Fall in Step

The alluring flats you'll want this autumn

Alluring fall shoes: upper left, upper right, lower right, lower left

With my daughter already navigating the halls of high school and my seventh grader gearing up to start school this week, it feels like summer is slipping away too soon. Labor Day is still on the horizon, and here in Marin County, the temperatures are holding steady in the 70s and 80s. Yet, despite the lingering warmth, the arrival of fall fashion is inescapable. Retailers are brimming with autumn essentials, and while I'm not quite ready to fully embrace the season, their offerings are seductive. I’m beginning to consider trading my sandals for some of the alluring closed-toe flats that are everywhere. If you’re also in that in-between mindset, here’s a roundup of chic fall shoes to tempt you into easing into the school year—and the season.

The attractive trends I’m seeing in fall flats include luxurious textures like velvet, tweed, and calf hair; rich colors ranging from shades of green like grass, olive, and malachite to varied hues of burgundy like oxblood, plum, garnet, and blush; feminine details such as Mary Janes, t-straps, and ankle straps; and bold accents like toe caps, studs, and buckles.

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All the descriptions below are clickable links that will take you to full details for each pair of shoes:

1. Malachite green velvet loafers:

2. Olive green boucle flats:

3. Denim buckle slingbacks:

4. Garnet suede driving loafers:

5. Soft olive velvet flats:

6. Gray and black ankle strap flats:

7. Hickory embossed croc penny loafers:

8. Eyelet-embellished black flats:

9. Blush suede Mary Janes:

10. Penny loafers with perforated detailing:

11. Studded burgundy ballet flats:

12. Red ruched ballet flats:

13. Leopard-print suede ballet flats:

14. Bordeaux and black boucle Mary Janes:

15. Eggshell t-strap Mary Janes:

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