I Swear By This Rich-Looking Accessory to Elevate Any Outfit

It's anchored my accessories wardrobe for as long as I can remember.

Brooke Ely Danielson wearing velvet slippers
(Image credit: Brooke Ely Danielson)

The velvet slipper has anchored my accessories wardrobe for as long as I can remember. In my family’s household, these shoes weren’t just footwear—they were a lifestyle. My parents wore them everywhere: to formal events, with their day-to-day outfits, and even shuffling around the house. Sometimes they kept it classic in inky black velvet; other times, they opted for versions embroidered with a knowing wink—a crest, a cheeky motif, a bit of flair that said, don’t take us too seriously.

Maybe it’s nostalgia, or maybe it’s the practical magic they offer a tall woman like me (a flat that still feels like a statement is a rare and precious thing), but the velvet smoking slipper has become less of an accessory and more of a personal signature. I can’t seem to shake it, nor do I have any desire to. I embrace it, I adore it, and I fully intend to wear them the rest of my days.

Brooke Ely Danielson in velvet smoking slippers

(Image credit: Brooke Ely Danielson)

I could wax poetic for paragraphs about why this is the shoe you absolutely need in your wardrobe, but I’ll spare you the full sermon. Instead, I’ll simply offer this: I wear them everywhere. They’re the unsung heroes of my closet—the shoes I reach for when I know I’ll be on my feet all day, and the ones I pack when I need an instant outfit elevator that doesn’t compromise on comfort.

They’re that comfortable. You can dance an entire night in them without the regret that comes with most “fashion shoes.” You can walk miles through city streets in them, unbothered and possibly blissfully blister-free (don’t blame me should you accrue one!). They glide from morning errands to cocktail hours seamlessly.

And here’s the real magic: velvet slippers have that elusive quality most of us chase endlessly—effortless elegance. They make jeans look intentional. They dress down a tuxedo in the chicest way. They whisper rather than shout, and in a world where so many trends feel loud, the quiet win is often the most stylish.

Brooke Ely Danielson in velvet smoking slippers

(Image credit: Brooke Ely Danielson)

Brooke Ely Danielson in velvet smoking slippers

(Image credit: Brooke Ely Danielson)

So consider this your gentle nudge, your sign, your sartorial permission slip: adopt the velvet slipper. Let it become your little luxury, your morning mood-lifter, your secret style weapon. Because once you slip them on, you may, like me, find yourself wondering how you ever lived without them.

Brooke Ely Danielson
Contributing Editor

Brooke has held editorial positions at Shape, Glamour, and Vogue, as well as contributed to In Style, Well + Good, Mind Body Green and Aspen Magazine. Brooke has also consulted for several brands, including Aztech Mountain and Tory Burch. Brooke has also made on-air appearances on the TODAY show, Fox5 among other media outlets while in her role as the Fashion & Lifestyle Director at Shape magazine. She runs the Substack 12 Seeds.