The Shoes Every Woman in NYC Is Wearing This Summer

It was only fall when I spotted a true subway glimmer—silver metallic boots—worn by what felt like every single New Yorker. Now, the summer version of this sparkly-yet-subtle trend has hit: silver flats.

Contrary to what you might be thinking, they’re so versatile (which I learned after trying them out). Pair them with jeans, a dress, a skirt, even shorts and it will give your outfit an instant pop.

Just like with the boots trend, the first place I noticed how fantastic silver flats look was on a New Yorker—in this case, at my office. My colleague paired a Mary Jane-inspired ballet flat (in silver) with a boho-style dress. Maybe it was the delicate strap or the slipper-like stitching along the edges. In metallic silver, her choice of shoe instantly elevated her entire look.

From there, I spotted silver flats practically everywhere—on the subway, on the sidewalks in Brooklyn, on a Saturday night out. TBQH, it made my go-to black flats feel a bit muted and blah, almost like choosing between matte vs. glossy. I wanted my summer attire to shine.

When metallic boots trended last fall, we could easily peg it to Beyoncé, who made the color scheme feel futuristic following her epic Renaissance concert tour. Was the summer version more spillover? Who What Wear reports that the footwear pivot was first spotted on the streets of London earlier this year. What makes it so versatile? The easy dimension it supplies to a look without having to go overboard with color. Instead, silver flats make an elegant statement that, when mixed with neutrals, never feels too over the top.