The 10 Most Comfortable Flats, Tested and Reviewed

Mary Janes are having a moment, so we had to get our hands on Vivaia’s version. The knit flats come with removable herbal insoles that offer the perfect amount of arch support and cushioning for being on your feet all day. Thanks to the square-toe design, there is enough room to wiggle your toes comfortably, but the fabric straps ensure that the flats stay on your feet without slipping off. Plus, the straps are entirely perforated so you can make them as tight or loose as you need. 

We wore these flats around the city for commuting, around the office, and while traveling, and they kept our feet perfectly comfortable and cushioned for long periods of time. The best part is that the flexible design makes the shoe foldable so they can fit in a suitcase or purse without taking up much space. Even after six months of testing, the shoes are holding up well with just a bit of spot cleaning to make them look good as new. Our only recommendation is to wear thin, no-show socks if you’re prone to blisters. The shoe has a narrow fit, but, luckily, they come in wide sizes, as well as well over a dozen neutral and bright color options like black, almond, ruby red, and denim. 

The Details: Sizes 5-11 | Knit, artemisia argyi herbal insole, rubber

Since slippers might not fall under the officewear category, we think these loafers from Birdies are the next best thing. Although they look like a pair of dressier slip-on shoes, they feature the most comfortable silky lining and cushioned footbed you could ask for in a pair of shoes fit for nicer occasions. With seven layers of memory foam cushioning and arch support, we mainly wore these loafers to and from the office when we were on our feet for hours on end. The nonslip synthetic sole offers plenty of traction on slick surfaces, and the leather or textile upper never feels too tight or restrictive on the top and sides of the foot or in the toe box. We did experience some light rubbing on the heel at first, but that went away once we broke in the shoes after wearing them several times.

To fit all style preferences, the loafers come in over two dozen velvet, leather, and suede options in tons of colorways. Our only complaint is that some of the materials seem more likely to experience damage than others — the velvet, for example, scuffed a bit after six months of use. We’ll still reach for these often, but we’ll be mindful of the conditions we wear them in to maintain quality.

The Details: Sizes 5-13 | Leather, textile, memory foam, synthetic 

One of the best parts of testing products is when we find less expensive items that prove to be just as good (if not better) than their pricer counterparts. In this case, these under-$50 ballet flats from Frank Mully wowed us with a comfortable fit right out of the box. As longtime fans of flats, we wore these ones nonstop for several weeks around the office, out with friends, and while running errands, and our feet actually felt supported and cushioned due to the breathable footbed and cozy textile lining. Even after six months of use, we’ve experience minimal wear and tear. The round toe design allows plenty of space in the toe box so your feet will never feel cramped. The knit upper also has a bit of compression to keep the shoe from slipping. We wish the sole was a bit thicker, but it was still sufficient in the comfort and stability categories during our tests. 

The Details: Sizes 6-12 | Knit, rubber

Mary Jane-style flats were a hit during testing, and all of the pairs we tried scored nearly perfectly, so it was tough to just pick one pair to recommend. This style from Rothy’s are the ultimate travel shoe for versatility since we were able to dress them up for nicer occasions or wear them with jeans for a casual day-time look. They come with removable insoles that offer arch support and cushioning, and the recycled knit flats are machine washable for easy upkeep after a trip. We love the eco-friendly and stain-resistant materials that are incredibly comfortable, even when wearing them for long periods of time. The knit material is stretchy and flexible while still keeping the original shape of the vintage-style square toe and higher heel for security while walking. We wish the Mary Janes came in more than two colors since we’d love to buy more than one to circulate in our travel capsule wardrobe. 

The Details: Sizes 5-13 | Recycled knit | Machine washable

Ballet flats are back and likely here to stay, so we think these are the best ones to invest in for virtually any occasion. The leather flats are perfect for the office, traveling, going out to dinner, shopping, or any other leisurely activity since they’re not only comfortable, but you can also wear them with different outfits. And after two months of wearing them, the soft outer leather still looks brand new without any scratches or scuffs.

