It Girls in Copenhagen, London, and Paris Agree: These 4 Flat Shoe Trends Are Worth Ditching Heels For

Nordstrom and Zara have the best picks.

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women wearing flat shoes: platform boots, loafers, and satin sneakers.
(Image credit: Getty Images; Launchmetrics Spotlight)

As a petite woman, I love high heels more than most people. But as someone with an ankle injury that causes chronic foot pain, they're not the most practical footwear option in my closet. So imagine my joy when I saw street-style shots from Copenhagen Fashion Week that confirmed my biggest hope: Flat shoes are trending.

Well, ballet flats, loafers, and sneakers have been replacing stilettos among fashion-minded women for some time. But it seems we've hit Peak Flat Shoe in 2026, with It Girls in Copenhagen giving it an enthusiastic co-sign. They join trendsetters in New York and Paris in embracing high-vamp glove flats (Marie Claire's Lauren Tappan was an early adopter) and flatform snow boots that promise comfort and warmth in 2026. Soft, ruched loafers are also replacing the sturdier, classic silhouette I would normally invest in.

I fulfilled my shopping editor duty by finding the very best pairs at two of my most reliable shopping destinations: Nordstrom and Zara. Keep scrolling for all my favorite finds.

Glove Flats

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - JANUARY 28: A guest wears a beige and brown houndstooth patterned trench coat, a white crocheted net hat, dark knee-length tailored shorts, sheer black knee-high socks, black leather ballet flats with bow details, black leather gloves, and a black polka-dot ruffled scarf draped over one shoulder outside the Herskind show during Copenhagen Fashion Week AW26 on January 28, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Raimonda Kulikauskiene/WireImage)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Think of the glove flat as a ballet flat, but with more coverage. It basically envelops your foot in buttery soft material, hugging it like—you guessed it—a glove. Mansur Gavriel makes a particularly comfortable pair, and Zara's patent version will add a touch of spice to even the simplest outfit.

Soft Loafers

woman wearing flat loafers

(Image credit: Getty Images)

You can blame Hailey Bieber and her signature loafers for popularizing the soft shoe look, one of Spring 2026's biggest shoe trends. Whether you buy them in suede or leather, one thing is certain: You'll want to look for pairs that feel more like slippers.

Sneakerinas

woman wearing pink satin sneakers

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight)

Of all the 2025 sneaker trends, the "sneakerina" was the last one I expected to take off, but here we are. The look is only growing stronger in the new year. My favorite styles look more like sporty ballet flats than actual sneakers, but in a cool, downtown way. I would wear any of the below with a pair of cargo pants or balloon trousers.

Flatform Boots

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - JANUARY 28: Evi Wave wears dark brown pants, brown suede boots, brown embroidered skirt, brown fur jacket, brown suede bag and dark brown paper boy hat outside the MKDT Studio show during Copenhagen Fashion Week AW26 on January 28, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Raimonda Kulikauskiene/WireImage)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Snow boots have a reputation for not being the most exciting or chic, but I dare you to look at the options below and find a pair you wouldn't wear. These flatform boots are warm, yes, but also make enough of a statement that they become the winter outfit.

Julia Marzovilla
Julia Marzovilla
Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviews the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.

In her near decade of experience, Julia has both written for several top outlets in the E-Commerce space and worked at major fashion labels. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and worked as the Trending Fashion and News Writer STYLECASTER. You can find her across the internet at @JuliaMarzovilla. In real life, you can find her creating shopping guides for her friends, cooking or baking in her too-small kitchen, or buying tickets for the next time Harry Styles is in town.

Julia has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Journalism from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City, her hometown.