The Slingback Heel Is Back on Its Best Behavior

The appeal of the slingback is not that it makes a shoe more formal. It is that small bit of exposure at the heel loosens a pump without making it feel casual, which is why slingback heels can move between a sharp outfit and something less planned. The products here show how much the finish changes the mood: Jeffrey Campbell's Booshky Slingback Pump keeps things straightforward, while Aeyde's Liza Snake-Effect Leather Slingback Pumps make the same outline more graphic. JW Anderson's Buckle Velvet Slingback Pumps are a different proposition again, all texture and hardware. For an everyday pair, Schutz's Paola, Sam Edelman's Bianka and Reformation's Calista are the low, steady ones I would reach for first. There is even a flat in Gianvito Rossi's Robbie Leather Slingback Flats, a useful reminder that the strap is not the point if the shoe does not suit the day. Fit is the deciding detail. Check that the heel stays anchored when you walk, and pay attention to the height you will actually wear, not the height that photographs well. A slingback should feel like a choice, not a tiny negotiation with your shoe.

Alexandre Birman grew up on the factory floor of his father's shoe business in Brazil and launched his own label in 2008, and you can see that upbringing in how cleanly the Miranda and Alina slingbacks are cut. Toteme's Contour and The Wedge take the shape somewhere sparer and more Swedish, while Jimmy Choo's Love and Emme Parsons' Elana keep a pointed toe and a slim heel. If you want the strap closer to the ground, Gianvito Rossi's Robbie and Gabriela Hearst's Strength raffia flats are the easy everyday pairs. My test for this group is a long walk on a hard floor: the strap should hold without digging in. I would skip the Amina Muaddi Holli if your day involves a lot of stairs, because that flared heel is happier at a dinner that ends in a car. The kitten heels are where this group gets easy: Veronica Beard's Luciana and Vince's Sabra in burgundy tones, Gianvito Rossi's Sofia in black and Jeffrey Campbell's zebra-print Gambol.

Roger Vivier's buckle pump first walked the Yves Saint Laurent runway in 1965, and after Catherine Deneuve wore a pair in Belle de Jour in 1967 it took the name Belle Vivier. That shoe is the quiet reference behind a lot of this group, from the house's own Belle Vivier slingbacks in patent, striped suede and python-effect suede to the dotted raffia Virgule. Saint Laurent's Anne-Marie and Prada's mesh pumps sit close to it in spirit, while Alaïa's gingham Drop and Miu Miu's flannel pair are the ones with a sense of humor. These are the pairs worth taking to a cobbler for new soles, so I would only buy the one I can picture wearing in ten years. I would skip any pair that pinches at the strap in the first five minutes, because a strap that starts too tight rarely loosens enough to forget about.

I like a slingback best when it does not announce itself as an occasion shoe. Khaite's Bella Snake-Effect Leather Slingback Pumps have a bolder surface, while Jimmy Choo's Love Leather Slingback Pumps keep the line quieter; neither will rescue an outfit built around the wrong heel height. And if a high pump is a nonstarter, Gianvito Rossi's Robbie Leather Slingback Flats make the shape feel practical rather than precious. That distinction matters more than the label or the finish. I would pass on any pair that needs a special evening to justify it, especially if the strap shifts after a few steps. Try the shoe standing, walking, and turning before deciding it is comfortable. Buy the slingback that stays put on an ordinary day, not the one that only looks persuasive in a mirror. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Chanel Slingback Dupe and Slingback Step.