Flats at Night? AMANDA BROOKS Approves.

Although it’s completely counterintuitive for me not to wear sky-high heels to a formal event, I recently wore flats to the CFDA Awards because I wanted my long Jil Sander skirt to slightly graze the floor. I did feel short all night, but in pictures I looked pretty much as I always do. More importantly, I enjoyed myself more — my body was relaxed and my posture was more natural.

Lately, I’ve noticed more women on both the runway and the red carpet choosing embellished flats with dressy evening clothes, and the new proportion is both chic and unexpected. Whether you wear a cocktail dress with ballet flats, a long shirt with a thong sandal, or a gown with a gladiator, summer is the perfect moment to take a laid-back approach to evening dressing.

Below, Elizabeth Olsen, Alexa Chung, Inès de la Fressange and Charlize Theron show how glamorous flats can be.