Understated, Luxurious, and Steeped in Heritage: The Flat-Shoe Trend Set to Define Winter '26

It doesn't take an expert to see that flat shoes have become the unrivaled default shoe in our closets lately. Over the past few years, flats evolved from being the shoe you pick for comfort and convenience into something altogether chicer and more forward—yes, even going toe to toe with heels for occasion dressing. As designers keep producing more opulent and beautiful flats, their allure only amplifies, which brings me to the latest phase in their evolution. Meet the smoking slipper.

More elevated than ballet flats and even more rich-looking than a standard pair of loafers, smoking slippers are defined by a low-profile, a plush velvet finish, and a seamless silhouette—they're usually devoid of any buckles or laces making them easy to slip on and off. This is because they were traditionally worn for indoor lounging, but have since evolved to become synonymous with formal evening wear and in late 2026, they're on track to become the next "It" flats to know.

The shoes are coming at a time when opera house dressing is the most important fashion aesthetic of the moment and because of the trend, we're now starting to see an uptick in tuxedo dress codes with pieces like cummerbunds, tuxedo shirts, and evening jackets all bubbling up this season. But trend momentum aside, smoking slippers have a rich heritage and history to them, too. They were always the shoes of choice for royalty and date back to Prince Albert in 19th-Century England who popularized them as the shoes that men would wear when they entertained indoors (often paired with a smoking jacket) to protect carpets and floors from ash and soot.

Now, luxury labels are designing their own modern smoking slippers and the leading styles are arriving at The Row, Toteme, Tory Burch, and Celine in rich jewel tones like purple, burgundy, and ochre. Here, discover the elegant and luxurious smoking slipper trend and shop the best pairs.

Shop the Smoking Slipper Shoe Trend