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When Gigi Hadid closed out Paris Fashion Week last month wearing Miu Miu’s coveted bow-adorned patent leather slingback heels, she secured the style as one of the season’s hottest shoes. Offering elegance and ease, the slingback was the perfect partner to her embellished mini dress and understated leather jacket.
As any ardent follower of fashion will know, this isn’t the slingback’s first moment in the spotlight. Since its inception in 1957 by Coco Chanel (launched as a chic two-tone design), the slingback has been hugely popular with the world’s most stylish tastemakers. While historically, it was adopted keenly by starlets such as Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot, it was just as loved in the nineties by cultural icons like Martha Stewart, Cathy Hilton, and Princess Diana.
But it was in the summer of 2023 that the slingback really regained popularity, appearing on the feet of every ‘It’ girl, model, and actress. Take Sofia Richie, who chose a white Chanel slingback loafer as her wedding shoe of choice on the evening of her wedding in Antibes. Meanwhile, Kendall Jenner, Sydney Sweeney, and Bella Hadid embraced the look with equal gusto, wearing them to elevate everything from trousers and tanks to leggings and quilted jackets and even skirt suits with tube socks.
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How, then, has such a seemingly understated shoe – that in its most traditional form had a closed toe and natural fit – continued to stay relevant in a world where fashion trends change so rapidly?
It’s all down to the hole a slingback fills in a woman’s wardrobe, says Jeanel Alvarado, Editor-In-Chief, Founder & CEO at Retailboss. “They strike a perfect balance, being neither as dressy as pumps nor as laid-back as sandals, making them a versatile choice for a range of events,” Alvarado says. Its latest rise in popularity, can also be owed in part to the fashion industry’s recent obsession with quiet luxury.
“Quiet luxury is a concept that prioritizes investment in high-quality, enduring pieces over flashy, transient items,” she explains. “With their timeless design and adaptability, slingbacks personify this philosophy. They are more than just footwear; they are investment pieces that can enhance any ensemble without being overly showy.”
If you’re looking for inspiration, the runways are never short of it. “Today’s designers are pushing the boundaries of creativity by experimenting with diverse materials, hues, and heel heights to cater to a wide range of fashion tastes,” notes Alvarado. “Notable examples include Gucci’s ’90s-inspired slingbacks and Prada’s wedge heel slingbacks, both of which are making waves this season”.
So, whether you fancy a pared-back wedge style that will work with everything or a silver slingback heel smothered in embellishment for a high-fashion statement, we’ve created a shortlist of our favorite editor-approved picks worthy of a place in your closet. We’ve considered a range of foot types and conditions, too — from shoes for flat feet and high arches to heels for plantar fasciitis, bunions, and even slingbacks suited to wide feet.
You’ll also find expert styling tips and picks from Yenia Hernández Fonseca, stylist, luxury fashion expert, and further insight from Jeanel Alvarado.
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Comfortable Walking Sandals
Comfortable Flats for Women
Colorways: Black, metallic red, and silver
Nordstrom Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
What testers say: “True to size fit for me. I have a narrow foot and heel so even though I am often in between 8-8.5 sizes, I chose the 8 and it fits well. Cute and perfect kitten heel. And nice smooth black fabric upper”.
Price upon publish date of this article: $59.95
Size range: 5 to 12
J. Crew Top-Quality Store Badge on Google
What testers say: “This shoe is a winner! The leather is lovely and the shoe itself is very well designed. It’s a very comfortable shoe. I think it would be an easy shoe to add detachable crystals or bows to and give the shoe a lot of different looks”.
Price upon publish date of this article: $174.50
Colorways: Red, silver, and black
Gucci Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.7/5 stars
Price upon publish date of this article: $950
Colorways: Barely Nude, English Tea, Cocoa, and Opal
Nordstrom Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
What testers say: “Love love these shoes and they seem to be very comfortable. They’ll also look great with a new jumpsuit I bought from Nordstrom, but also cute with blue jeans.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $99.99
Size range: 5 to 12
DSW Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.9/5 stars
What reviewers say: “I’ve been looking so long for a good designer dupe and these flats are it! The raised heel, great toe shape, and made of real leather. I am in love. I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so I can wear them all the time”.
