My first pair of flats were probably three and a half inches long, made of soft material, and featured flowers or bows. Decades later, the flat remains my shoe of choice. Versatile and comfortable, it's a staple in my closet — the shoe I reach for when I want to dress up a pair of jeans, when I don't feel like lacing up my Nikes, and when I just need to run to the grocery store for a carton of half and half.
My taste has evolved, but barely. My carefully cultivated collection includes a pair of understated navy patent-leather Ferragamos with the brand's signature bow, fire-hydrant red Chanel ballet slippers, and a particularly playful pair of Charlotte Olympia's iconic cat slides. I save paychecks for flats, but only for a select few brands . . . and I just found a new one.
Josefinas first caught my eye because of its girl-power branding — their site features an homage to Rosie the Riveter, only the heroine is clutching a stylish flat. Among the many, many styles, you'll find a Power Woman [1] special edition, sold with the tagline: "I'm a woman and I'm f*cking proud of it." Profits from the recently launched She Is Rising collection [2] go directly to helping victims of domestic violence. The brand's impressive list of collaborators features friggin' Gloria Steinem [3]. I came for the message, but I stayed for the styles.
The Portuguese brand doesn't just specialize in flats, it's all they make. Delicate ballet slippers, bedazzled sneakers, office-ready mules — there's nary a heel in sight. Almost every type comes in several colors, and there are vegan options for the conscious consumer. They're not cheap, but they're also not cheaply crafted. Each pair is handmade by an artisan whose job it is to put love into every sole. When my box of sunny yellow slippers [4] arrived, I had to stop myself from drooling all over them. (Then I actually did drool a little on the tweed combats boots [5] decorated with pearls.)
If you do happen to be considering splurging on a new pair of flats — perhaps to spruce up your Fall wardrobe [6] — allow me to recommend the following:
Benguela
Benguela [7] ($270)
Luanda
Luanda [8] ($270)
Yoko
Yoko [9] ($258)
Red Lisbon
Red Lisbon [10] ($270)
Alice
Alice [11] ($325)
Amazon
Amazon [12] ($270)
Audrey
Audrey [13] ($894)
Aurora Yellow
Aurora Yellow [14] ($225)
Cheshire Cat
Cheshire Cat [15] ($355)
Delicate Rose
Delicate Rose [16] ($225)
Grace
Grace [17] ($344)
Indira
Indira [18] ($344)
Kate
Kate [19] ($414)
Linda
Linda [20] ($258)
Meghan
Meghan [21] ($759)
Misty
Misty [22] ($344)
Mo
Mo [23] ($258)
Moscow
Moscow [24] ($554)
Pattie
Pattie [25] ($258)
Vegan Black
Vegan Black [26] ($225)
Vegan Pink
Vegan Pink [27] ($225)