The Arrival of These 6 New Flat-Shoe Trends Could Be the Death of Heels

It's well-documented that I *love* a good pair of flat shoes. Mainly because I'm always trying to add a more low-key vibe to tailoring and other polished pieces that can feel a bit too fancy for me if I wear them with heels, but also because I have next to zero patience for any footwear that's not comfortable. (And that patience sure is waning with every new season.)

If you're on the flat-shoe bandwagon along with me, then I'm sure you've also been thriving these past few years. From ballet styles and Mary Janes to loafers and slingbacks, flats have established themselves as a chic wardrobe staple that's fully capable of elevating a look, not just toning it down. When it comes to footwear trends for 2025, fashion people are reinvesting in key styles, but with some specific new-season updates. If you're in the mood to shop, these are the six flat footwear trends to have on your radar.

Sleek Loafers

Already wearing your penny loafers to death? Here's the style you'll want to add to your rotation. These more minimalist loafers are less chunky and detailed than their peers and are missing the usual leather strap across their upper for a sleeker silhouette that feels very 2025.

Elevated Slippers

From The Row to Toteme to Reformation, brands are aligned that fashion slippers deserve a spot our wardrobes. In this New York winter, all these satin and velvet slides may not getting much play beyond their role as bougie house shoes—but come that first little burst of fake spring, when dry heels and pale ankles reemerge on the East Coast, I guarantee slippers are going to be *the moment*.

Square Toes

If you purchased some new boots this season, you'll have noticed that flats aren't the only footwear getting the square-toe treatment. But this trend feels especially at home when applied to ballet flats, from more gently squared-off corners to toes that are decidedly en pointe.

Glove Styles

Despite my enduring love of flats, classic ballet styles have just never quite been my cup of tea. I prefer the higher-rising glove ballerinas that have evolved into a trend all of their own. And I'm definitely not the only one, given the rate that some of these popular styles from brands like Mansur Gavriel and Le Monde Béryl sell out.

Suede Textures

Now, we know that the suede trend just won't quit and that espresso brown is set to remain a staple color in our wardrobes for the foreseeable future. But it's the way suede is layering with other flat shoe trends to create some of our favorite styles of the season. Square toes? Glove shoes? Sleek loafers? They're all here.

T-Strap Mary Janes

Just think of T-strap flats as Mary Janes 2.0. This school uniform inspired buckled style still feels prim and polished but with an injection of that delightful, quirky, "wrong-shoe theory" energy.