Elegant Dressers in Manhattan Are Trading Suede Flats for This Equally Rich Trend

By Swedan MargenJune 3, 2025

I'm very much team wear whatever you want whenever you want, but I'm just not a fan of suede shoes in the summer. Suede is still a massive trend, but as we inch closer and closer to high summer, I'm seeing it less and less. Suede shoes—especially flats—are undoubtedly a favorite trend among elegant dressers, but I think that summer's replacement has presented itself: braided leather flats.

Like suede, braided leather lends itself beautifully to shoes, providing a rich, textured look that makes anything it's paired with look expensive. Elegant dressers in NYC, in particular, are always on the hunt for flat shoes that look luxurious but are comfortable to walk in. And clearly, Julianne Moore, who was just spotted in Manhattan wearing a pair of Bottega Veneta woven leather slippers, is clued in. She paired her flats with a High Sport sweater and midi pencil skirt, along with a Bottega Veneta woven bag, fittingly.

If you want to splurge on a new pair of flats this summer, I personally think that braided leather ones are an excellent choice. They're timeless, and they can even be worn for much of the year (especially the more closely woven ones, such as Moore's). If you want some recommendations, keep scrolling to shop the braided leather flats I recommend, and see Moore's expert elegant styling of the trend for yourself.