Work Shoes That Are Flat and Fashionable

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Although nosotros love to play with our manner and footwear choices—between a heel or sandal option, at that place is one category that is a win for many if not all, and that'due south the flat shoes. Making a huge return to our wardrobes, flat shoes are the versatile, comforting, and effortless pairings in our wardrobes.

Meet the Practiced

Mickey Freeman is a New York-based celebrity stylist and designer who has worked whose customer list includes Keke Palmer, Kiana Madeira, and Shahadi Wright Joseph.

According to celebrity stylist Mickey Freeman, "flats make the perfect work option past offering equal parts cool and comfort" and they do say that condolement is king. Flat shoes come up in an array of styles and fits, and then finding what works best for you and your wardrobe is essential. Those with narrow feet can choose a pointed style selection every bit the tapered stop accentuates the foot. If you find that you are on your feet all day, so opting for a style with a moderate or chunky sole will help to cushion the anxiety throughout your working mean solar day. Once you lot find the best flat shoes for your style and function, you'll discover that your shoes will become the middle of attending.

To help y'all with your flat shoe options this season, here are the all-time flats for your everyday working wardrobe.

What We Like

• Very durable

• Evergreen archetype mode

• Versatile appeal to pair with different clothing

What Nosotros Don't Like

• Pricey

The perfect seasonal update on a classic way, adding some prep into your workday, this penny loafer is both gimmicky and cushioning in fit. With tights, without tights, with trousers, with dresses—this penny loafer is made of bovine and goat leather that carries the right amount of smoothen (without becoming a school shoe) and plenty sharpness to say y'all hateful business.

Material: 100% Leather | Size Range: 4-10 | Colors: Blackness, Burgundy | Toe Style: Rounded

What Nosotros Similar

• Truthful to size

• Easy to slip on

• Slim shape

What We Don't Like

• Very pricey

When it comes to investing in a pair of shoes, you want to expect for versatility, endurance, and the fact that they'll be a timeless slice despite the trend. Standing the examination of time, the Gucci loafer is a staple in the wardrobe for its ability to go with everything. Sleek? Yes. Hardwearing and well-made? Tick. Minimal? Absolutely. Worth the investment? Information technology volition be in your wardrobe for years, making the cost per article of clothing more justifiable.

Material: 100% Leather, Horse-Bit Detailing | Size Range: four.5-x | Colors: Blackness, Brown | Toe Mode: Rounded

What Our Editors Say

"I've had these for almost 5 to 6 years and wear them constantly! I'k about to buy another pair in brownish. I was always embarrassed to splurge on them, but they are worth the investment. The only matter is that they need to get re-soled every couple of years. They are and then comfy every bit well, and they do stretch so keep that in heed."

—Hanna Watt, Senior Production Manager, Commerce

What We Like

• Ethically handmade

• Easy to article of clothing

• Affordable

What We Don't Like

• No half sizes

If in that location ever was a fashion that could give yous endless options without having to own multiple pairs of shoes information technology would exist a babouche. Between a pointed flat, ballet, apartment and mule your styling options are endless. The most beautifully handcrafted material with a minimal and sleek pattern that will go undetected with whatever outfit. Getting the near for your money, whilst crafted with the most intricate of artisans, they are essential. We recommend refraining from commuting in them and simply keeping them at the office, every bit the soles aren't meant for the elements.

Textile: 100% leather | Size Range: half-dozen-ix | Colors: Black, Chalk, White, Violet, Light-green, Pinkish, Regal, Blueish, Orangish | Toe Style: Rounded

What Nosotros Like

• Vegan

• Easy to put on

• Accommodates wider anxiety

What We Don't Like

• Not for narrow feet

Information technology tin can be a case of trial and error when it comes to finding apartment shoes that fit and are as comfortable. This pointed ballet flat even so gives optimal styling points whilst complimenting the human foot with an additional open blueprint for the feet to relax. It rocks a slip-on manner, buckle particular, and pointed toe whilst providing a pain-free day in and out of piece of work.

Material: 100% Matte Faux Leather | Size Range: 4-xi | Colors: Black, Beige, Orangish Patent | Toe Way: Pointed

What We Similar

• Give with fourth dimension and mold to the shape of foot

• Cushioning

• Has side vents for breathability

What We Don't Like

• Might run also big or pocket-sized

Understated, sleek, and arguably the virtually versatile of all, the ballet flat is the perfect essential for whatever work outfit. In an array of colors, and fitted with the softest of Italian leathers, you can run around town and in between meeting with ease in this Everlane ballet flat. No tender feet by the end of the day as the butter-soft limerick mold to the feet with a robust but comfy rubber sole.

"This season, I'm obsessed with ballet flats," Freeman tells Byrdie. "Ballet flats stay in style year long. Whether bedazzled or sling back, in the office or for an after-piece of work soirée, minimal try is needed while achieving the maximum effect in this timeless style of flats."

