No, Not Loafers: Elegant Dressers Are Wearing This Flat-Shoe With Jeans, Skirts and Dresses This Spring
From Miu Miu to Gucci and The Row to TOD'S, below are the 11 best designer boat shoes to invest in for 2026 and beyond.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I absolutely adore a good pair of loafers. Versatile, timeless, and effortlessly elegant, I throw mine on for almost every occasion. And don’t just take it from me. From Gucci to YSL, it seems that all of the high-end brands have at least one pair of loafers in their ready-to-wear collections. However, recently, I started to notice that a number of luxury fashion houses were coming out with a different flat-shoe style that’s just as chic and versatile. Enter the boat shoe.
This “quiet-luxury” shoe style may have previously been reserved for wealthy yacht dwellers, but now it's making its way onto the runways and street style alike. And with its nautical connotations, it should be no surprise that the flat-shoe style is taking over loafers as the go-to footwear for the warmer months ahead. Not to mention that boat shoes remain extremely similar-looking to loafers, making them extremely easy to style in spring and summer.
Boat shoes on the spring/summer 2026 runway (TOD'S, Meryll Rogge, Prada).
Boat shoes became increasingly prevalent on the spring/summer 2026 runways, with everyone from Prada to TOD’S showcasing modern iterations of this classic shoe. And with their timeless appeal, versatility as well as ability to be styled for any occasion, I think boat shoes are the perfect flat-shoe style to splurge that little bit more on. Therefore I went on the hunt for the best designer boat shoes to invest in this season. And luckily for you, I've rounded them up below.
Keep scrolling, and you'll not only find a thorough (trust us, I’ve scrolled through them all) list of the best designer boat shoes to invest in for 2026 and beyond, as well as some chic boat shoe styling tips to inspire you for the spring season as well.
Shop the Best Designer Boat Shoes to Invest In
1. Best Overall Designer Boat Shoes - Miu Miu Leather Boat Shoes, £750
2. Best Leather Designer Boat Shoes - Gucci Boat Shoes, £750
3. Best Suede Designer Boat Shoes - TOD'S Gommino Suede Boat Shoes, £595
4. Best Size Range - Gianvito Rossi Vandée Suede Boat Shoes, £660
5. Best Colour Range - Le Monde Beryl Moccasins, £530
1. Miu Miu Unlined Bleached Leather Boat Shoes
Sizes: IT 32 - 42
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Calfskin leather
Colour(s): Sienna, black
2. Gucci Boat Shoes
Sizes: UK 1 - 9
Half Sizes available?: No
Material: Washed effect leather, gold hardware, rubber sole
Colour(s): White, brown
3. TOD'S Gommino Suede Boat Shoes
Sizes: IT 35 - 42
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Calf leather-suede, rubber sole
Colour(s): Navy, light blue, taupe
4. Gianvito Rossi Vandée Suede Boat Shoes
Sizes: UK 1 - 9
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Leather-suede, rubber sole
Colour(s): Leopard-print, navy, brown
5. Le Monde Beryl Driver Moccasins
Sizes: IT 35 - 42
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Calf leather, rubber sole
Colour(s): Brown suede, taupe suede, chocolate suede, chocolate leather, black leather
6. The Row Novus Sailor Leather Boat Shoes
Sizes: UK 3 - 9
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Leather
Colour(s): Brown
7. Tommy Hilfiger Leather Monogram Boat Shoes
Sizes: UK 3.5 - 7.5
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Napa leather, rubber sole
Colour(s): Cream, blue, red
8. Bally Pathy leather boat shoes
Sizes: IT 35 - 42
Half Sizes available?: Yes
Material: Buffalo leather
Colour(s): Burgundy, brown, black
9. Aeyde Harris Leather Boat Shoes
Sizes: IT 35 - 42
Half Sizes available?: No
Material: Calf leather
Colour(s): Brown
10. Ralph Lauren Wylie Nappa Leather Driver
Sizes: UK 3 - 8
Half Sizes available?: No
Material: Leather
Colour(s): Tan
11. Maje Contrast-Lace Suede Boat Shoes
Sizes: UK 3 - 8
Half Sizes available?: No
Material: Leather-suede
Colour(s): Camel
How to Style Boat Shoes
Style Notes: Much like loafers, boat shoes are an easy way to dress up your linen throughout the warmer months. Simply add a matching leather jacket to pull the look together.
Style Notes: Shorts season is almost upon us, and boat shoes will add a polished touch to your white cotton shorts outfits. The key to looking elegant? Keep everything tonal, mixing and matching whites, cream and brown like the outfit above.
Style Notes: Boat shoes are pared-back enough to work well with statement pieces like the gingham jacket pictured above. Not to mention that boat shoes pair just as seamlessly with jeans as loafers or ballet flats do.
Style Notes: Suede loafers help to bring some texture to a spring outfit. Match them with a wool blazer to pull the look together, like in the outfit above.
What to Look Out for When Buying the Best Boat Shoes?
When buying boat shoes, prioritise fabric above all else. While cost may tempt you with both designer splurges and budget-friendly high-street heroes that feel equally luxurious, the real key to quality lies in the material. Boat shoes made from 100% leather or suede are consistently the most durable and well-crafted, which will ensure they last in your wardrobe for many years to come.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognisable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality and real-world wearability.
We regularly try on pieces ourselves—everything from best-selling jeans to designer shoes—and speak to external experts and fashion insiders, staying closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise, and each and every buy we feature has to meet our exceptional taste standards—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.
