I love the look of flat oxford shoes and vote yay. But I do so with caution because I’ve found them one of the hardest types of shoe to style.

As soon as flat oxfords started resurfacing a few years ago, I was over the moon. I thought: Yes! A spunky flat casual closed shoe! Move over ballet flats, loafers and booties.

I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve had try them on, only to pass on the look. As inviting as they are on display, you really need to get all the elements of your outfit right to pull off the trend with panache, AND feel fab too. Flat oxfords look masculine fast, and not in a good way. They also have the tendency to make the wearer feel stumpy and dumpy because of the flat heel and high vamp. Heeled oxford shoes that ooze a feminine touch are easier to pair with an outfit in my opinion.

That being said, I’m still a fan of the darling little ped. I especially like flat oxfords worn in daring and arty combinations with Bermuda shorts, short shorts, cropped pants, skinny and straight leg jeans and pants, dresses and skirts – sans socks or hosiery.

So how say you?  Yay or nay for flat oxfords and tell us why.

After searching high and low for the perfect pair of flat oxfords, I went with the comfortable Fitzwell Justice in black and white (bottom left). No matter how often I tried on black, grey or brown flat oxfords – they never looked right. They felt too masculine and did not bookend my look with my blonde hair. The two toned black and white oxfords make me feel more girly, and that’s why they work. I almost went for a white pair of flat oxfords instead, but decided against them when the comfort and gangster vibe of the Fitzwells won me over.