Five Pairs of Low Heels to Elevate your Smart Casual Work Outfits

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With the shift towards comfort and the overall casualisation of workwear, I’m content to head into the office in flats (including sneakers!), loose trousers and an untucked shirt. It’s truly glorious compared to how uncomfortable workwear standards were 5+ years ago. That said, from time to time, it’s nice to feel a bit more put together during the week. I often wake up with the motivation to put together something ritzier (probably more often than my colleagues) and when I’m inspired to do so, I rely on my rotation of low heels. 

Just to be clear, there are no high heels or uncomfortable footwear options in this post. The further I progress towards middle age, the lower my tolerance drops for wardrobe pieces I have to suffer for. Quite frankly, I have NO idea how (and why) I suffered in stupidly high heels early in my career. In today’s post, I’m going to be sharing the sleek “almost flat shoes” to inject the perfect amount of “elevated” into your outfit, without sacrificing comfort. Because I appreciate first hand that your work day doesn’t necessarily start when you waltz into the office – there’s a whole life you’ve lived before you clock on that needs to be factored in – whether that involves getting the kids ready for and dropping them off at school, being a gym bro (lol), commuting to the office and then the after work festivities as well. 

Which is why the simple act of adding a pair of low heels is perfect for my lifestyle. A pair of low heels can elevate the most basic of outfits – whether it’s a t-shirt + jeans, or a collared shirt + trousers. I particularly love a pair of pointed-toe heels, as they offer a sleek and sophisticated silhouette proven to be a go-to season after season. Tony Bianco has been kicking goals in this category recently (they have a whole category of dedicated to low heels now on their website), and I’ve also included some bougier pairs from Sarah Flint and Ally Shoes, both of which have a design ethos that prioritises comfort (the latter with a podiatrist on their design team).

Behold, five of the best low heels for work!

Tony Bianco slingbacks* styled with Henne denim shirt* (sz XS-S), Anna Quan knit top (worn underneath, sz AU 8), Henne trousers* (sz AU 8), Dragon Diffusion bag (also here and here), Status Anxiety sunglasses

Okay, I have these, and I love them. They’re a slingback style (with an elasticated strap at the back) and tres slick indeed. I’ve got these in the patent forest green shade and I’ve found them so easy to style with my wardrobe. In fact, the colour range for this style is delicious and perfect for the A/W season (check them out in mocha mousse or textured black croc). If you’re dabbling more with colour, the green pair I own is a really easy step to take into the land of colour, and the patent leather also adds a bit of texture and overall elevation to your outfit.

They’re only 4.5cm high and feature a rubber sole – a huge improvement on the old Tony Bianco styles I owned back in the day.

Tony Bianco heels* styled with Anna Quan knit top (worn underneath, sz AU 8), The Fold trousers* (sz UK 8 – similar here, here and here), Dragon Diffusion bag (also here and here), Status Anxiety sunglasses

Here we have another pair that I’ve been loving recently in this delicious mocha mousse shade that Pantone has declared to be the colour of the season (who are we to argue with that?). Out of all of the styles in this post, these court shoes best fit the “almost flats” bill as the heels are only 3.5cm high. The shoes feature a higher vamp and an extra pointed toe making these a very chic option. I always feel very sophisticated whenever I’m wearing these.

Ally chocolate suede kitten heels* (use VEEHEELS40 for $40USD off) styled with Anna Quan dress (sz AU 6), Bellroy bag (featured here in a comprehensive review), Status Anxiety sunglasses

It wouldn’t be a complete list of the best low heeled shoes if I didn’t feature my most comfortable pair of work heels in my wardrobe. Yep, you read that right. I recently declared these kitten heels to be my comfiest pair of heeled shoes for work. They’re podiatrist-designed and feature strategic in-sole padding, arch support and a spongy toe bed in addition to the rubber sole. The shoes are made to order, and you can choose from a heap of colours. I love the tone and texture of the chocolate suede pair I own and have reached for these constantly year round. Psst, you can use the code ‘VEEHEELS40’ for $40USD off.

Sarah Flint Kitten Heel Pumps* styled with The Curated blazer* (sz XS), The Frankie Shop Bea trousers (sz S), Celine bag (that I’ve since sold – I share the reasons why in this video)

I’ve been fortunate enough to try many pairs of Sarah Flint shoes over the years. Her Perfect Pumps are hugely popular and they were a revelation for me when I tried them almost 5 years ago. Sarah’s designed a polished classic pump but the shoes feature a ton of comfort innovations including anatomical arch support, an expanded toe box and a rubber sole. The first style I tried from her collection was the Perfect Pump 85 (which are 85mm high – go figure), but my favourite style has to be these – the Perfect Kitten Pump that features a flared kitten heel in a walkable 5cm heel. The style is available in their core colours as well as a heap of seasonal shades and prints. I’ve got three pairs in my collection (taupe and red being the additional pairs) and I really think they’re a beautiful shoe. They carry a hefty price tag but they’re handcrafted in Italy (in the same factory as other high end shoes, like Manolo Blahnik). I’ve had some pairs in my collection for almost 5 years and they’re still in amazing condition.

Well aren’t these a little bit cute? I had to wrap up this list by featuring a style from one of my favourite shoe brands, Bared Footwear, another podiatrist designed shoe brand that has taken over my wardrobe. Interestingly, I don’t own a pair of classic heels from Bared… yet. So it’s been fun to window shop some of these styles while putting together this edit for you. These Mary-Jane-style heels are 4.5cm high (46mm to be exact) and feature an elongated design to allow enough space for your toes. The biomechanical footbed is one that I’ve had first hand experience with it, and I can attest to the comfort of their shoes. I very much like the look of this style.

As always, thanks for stopping by! And happy pointed-toe-low-heeled-shoe shopping!

P.S. My round up of the best from Arket’s new arrivals. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, sign up to my newsletter below where you’ll receive subscriber-only content straight to your inbox (and tidbits I won’t be sharing widely).

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