rather than taking the more conventional route of pairing the dress with pumps or delicate sandals.

Naomi Watts’ Chanel Resort 2020 dress features a fuchsia watercolor-style print, contrasting black straps and a tiered midi-length skirt

Pointed Pumps Keep Her Maticevski Pantsuit Streamlined

Before the Spirit Awards, Watts took a more understated approach to footwear at the 2020 American Australian Association Arts Awards at Skylight Modern in New York City on January 30. She wore a black Maticevski Resort 2020 ensemble with sculptural draping and wide-leg trousers, a look that focused on shape rather than color.

She finished the outfit with simple black pointed-toe pumps. Mostly concealed beneath the long trousers, the shoes continued the outfit’s dark line instead of competing with Maticevski’s architectural proportions.

Naomi Watts keeps her footwear understated in black pointed-toe pumps with a sculptural Maticevski Resort 2020 ensemble alongside Deborra-Lee Furness at the AAA Arts Awards in New York City on January 30, 2020

Pointed pumps have remained part of Watts’ shoe rotation. In 2026, she paired gray Petar Petrov tailoring with Giuseppe Zanotti Raquel snakeskin pointed-toe pumps, whose sharp toes, d’Orsay cutouts, and slim stilettos added definition beneath another pair of tailored trousers.

The two looks also illustrate why black pointed-toe pumps remain a reliable celebrity styling choice. The tapered toe visually extends the line of the foot, while an understated black finish works particularly well beneath tailoring without drawing attention away from the clothes.

Minimal Strappy Sandals Balance Her Embroidered Zimmermann Dress

Watts chose another Australian label for the G’Day USA 2020 Standing Together Dinner at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California, on January 25. Her blue embroidered Zimmermann dress combined a high neckline and voluminous sleeves with elaborate tonal embroidery, so her barely-there dark strappy sandals provided a comparatively simple finish.

Rather than adding another strong shape at the ankle, the slim straps left much of the foot exposed and kept the embroidered dress as the focal point. It is a silhouette Watts has worn beyond the red carpet: her other black strappy sandal looks include a New York outfit that paired high-heeled sandals with black leather skinny pants and a beige cashmere coat.

Naomi Watts lets her blue embroidered Zimmermann dress take the focus, finishing the look with minimalist dark strappy sandals at the G’Day USA Standing Together Dinner in Beverly Hills on January 25, 2020

Watts later returned to Zimmermann with a dramatically different kind of sandal. At the label’s Fall/Winter 2026–2027 runway show during Paris Fashion Week, she paired pink tailoring from the Australian brand with Zimmermann Alchemy platform sandals from its Spring 2026 collection. The two appearances show contrasting approaches to styling the label: the slender dark sandals in 2020 receded beneath an intricately embroidered dress, while the substantial braided platforms in 2026 became a visible part of the outfit.

Watts accessorized her 2020 G’Day USA look with a Tyler Ellis clutch, Harry Kotlar and Goshwara earrings, and colorful Hanut Singh jewelry, including a necklace and ring.

From Chanel Sock Boots to Red-Carpet Heels: Naomi Watts’ Shoe Style

These three 2020 appearances capture the range in Naomi Watts’ footwear choices: graphic Chanel sock boots that challenged the proportions of a romantic dress, understated pointed pumps beneath sculptural tailoring, and barely-there sandals that let intricate embroidery take the lead. Her shoe archive extends well beyond these looks, with everything from Christian Louboutin pumps and Jimmy Choo evening sandals to Dior platforms and thigh-high boots.

While specific runway-season styles like Watts’ Chanel Resort 2020 sock boots can become difficult to find once they leave stores, the pre-owned market is often the best place to look for discontinued Chanel footwear. Before buying, see our guide to spotting authentic Chanel shoes, including the details worth checking when shopping for secondhand pumps, sandals, boots, and other vintage or past-season styles.