Women’s Barefoot Dress Shoes: Full List including Ballet Flats, Oxfords, Loafers and Dressy Sandals

It’s true, barefoot dress shoes for women can be hard to find! That’s why I’ve rounded up a full list of options here. Check out these dressy, minimalist shoes that don’t squeeze your toes and have a flat, flexible sole.

If you’ve been looking for women’s dress shoes that are both fashionable and comfortable, the struggle is real! I spent years wearing shoes to work or for formal occasions that would leave my feet in pain or give me blisters—just a short walk from my car to the office could sometimes leave me feeling crippled. 

“Beauty is pain” is an oft-repeated phrase that I internalized as a young adult, and I felt like I had to wear shoes that looked a specific way to fit in, especially in more formal situations like work.  

After I learned about barefoot shoes, I quickly made the switch with everyday tennis shoes, sneakers, and sandals. But switching out my dress shoes was hard. The features that make a dress shoe dressy and fashionable (especially for women) go against a lot of we’re trying to do here with barefoot shoes.  

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Traditional Dress Shoes vs Barefoot Dress Shoes 

Women’s dress shoes have some of the narrowest, pointed toe boxes; barefoot shoes have a wide toe box so you can have a comfortable, anatomical toe splay. Looking back on some of my old dress shoes, it’s clear that they were only designed to fit three toes, maybe four on a good day.  

Women’s dress shoes have some of the highest heels; barefoot shoes are zero drop. Learning to walk in high heels is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood. It’s like you’re more of a woman if you can confidently walk in high heels. But even if you have your strut perfected to catwalk model status, it’s always going to be terrible for your feet and body. 

There’s a reason bunions are more prevalent in women than in men—those tight toe boxes combined with heels put tons of pressure on the ball of your foot and push your big toe inwards, which can cause a bunion to form. 

Women’s dress shoes have rigid soles; barefoot shoes are flexible. Honestly, I’ve come to the conclusion that most traditional dress shoes are not made for walking. They’re made to fit into this narrowly defined view of what is classy and dressy and fashionable with complete disregard to anatomical shape and natural movement. 

Also check out my post on men’s barefoot dress shoes.

If I start wearing barefoot shoes, can I never wear conventional dress shoes again? 

People have repeatedly come to me with this question, afraid that if they switch to barefoot shoes, they’ll never be able to dress up in on-trend heels or boots or pointed flats. I look at barefoot shoes like other health-related endeavors like food or exercise. It’s what we do the majority of the time that’s most important. 

So, if you have a special occasion that you want to wear high heels for, I hope you don’t feel anyone (especially me) judging you for it! Your feet aren’t going to be ruined in one night, though they may need some TLC afterwards. 

I think what you’ll find is that once people do start wearing barefoot shoes, they have much less tolerance for narrow toe boxes and heels as the discomfort is so much more obvious. It’s kinda like once you know what comfortable shoes are and the domino impact they have on the rest of our body, you can’t unknow it. 

Wearing a traditional dress shoe on occasion isn’t the end of the world. But, if you’re in a situation where you need to wear dress shoes on a regular basis, you may want to find something that’s better for your feet and body. This is where that long-term wear is going to have an impact, so hopefully this list of women’s barefoot dress shoes will help you find something that is comfortable and you like how it looks. 

Women’s Barefoot Dress Shoes

This is a full list of women’s barefoot dress shoes. They feature a wide, anatomically shaped toe box and a thin, flat and flexible sole. They’re divided by style to make it easy to compare the different options. 

Women’s Barefoot Ballet Flats

A ballet flat is a simple yet classic dressy shoe for women that can be customized a million different ways. As I started gravitating towards more comfortable shoes, I’d often pick the most minimal ballet flats I could find from mainstream retailers. Unfortunately, many of those still had a pretty tight toe box. These barefoot ballet flats are flat and flexible, and have a roomier and more comfortable fit for the toes.

	Softstar Ballerine Flat	Leather uppers with customizable colors. I love mine in shiny platinum (they look gold). Come in regular or wide width $175		Shop Now
	Feelbarefoot Ballet Flat	Leather uppers with customizable colors Opt for 3mm rubber sole or 3mm leather sole $85 using code KELLY50		Shop Now
	Vivobarefoot Opanka Ballerine	Leather uppers in black or brown $135 with code KELLY10 for 10% off Boosted code KELLY25 for April 2024		Shop Now
	Xero Shoes Phoenix Flat	Leather uppers in black, brown, teal or dark pink $100		Shop Now
	Shapen Tulip Ballerinas	Leather uppers. Ankle strap, which can be replaced with gold or silver ankle bracelet Come in regular and wide barefoot versions $90 with code BFSHOEGUIDE5 for 5% off		Shop Now
	Magical Shoes Ballerina Shoes	Leather or suede uppers $104 with code KELLY10 for 10% off		Shop Now
	Luks Shoes Ballet Flat	Leather or suede uppers $124		Shop Now
	Angles Fashion Nomia Ballet Flat	Leather uppers in black, brown and beige $126		Shop Now

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Barefoot Oxfords and Lace ups

Oxfords, Derbys and other lace up styles can be some of the most classic dress shoes, known for their pointed toes and heeled soles. They’re traditionally men’s dress shoes, but they’ve become a more popular style for women too. These barefoot takes on Oxfords and lace ups have a wide toe box and flat and flexible sole.  

