For the longest time, festive shoes have been framed as a choice between comfort and style—good enough for an off-duty look perhaps, or something to change into once your feet go numb from those sparkly heels, but definitely not something you would wear with your lehenga or sari. Lately, however, ballet flats have been making a case for forgoing height, showing up in spaces once dominated by stilettos. Along the way we’ve also seen juttis, mules and, of course, the classic Kolhapuri, in versions that are dressy enough for their festive moment.
There are enough examples of how you can style them. Sonam Kapoor, for one, frequently pairs her festivewear with flats. Earlier this year, VegNonVeg and Adidas reimagined the iconic Samba as a jutti-inspired mule, an India-special release that’s already sold out. To mark the launch, Kapoor, alongside others, received a Renaissance-style portrait of herself in a sari paired with the Adidas three-striped jutti. We’ve also spotted the actor wearing Needledust juttis with an Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla anarkali, a House of Vian embroidered pair with an Anamika Khanna sharara, and gold Kolhapuris with an A-line Punit Balana kurta set for her cousin Anshula Kapoor’s wedding celebrations. Consider it proof that flats can hold their own even when paired with the most glamorous outfit.
Below, our edit of the best flats to slide in and out of the marathon that is the festive season.
Juttis that look like jewellery
From colourful, stone-studded options at Needledust x Anu Merton and Fizzy Goblet to intricately embroidered pairs at Aprajita Toor, these shoes demand to be seen peeking out from under your lehenga or sari. Match the embroidery to your outfit for a coordinated look or use a contrasting pair to add a little colour to an otherwise muted ensemble. Either way, there’s plenty of room to have fun.
