The latest red carpet trend in menswear is flying surprisingly close to the ground. From loafers to flip-flops, pared-back shoes with slim silhouettes are quietly taking over — and celebrities like Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali and Damson Idris are leading the most recent charge.
While promoting “Jurassic World: Rebirth” in London, Bailey arrived at a photo call in black sandals from The Row, styled with wide-leg trousers and a slate knit. The look was relaxed, intentional and quietly provocative — a footwear choice that got people talking.
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Bailey continued the conversation days later in New York, where he stepped out in black split-toe Tabi loafers by Maison Margiela. Speaking to E! News on the carpet, he referred to them as his “slutty little shoes,” highlighting the deliberate styling of the silhouette.
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And he’s not alone in his pared-down footwear mission. At the premiere of “Jurassic World: Rebirth” in New York, Ali also gravitated toward narrow footwear. Ali paired a tonal cream look with black loafers featuring a low vamp and tassels on the vamp.
Meanwhile, at the London premiere of “F1: The Movie,” Damson Idris opted for a very similar all-cream ensemble paired with low loafers complete with tassels. Though less directional than Bailey’s Tabis, the choices aligned with a broader shift toward refined, low-profile silhouettes.
That directional spirit emerged even earlier in the season, when Omar Apollo walked the 2025 Oscars red carpet in what appeared to be ballet flats — soft, black and styled with white sock inserts that peeked through sculptural cutouts.
His look pushed against traditional ideas of red carpet formality — a quiet experiment echoed weeks later, albeit in a more theatrical register, at Cannes.
There, that same focus on silhouette took a bolder turn. At the premiere of “The Phoenician Scheme,” Alexander Skarsgård arrived in black thigh-high leather boots by Saint Laurent with buckle detailing, styled over tailored pants and anchored by a Saint Laurent dinner jacket.
The next day, however, at the premiere of “Eagles of the Republic,” he pivoted to black patent footwear with a narrow silhouette, worn with electric blue sequinned pants and a pinstriped Magliano blazer.
The recent wave of slim, low-profile shoes reflects a broader shift in menswear — one that favors restraint over bulk. Where oversize sneakers and heavy boots once dominated, more minimalist styles are showing up across red carpets, runways and campaigns. Whether in flip-flops, Tabis, loafers or soft ballet shapes, the through line is proportion. In a season defined by ease and sharp tailoring, smaller shoes offer a quieter kind of polish — subtle, but intentional.