Hands down, the best and most unique aspect of these ballet flats is the discrete system for adjusting the tightness of the fit. You can tighten or loosen the cord bow on the toe box of the shoe since it lines the top of the flat, adjusting the fit as needed — a feature we found necessary after six months of use as the shoes stretched out a bit over time. Thanks to the 5 millimeters of padding, the Demi flats have enough cushioning to absorb the impact when you’re walking while still feeling stable and sturdy on uneven surfaces. It would be nice if the shoes had a bit more traction, but the leather sole has more of a smooth texture on the bottom. 

The Details: Sizes 33-45 | Leather, foam

These chic pointed-toe flats from Vivaia are the best pair we tested for traveling during shoulder seasons when the weather might not be sunny and dry. A protective shoe is superimportant if you’re spending a lot of time outside, so we love that these knit flats still offer water and stain resistance. We wore these two to three times each week over our six-month testing period, and we found them to be supportive, comfortable, and completely water resistant. When we got caught in an unexpected downpour, the water beaded off the upper part of the flats and didn’t seep through. Similar to our overall pick, these flats boast excellent cushioning in the heel and ball of the foot, and the knit material is compressive without chafing or rubbing. However, we still recommend wearing a pair of no-show socks to prevent the possibility of blistering at first until you break them in. We also love that these flats are offered in regular and wide sizes, and come in over 20 colors. 

The Details: Sizes 5-11 | Knit, artemisia argyi herbal insole, rubber

According to Travel + Leisure editor Hillary Maglin, these Birdies flats are versatile for various occasions, especially when you need an “end-of-night” pair of flats to slip on after a night out dancing at a wedding or bar since the cushioning is that comfortable. The silky quilted footbed offers the perfect amount of cushioning but still provides the support and bounce you need in a shoe for walking long distances. Without requiring any break-in period, these flats can be tossed in a suitcase right out of the box. The leather upper is soft and flexible, while still looking sleek and stylish at first glance. The only thing to think about is that the sole is thinner than we like, so you might feel uneven surfaces like gravel or rocks if you’re not walking on pavement.

The Details: Sizes 5-12 | Leather, rubber

If one of your pet peeves with flats is toe cleavage, then we recommend the Ari Ballet Flat from Sam Edelman, since the toe box goes higher up on the top of the foot to cover any and all possible toe peeps. Besides the protective and full-coverage design of the shoe, T+L editor Jackie Cucco praised the versatility of the shoes, as they were easy to pair with airport and dressier outfits alike. Comfortable straight out of the box, the flats didn’t cause any discomfort the first time Cucco wore them thanks to the soft leather upper material. When it comes to foot support, these flats fall a bit short in that category, since they don’t offer much support or a contoured footbed, though we still found them comfortable for long treks through an airport and running around New York City. Choose from matte leather options, shiny finishes, or even a snakeskin print.

The Details: Sizes 5-11 | Leather

Leather is notorious for requiring a break-in period, especially when it comes to shoes. T+L associate editorial director Morgan Ashley Parker took the risk by wearing these stylish leather flats from Reformation straight out of the box, and luckily, the risk was worth the reward. The leather material is quite possibly the softest we’ve come across in comfortable shoe testing thus far. Luxuriously smooth and flexible, the leather molded around Parker’s foot as soon as she put the shoes on for the first time, so she was able to cover miles and miles of walking routes without a hint of discomfort. Besides the luxe leather, the Mary Jane-style flats also look as premium as they feel, which makes them an excellent shoe to dress up or down. Since the price is on the higher end, Parker expected the flats to come with a dust bag, but that’s the only (minor) flaw she could think of.

The Details: Sizes 5-11 | Leather

Versatility is key when it comes to traveling with shoes, so we love that you can style these Rothy’s flats with or without ankle laces. The laces can make the flats a little dressier for nice dinners or shows, or you can opt to remove the laces for a more casual, simple shoe to complete virtually any travel outfit. The recycled knit fabric is extremely comfortable right away, and it makes the flats flexible and breathable for traveling in the warmer seasons. Our only gripe is that the midsole and sole of the flats are on the thinner side, so we could feel the ground below. They’re still quite comfortable for being on your feet all day, but if you need more support, a pair of insoles could be smart.

The Details: Sizes 5-13 | Recycled knit | Machine washable