Derby-Shoe Outfits Fashion People Will Wear This Fall

Even though ballet flats have reached new heights this year, classic ballerinas might be (ever so slightly) waning as we move into fall. Flat shoes are increasingly taking the place of our heels, and that’s only set to continue as more and more cool flat-shoe styles arise. Case in point: the latest It flats to emerge. Meet derby shoes, the lace-up flats that are set overtake ballerinas in popularity for fall 2026. Not quite as formal as loafers or oxfords but with more sophistication than your average ballet flats, derby shoes are the surprising new style that’s just right for a dose of everyday polish.

We first saw the shoes nearly a year ago on the Celine resort 2026 runway, where Creative Director Michael Rider sent out model after model wearing a pair of the slim-soled glove-like flats. They arrived in black, white, and bright cherry-red hues and were styled with billowing trousers and shift dresses, always with a layer of ankle socks to give extra dimension. Fast-forward to the present day, and sleek derby-shoe styles are popping up all over with versions from Margaux, J.Crew, and Zara anchoring the affordable end of the market.

Not only is the trend saturating the market, but it’s already beginning to pop up on the street, so while you peruse the best derby flats to shop for your own closet, I’ve put together an outfit guide for how to style the shoes so you’ll be ready to go with ideas once they arrive on your doorstep. I expect to see fashion people wearing them straight-leg jeans but also with all manner of cool trousers from slim cigarette pants to billowing barrel shapes. Ahead, see how to wear derby shoes for fall, and then shop pieces to re-create the looks for yourself—if you want to be ahead of the curve, that is.

Style Notes: Michael Rider has sent out three collections since derby shoes first appeared on his resort 2026 runway, and nearly all of them have included look with the lace-up flats, styled in increasingly innovative new ways, I might add. On the fall 2026 runway, however, the shoes were styled with slim cigarette trousers and a fringed knit sweater. The combination of cropped pants and derby shoes immediately felt fresh.

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