My Hunt for Autumnal Jazz Shoes

I tried three pairs of jazz shoes from Zara, and these were my least favorite, mostly because they didn’t have anything special going for them. Basic, black leather, with a low profile, they were fairly generic in appearance, although looking at them from above, the footbed could have been a little more streamlined. If anything, this pair confirmed the idea that $80 can get you a range of items of varying qualities from Zara, so it’s always worth the time to try and compare the options.

It impressed me to see a mass fashion brand that’s as mass as H&M get the jazz shoe right. These are pretty unproblematic in design (and super easy to slip on and slip off), my only critique being that I wished the leather were a slightly better quality and the footbed had been slimmer. All in all, they just didn’t have enough unique appeal to stand up to the competition.

This slipper-sneaker by Dries Van Noten was a wild card, but the gleaming red pair at the brand’s Soho boutique enticed me to give them a try. I would call them a sneaker dressed up as a dance shoe: sturdy and comfortable, but with an extremely flattering, low-profile silhouette that’s been trending in the fashion sneaker-sphere. I loved the bright pop of cherry red, but there were other colorways available, including black and golden yellow — and more on the way with the next season’s shipment, the salesperson told me.

I was thrilled to find this black leather pair on Margaux’s website, since I’ve always known the brand primarily for its signature ballet flat. When I took these out of the box, the first thing I noted was that they definitely had the most structured appearance of all the candidates and felt slightly heavier than most. Still, after an eight-hour trial run, they were the most comfortable of the bunch.

I wore them sockless with slim white jeans that showed off my ankles, and a neighbor complimented how “fresh” I looked. They were probably the most comfortable of the bunch, too. They definitely remind me of the back-to-school shoes my mom would buy me every September when I was in middle school, and while I love the timeless nature of this style, alas, their weight and square toe made them feel more like an oxford than a jazz slipper.

In person, this “oxblood” style by Madewell was more brown than I expected, which actually made it easier to style with items already in my closet. They’re pretty straightforward with a flattering, trim silhouette; just three rows of laces; and barely the suggestion of a heel. A style differentiator came in the form of the gathering along the edge, which also ensured a snug, slipperlike fit. I always appreciate a discreet leather tab in the back — again, me and my big dumb feet — for ease of slipping on, and at $148, I’d definitely deem these a worthwhile purchase.

From the get-go, I knew these wouldn’t be the truest iteration of a jazz shoe, given the gathering around the toe area of the vamp. Nevertheless, they fit the bill from their side profile and had the kind of lightweight, jaunty appeal I was seeking. This style by Zara doesn’t have a tongue, which highlights its “laciness,” and reminded me more of a ghillie, the soft, lace-up shoe traditionally associated with Scottish Highland dancing — not that that’s a bad thing, just a very particular thing. If you’re looking for a slightly more unique jazz shoe style to complement the straightforward pair you already own, these would make a smart secondary purchase.

Jamie Haller’s namesake brand is well-known and beloved for its extremely comfortable and soft, glovelike leather loafers (and coming from someone who owns a pair, deservedly so). These lace-up slippers get high points for the luxe, grayish-taupe shade and butter-soft suede material, and the slipperlike profile made my giant, size-ten feet look — I’ll allow myself to say — delicate. The sole, however, is notably thinner than most of the other pairs I tried, which would be a challenge for someone who treks around the city as much as I do.

In general, I’m a fan of Tibi’s footwear for its classic styles that always have a clever twist. In the case of these burgundy leather lace-ups, it’s the center seam down the vamp and the patch of suede at the heel. As far as a new, fresh-feeling style goes for the autumn season ahead, these would be at the top of my list — and they earn high marks for comfort, too. The toe, pointier than the rest, edges them just outside of jazz-shoe territory, though.

These $80 winners from Zara were my favorites of the red pairs that I tried. The shade, which was somewhere between oxblood and cherry, felt bold but also exceptionally versatile when it came to my daily wardrobe. They have a neat low profile that’s not too flimsy or slipperlike, and a sturdy enough sole that holds up to bike-riding without contorting over the pedals, not to mention getting around all day on foot. The pliant, soft leather was admittedly better quality than I expected, judging by the price, too.

I love it when shoes effortlessly do the work of zhuzhing up an outfit, and I immediately gravitated toward this pair by Reformation for the slightly crackled patent leather outer (which the brand describes as a “faux eel embossed effect”). I tried them on barefoot with an A-line miniskirt but would also style them with a cute pair of shorts and dainty white socks. Bonus points for the suede interior, ideal for barefoot wearers, but when the temperature drops, I think their sheen would make these the best candidates to pair with tights of all styles and colors, too.

I had early doubts about this pair. Repetto’s signature ballet flats have never really worked for me, so I figured — unfairly — that the brand’s jazz-inspired versions probably wouldn’t either. I was wrong! Even though the heel (two centimeters) was the highest of the mostly flat candidates, which seemed more reminiscent of a tap shoe (yes, I was a dance kid growing up), these were by far the most versatile of the bunch. I could wear them either bare-legged, with jeans in a variety of leg shapes (wide-leg, straight, bootcut), or with dressier trousers. They also appealed to the nostalgic Francophile in me: The style is one that Serge Gainsbourg wore in the 1970s. I ultimately went with black (there’s also a navy pair, but I found that shade harder to pull off), though the black patent leather would also be a fun option for evening.