Boat Shoes Are Replacing Ballet Flats for Fall, and Zara’s Black Leather Pair Are the Chicest We’ve Seen

Boat shoes for fall? Quite literally, groundbreaking. While the name suggests boat shoes are an entirely summery affair, they're actually set to replace ballet flats as we transition into fall.No longer just reserved for wealthy sailing vacations through the Med, boat shoes have been seeping their way into our everyday style since first appearing in Miu Miu's S/S24 collection. Since then, more and more designers have featured the traditional shoe on their runways, and now that trend has trickled down.So, how will boat shoes fit into your F/W26 wardrobe? Well, boat shoes are incredibly versatile and can be worn with almost any outfit. Pair a pleated midi skirt with a double-layered cardigan, chunky knit socks, and boat shoes for a preppy 'fit to meet your pals for matcha. For a day out, boat shoes look oh-so cute and casual when teamed with boxy shorts and a basic tee. At the office, meanwhile, we'd wear our boat shoes with tailored trousers (or turn-up jeans, depending on your workwear rules) and an oversized blazer. PSA: checked blazers are really on-trend right now.ZaraThe finish of your boat shoes is also pretty key. Typically, boat shoes come in a soft, suede finish, but we're really loving the patent options at the moment, which elevate the trend further and add extra polish. Speaking of which, Zara's patent leather deck loafers (as they're calling them) are so sophisticated—and definitely going straight in our basket!Shop our favorite patent boat shoes Jade Biggs (zij/haar) is een van de freelanceschrijvers van Cosmopolitan UK en werkt op alle gebieden, waaronder entertainment, schoonheid, lichaam en seks en relaties. Eerder bekleedde ze de functie van Features Writer, waar ze alles behandelde, van het laatste nieuws en de laatste koninklijke roddels tot de gezondheids- en fitnesstrends die je TikTok-feed overnamen. Jade heeft een graad in journalistiek en was tien jaar journalist en inhoudsredacteur, waarbij ze vooraanstaande onderzoekers, vooraanstaande influencers en experts uit de sector interviewde in die tijd. Ze is een kattenmoeder van vier vachtbaby's en is geobsedeerd door Drag Race, bodemloze brunches en draagt kleding die alleen geschikt is voor Bratz-poppen. Volg haar op Instagram, Twitter en LinkedIn.