Price upon publish date of this article: $89
Size range: 5 to 12 and a range of widths (super slim, narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide).
Nordstrom Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
What testers say: “I saw a woman wearing these and knew I had to get a pair! She said they are the most comfortable shoes she owns. She also said she bought them in most all the colors! I was sold- bought them online before she even left the meeting we were in! They are so soft and comfortable I wore them the first day for over 8 hours. I normally have very sensitive feet but never thought twice about how long I’d been in them! Love love these shoes”.
Price upon publish date of this article: $195
Bloomingdale’s Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
What reviewers say: “The best comfortable shoes that I ever owned”
Price upon publish date of this article: $995
Size range: 34 to 42, including half sizes
Bergdorf Goodman Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.7/5 stars
Price upon publish date of this article: $950
Size range: 34 to 42.5, in half sizes
Farfetch Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.1/5 stars
Price upon publish date of this article: $1,200
Size range: 34 to 37, including half sizes
Price upon publish date of this article: $1,150
The History of Slingback Heels
While the slingback we know today is synonymous with timeless elegance, when they first emerged in the 1940s, their foot-revealing design caused quite the stir — favored by the era’s sexy pin-up girls who wore them with short skirts and bare ankles. Over time, the shoe started to appear everywhere, from magazine covers to ads, slowly ushering the shoe into mainstream style.
But when Marilyn Monroe wore a pair of white Salvatore Ferragamo slingback stilettos in the 1955 film “The Seven Year Itch,” the shoe — and the scene she wore them in — became iconic. Fast forward to 1957, and Chanel released its own take on the style: the two-tone, block-heeled slingback. This style became an instant classic.
“The success of the launch was further amplified by the fact that these shoes were worn by many famous actresses of the time, including Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Romy Schneider, Brigitte Bardot, and Jane Fonda,” says Alvarado.
Later, in 2015, the style was relaunched for the modern woman by Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld. Unsurprisingly, the two-tone pump re-established itself as a contemporary classic, adopted by the chicest women of the mid-2010s, Leandra Medine and Alexa Chung.
And who could forget the many memorable runway shows that have featured the most beautiful slingbacks of the season – think Dior’s ‘J’adior’ pumps, which made their runway debut in 2017, and Raf Simons’ and Miuccia Prada’s first co-designed collection in 2020. Every look in the collection was grounded with a pair of futuristic slingbacks imagined in bold hues. No matter how many seasons pass and how many new trends come along, the slingback continues to be reinvented and refreshed while staying true to its essence as a chic, practical, and effortless shoe.
How We Selected the Best Slingback Heels
For more than 75 years, Footwear News has been the shoe authority. Our coverage spans top industry news, retail trends, head-to-toe fashion, athletic and outdoor analysis and more. Footwear News’ global network of editors has carefully curated all product selections featured using our expansive brand knowledge and thorough research to find quality, long-lasting items.
One editor at Footwear News spent many hours researching and combing through hundreds of customer reviews and tapped a top retail expert and luxury fashion expert help determine the best slingback heels for women. This writer went straight to the sources, requesting shoe brands to submit multiple shoe styles for consideration while cross-comparing them with various foot types to narrow down our top picks for slingback heels. As new shoes are released throughout 2023 and into early 2024, we will update this guide to the best slingbacks to deliver the most up-to-date recommendations and tips so you can feel comfortable and look stylish no matter where you’re headed. Learn more about us here.
Meet the Experts
Jeanel Alvarado is a global marketing and retail expert and the Editor-In-Chief, Founder and CEO at RETAILBOSS.
Yenia Hernández Fonseca is a stylist, luxury fashion expert and contributor at Margo Paige. She is also a writer, stylist, and visual presentation designer with over ten years of experience in the luxury fashion industry working with globally recognized designers, high-end specialty stores, and premium service companies.
Meet the Author
Cat Hufton is a London-based fashion and beauty journalist who has written for some of the world’s best luxury e-commerce companies and publications, including InStyle, Harper’s Bazaar, Byrdie, and WWD. Hufton is an avid online shopper and has tested hundreds of products during her career giving her a keen eye for what’s worth your hard-earned dollars and what’s not. Hufton wrote this story on the best slingback heels using her extensive knowledge in the footwear space.