	Origo Shoes Derby	Leather uppers in black, brown, tan, mauve and off-white 3mm flexible rubber sole $112 with code KELLY for 10% off		Shop Now
	Feelbarefoot Oxfords	Leather or nubuck leather uppers with customizable colors Leather sole with optional 2mm rubber outsole $99 with code KELLY50 for 50% off retail		Shop Now
	Softstar Oxfords	Wingtip oxfords or toe cap oxfords in black, brown and blue Toe box does taper some to offer more conventional look, so consider sizing up for more space $190		Shop Now
	Vivobarefoot RA III Oxford	Black leather or suede beige uppers $153 with code KELLY10 for 10% off Boosted code KELLY25 for April 2024		Shop Now
	Feelbarefoot Wingtip Oxfords	Leather uppers in black, brown and dark brown Traditional Wingtip detailing for dressier look $102 with code KELLY50 for 50% off retail		Shop Now

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Barefoot Loafers 

Loafers are another classic women’s barefoot dress shoe, with a number of brands offering their own take.  

	BeLenka Viva Loafers	Black or beige leather with gold buckle Best for narrow to medium width feet and low to mid volume $139, use code KELLY5 for 5% off		Shop Now
	Feelbarefoot Minimalist Loafers	Leather or nubuck leather uppers with customizable colors Leather sole with optional 2mm rubber outsole or copper grounding plug $99 with code KELLY50 for 50% off retail		Shop Now
	Vivobarefoot Opanka Slip ons	Leather uppers in black or brown $135 with code KELLY10 for 10% off		Shop Now
	Unshoes Primrose Loafers	Leather uppers with moccasin-inspired design and optional bow $103 with code nomanbefore10 for 10% off		Shop Now
	Unshoes Forager Loafers	Suede uppers with moccasin-inspired design $85 with code nomanbefore10 for 10% off		Shop Now
	Raum Loafers	Leather or suede uppers Leather soles with copper grounding plug $160		Shop Now
	Groundz Loafers	Leather or suede uppers Leather soles Have a wider/rounder toe box compared to the other similar style loafers listed above $ 170 with code KELLY5 for 5% off		Shop Now
	Ruby Workshop Loafers	Leather or suede uppers Rubber soles Offer customizations, including toe box width $90 on Etsy Code KELLY35 for extra 5% off		Shop Now
	Luks Shoes Moccasins	Leather or suede uppers Rubber sole $124		Shop Now

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Barefoot Dressy Flats

This list of barefoot dressy flats includes a few different style options, like Mary Janes and T-Straps.  (Watch this try-on of some of the most popular barefoot flats and sandals).

	Shapen Orchid	Suede uppers with 3mm rubber sole Come in regular and wide width €99, code BFSHOEGUIDE5 for 5% off		Shop Now
	Origo Mary Janes	Patent leather with 3mm rubber sole $130, code KELLY for 10% off		Shop Now
	Carets Artemis D’Orsay Mary Jane	Leather uppers in black Pointed toe with extra space to still offer foot-shaped fit $190		Shop Now
	Crupon Iris	Leather uppers in black or brown $160 on Etsy		Shop Now
	Crupon Trevi	Leather uppers with 8 different color options $150 on Etsy		Shop Now
	Shapen Poppy	Leather uppers with 3mm rubber sole Come in regular and wide width €99, code BFSHOEGUIDE5 for 5% off		Shop Now
	Softstar Merry Janes	Leather uppers in black, brown or turquoise $125, use code KELLY10 for 10% off through 4/19		Shop Now
	Nefes Shoes Mary Janes	Leather uppers with 6 different color options $98 on Etsy		Shop Now
	Ruby Workshop Dressy Flats	Leather uppers offers custom adjustments, including wider widths $90 on Etsy Code KELLY35 for extra 5% off		Shop Now

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Barefoot Dress Sandals 

When the weather is warm, I love opting for a dressier sandal if it fits the occasion.  Here are some comfortable barefoot sandals you can dress up. (Find some more inspiration on Instagram!)

	Shapen Calla Sandal	Shimmery straps in white, rose gold or bronze €89, code BFSHOEGUIDE5 for 5% off		Shop Now
	Vivobarefoot Opanka Sandal	Leather uppers in black, brown and off white $150, code KELLY10 for 10% off Boosted code KELLY25 for April 2024		Shop Now
	Softstar Solstice Sandal	Leather uppers in black, brown and red Recommend sizing down and opting for wide fit (I wear size 5U wide)		Shop Now