Textile: 100% Italian Leather | Size Range: 5-11 | Colors: Blackness, White, Caramel, Tan, Mocha, Lime, Navy, and More | Toe Manner: Pointed

What Nosotros Like

• Timeless wait

• Fits in with any clothing

• Long-lasting

What Nosotros Don't Similar

• Pricey

Not wanting to take on the mesomorphic flat for work, then this mary jane is the answer to your piece of work wardrobe. Delicately framing the pes, in soft leather or velvet—information technology will be as though y'all're wearing your slippers to piece of work all over once more. Structured with dresses, skirts, or trousers, the Mary Jane is the prissy flat shoe update that you lot will want to wear over and over once again. This shoe by Sam Edelman is classically counterbalanced with a mod rounded toe and gorgeous velvet and leather colorway options.

Material: Leather or Velvet | Size Range: 5-11 | Colors: Blackness Leather, Mauve Velvet, Pebble Grey Leather, Rust Velvet, Eggshell Leather | Toe Mode: Pointed

What We Similar

• True to size

• Modern silhouette

• Fits in with dissimilar clothing

What We Don't Like

• Pricey

It'southward the right amount of chunky to make a statement, matched with the perfect corporeality of polish to either smarten or make whatever work outfit casual. This chunky shoe is the perfect definition when it comes to beingness a political party on meridian and applied on the bottom—it says "I mean business concern" without trying likewise hard to impress anyone in the office.

Material: 100% Leather Upper, Rubber | Size Range: 4.5-10 | Colors: Black | Toe Style: Rounded

What We Like

• Classic, elegant buckle detail

• Affordable

• Flexible latex foam insole provides comfort

What We Don't Like

• Might not be ideal for wider anxiety

Traditional mules tin be then apparently and blend into the background, just this style stands out so much that you lot'll desire to evidence it off. Yet property onto the traditional slip-on fashion, the flat mule is instead updated with chunky buckle detail—in stunning seafoam dark-green. For those that honey their shoes to practise the talking, this flat mule is the best on the market. These will keep your feet comfortable all day thanks to the flexible latex foam insole. You practice accept to bear in mind that, made from PU, the quality and durability of this shoe may be compromised depending on how much you wear them.

Fabric: 100% Polyurethane | Size Range: 4-xi | Colors: Black and Green | Toe Style: Pointed

What We Like

• Versatile

• Affordable

• Adjustable velcro strap on back provides condolement

What Nosotros Don't Similar

• Not for narrow feet

The ultimate WFH transition into the office, this fashion is perfect for not wanting to give up on at-habitation dressing simply still wants to effort. With an adaptable ankle strap, you can easily flip betwixt a clog and a mule, whilst the molded footbed perfectly houses your feet for your long days. We especially love the cow print pick, which is right on-tendency.

Material: Suede Leather Upper | Size Range: five-12 | Colors: Beige Suede, White Philharmonic, Leopard Greenish | Toe Style: Rounded

What We Like

• Contemporary-chic appeal

• Secure lace-upward

• Durable

What We Don't Similar

• Pricey

This style is the most universal flat shoe in your work wardrobe—it's practical, easy to wear, and tin style and complement whatever foot shape or length. Brogues can so easily wait also much similar a school shoe, but this smart update by Vagabond Shoemakers includes a mesomorphic sole, minimal upper, and square toe crafted from buttery soft leather to pair perfectly with the most paired dorsum of looks.

Material: 100% Leather; Rubber Sole | Size Range: 6-11 | Colors: Blackness | Toe Manner: Boxy Foursquare

What to Look for in Flat Shoes

Cushioned sole

This ensures that you volition be able to wear your flat shoes for long hours with hurting-free feet by the cease of the day. A cushioned sole will help to protect your heels as y'all carry out your day-to-day.

Durable materials

If you want your flat shoes to go the extra mile, hold up against weather condition changes, scuffs or the impact of daily article of clothing then focus on durable materials such as leather equally opposed to PU or slightly cheaper materials. Investing in robust materials means they will not only exist in your wardrobe for a significant corporeality of time but you won't accept to exist as well precious about their overall maintenance and upkeep.

Room to breathe

You want to avoid pointed apartment shoes that squeeze and restrict your toes or slingbacks that cut into your heel—the main selling point of a flat shoe is its comfort, therefore prioritizing comfort over style is vital when looking for the right apartment shoe.

FAQ

• How practice you know if a flat shoe volition give with time?

  Most often 100 percent leather shoes will soften over fourth dimension, so you tin can get away with a normal to snug fit knowing they will mold to your foot the more you wear them. If opting for a patent, velvet, or PU style shoe—stick to your normal size or fifty-fifty size upward in some cases as a rigid, synthetic textile, piffling give is provided for the anxiety.

• How do you lot know if a apartment bear witness volition final more than a flavor?

  Look at each style to compliment your style and ask these questions: Can I mode with v or more outfits? Is this a color I volition clothing often? Are they applied for my comfort level?

  If all the above tick the right boxes—information technology's a purchase.

• How exercise you lot know what flat shoe to invest in?

  Information technology all comes downwardly to personal sense of taste and assessing your wardrobe—look at other styles of shoes y'all have in rotation. Besides, retrieve about what apartment shoe fashion often pops up in your caput when you are deliberating over outfits day-to-day. These are expert indicators as to whether the apartment shoe purchase volition be loved and worn in your wardrobe.

Why Trust Byrdie?

Byrdie contributor Nateisha Scott has over years of experience in fashion, working with some of the almost popular brands and magazines. A flat shoe is her preferred shoe pick; for versatility, comfort and effortlessly matching her minimal style.

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