The flats to wear this winter
Our market edit of the three flat shoe styles we're wearing this chilly season
For us Australians, it really does feel like it should be a birthright to be able to wear sandals year-round.
We both spent the summer wearing different pairs of ‘dressy’ thongs — Soph in her Mai Mai suede eyelet pair, and Annie (hi) in these rebellious little guys from Maria Farro. Both fall under the ‘relaxed-but-considered’ category of sandals that diffuse everything else we’re wearing with a sense of ease, casualness and ‘oh this?’ energy we are all seemingly addicted to in this country.
Sexy, barely-there sandals make everything look and feel more effortless (although we may have taken things to a tad far with these?!), so much so that when the cooler weather rolls around, it can be genuinely confusing how to maintain that feeling of ease without losing a toe to frostbite.
It’s really very understandable to make shoes an afterthought, but they easily the most important part of your outfit. Comfort, proportion, vibe, dress code? The shoe is the key that will unlock all those doors. And the ‘right’ pair is the difference between feeling good and feeling off in your clothes. A long trouser with a toe-baring sandal? You don’t even need to think about it, you already know it’s going to feel and look great. But a long trouser with a closed-toe flat? Often a little more challenging to find your groove.
If you’re someone who all this matters to (and we assume you are, because you’re here!), we’re here to tell you it can be done.
Our group chat these last few weeks affirms this on both ends: yes, figuring out how to wear winter flats can be a bit of a nightmare. And, yes, it can also be done in a way that doesn’t compromise your true sense of personal style. Just ask Soph, who will wear socks with just about anything and make it work (we’ll do a bonus newsletter on how to style socks soon, they’re such an under-utilised accessory!).
Below the paywall this week, we break down our three favourite styles of flat shoes for winter and get stuck into the three key styling considerations to ponder when slipping them on, namely:
Balancing your hemline with your shoe
Using shape where a heel might otherwise do the work (e.g. a sharp, pointed toe = instant slick)
Contrasting the ‘vibe’ of the shoe for playful tension (e.g. ballet flats are classically femme, so can you explore what feels like an appropriate contrast to this elsewhere in your outfit?)
Soph has curated her top picks for each style from Australian footwear labels, so if you’re in the market for a new pair, you’ll find all the links you need below.
And for all our free subscribers, check out our Pinterest board below for loads of ready-made, visual ideas on how to style your winter flats.
Just a note, our paid subscribers get exclusive access to homeroom discount codes with some of our favourite labels. This month, we have a new code from one of our favourite footwear labels ESSĒN, as well as access to discount codes from Friends With Frank, Anna Rossi and Reliquia. You can become a paid subscriber below.
P.S. If you’re a brand and want to give our paid subscriber community a discount, please email us at hello@homeroom.com.au xx
