When it comes to formalwear, nailing the shoe choice is always a challenge. A brown lace-up or a boat shoe may tank your nice blue suit; a two-toned Oxford may read too twee if you’re trying to look suave. After a banner year for the loafer, your pennies might be looking a tad too busted to pair with a bowtie. But there’s a fun new-ish silhouette in the mix—the black-tie opera pump—that’s really been sticking the landing as of late.

Colman Domingo stepped out in the opera pump—the dressier brother of the men’s ballet flat (don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it)—this week when he attended the New York Theatre Workshop Gala, an undeniably dressy affair. As an honoree that evening, Domingo arrived in an appropriately dandy-ish outfit: ballooned pleated trousers, a long tuxedo jacket, and shiny Valentino opera pumps. He wore them with white socks, which made the overall look of the outfit mirror that of a cartoonish feline in a tuxedo conducting a jazz orchestra. (Complimentary!)

On its own, Domingo’s suit was on-theme and elegant. The addition of svelte, slightly lifted slippers—a soft shoe, some might say—underscored the more playful elements of the look. Added a bit of intrigue. The baggy drape of his pants appeared all the more inflated in comparison to the shoe’s slim profile; the razzmatazz of a tuxedo jacket paired with a polka-dotted dress shirt feels extra campy when punctuated with sweet bows.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the opera pump predates modern menswear by centuries, originating in the Regency era, when it was more commonly styled with breeches and silk stockings. It evolved into a tuxedo staple—a bookend to the bowtie, if you will—and now you can spot Bode’s take on adventurous menswear bros who pair the dainty shoe with rugged Carhartt jackets and 501s. Other fearless dressers in Hollywood have sported opera pumps on red carpets in recent years, too, including Donald Glover, Matty Matheson, and Benny Blanco. And although the pump’s origins are not in womenswear, their increasing popularity follows a larger wave of feminine codes inching their way into menswear.

A few examples: Jonathan Anderson’s recent menswear collection for Dior displayed sparkly, skin-baring going-out tops and waist-cinching blazers. Anthony Vaccarello’s kinky new Saint Laurent proposed tight, scoop-neck knit sweaters. Bad Bunny, too, recently made waves when he debuted Schiapparelli’s first-ever formal menswear look, a corseted tuxedo, which he wore to the Grammys.