If You're Bored of Ballet Flats—This is the Fresh Flat Shoe Trend Fashion People Will Be Wearing All Spring

I don’t know about you, but unless I’m heading to a particularly special occasion—and honestly, even then—you can bet I’ll be wearing flats. Whether it’s trainers, mary janes, ballet flats, or my personal favourite, loafers, rarely does a day go by when I don’t slip into something comfortably grounded. My collection serves me well, but every so often, I find myself craving something with a little more impact. And just when I thought I had all my bases covered, I stumbled across the flat-shoe trend that’s about to shake up my wardrobe in the best way. Enter: buckle loafers.

The moment of revelation came when I spotted Simone Ashley stepping out in Milan for Prada’s autumn/winter 2025 runway show, effortlessly styling an elegant twist on the classic loafer. At first glance, her shoes seemed simple enough—glossy burgundy leather, a short block heel and that timeless loafer structure. But it was the oversized buckle detail that, in my opinion, took them to the next level.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Paired with a chic grey miniskirt, a green quarter-zip jumper, and a crisp sky-blue shirt, Ashley’s loafer choice made her outfit feelpolished, timeless, and effortlessly cool simultaneously. And while the emergence of this trend caught me off guard, the more I thought about it, the more I realised the clues had been there all along.

For the past few seasons, runways have been leaning into bold, eye-catching hardware, from cinched waist belts to buckle-adorned ballet flats. Given fashion’s ongoing love affair with all things belted and buckled, it was only a matter of time before the trend made its way to loafers. And now that it has, I can’t stop thinking about how this simple yet striking detail breathes new life into the classic shoe.

If you’re looking for an easy way to update your footwear collection for 2025, buckle loafers are the answer. Scroll on to shop our edit of the best pairs to buy now.