Flat footwear enthusiasts—a group devoted to everything from ballet slippers to mules and slides—looking for holiday-party-ready footwear are about to find an exponentially expanded landscape. From the demure to the decadent, the season’s bountiful selection of shoes sans heels is packed with enough personality to elevate an outfit without the vertical lift. Still unsure if these soles are special enough to try for black tie? Look no further than the spring runways for countless takes on the new evening-shoe silhouette styled for evening affairs. Here’s the lowdown: From beaded and embroidered flat mules paired with chiffon gowns at Alberta Ferretti to crystal-embellished slides with enough sparkle to hold their own next to a sequin sheath dress at Alexander Wang, designers proved that decorated flats, though lacking in height, have longevity and impact to make the leap from dawn to dusk and beyond.
So rather than scurrying around your closet at 7:00 a.m. plotting your change of shoes for the evening’s agenda, consider an alternative course of action. The days of suffering in the name of fashion are over. Above, shop 11 of the best flats to put the ease in (and remove the pain from!) day-to-night dressing.