The Slim Shoes Trend: How Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali and More Are Embracing the Style

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.

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.

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.