By Amber R in Fashion — 16 Oct 2026

Summer Flats 2026: Mesh, Woven Leather and Mary Janes for When It's Too Hot for Heels

Mesh, woven leather, chocolate brown and sleek Mary Janes: eight flats that make heels unnecessary this summer.

MM6 Maison Margiela Anatomic Mesh Ballerina in black. Image: Marais

When it is too hot to wear heels, the flat has to carry the outfit. The summer 2026 version has moved on from the basic, flimsy ballet flat. The shapes to look for are mesh, woven leather, sleek Mary Janes, chocolate brown and slightly structured toes, in the kind of polished, French-girl-chic style that works with a linen set, a slip dress or tailored shorts. Here are eight pairs, with a couple of splurges and the rest between about $180 and $320.

Why flats are winning the summer

A heel is hard work in an Australian summer, and nobody wants sore feet at a long lunch. The flats worth buying now are lighter and more considered, with a little texture and a shape that still looks deliberate.

Mesh: cool, light and a little sheer

Mesh is the easiest way to make a flat feel like summer. The big splurge of the group is the MM6 Maison Margiela Anatomic Mesh, $920 at MARAIS. It is sheer, lightweight and made in Italy, and it is the pair to wear with a black slip dress or a crisp white shirt.

The everyday version is the Tony Bianco Mazey in Black Mesh, $179.95. It has a fine mesh and a classic ballet shape that goes from the office to dinner. Something to note, Tony Bianco styles run large, so size down a half.

Tony Bianco black mesh ballet flat — Tony Bianco Mazey in Black Mesh. Image: Tony Bianco

Woven leather and chocolate brown

Chocolate brown is the neutral to swap in for black, and woven leather is the texture to pair it with. The Wittner Annie Chocolate Woven Leather Mary Jane does both for $219. The woven leather is breathable, and looks great paired with a white linen look and a woven bag.

Wittner Annie chocolate woven leather Mary Jane flat — Wittner Annie Chocolate Woven Leather Mary Jane. Image: Wittner

A second route into woven chocolate is the MIDAS Murph Choc Woven Leather Ballet Flats, $179.95. It is a classic ballet flat, and the weave gives a plain outfit some texture, and your foot some airflow.

MIDAS Murph chocolate woven leather ballet flat — MIDAS Murph Choc Woven Leather Ballet Flats. Image: MIDAS

For something lighter in colour, the Bared Footwear Surfbird in Tan Woven Leather is $319. It is a Mary Jane with a buckle strap, handwoven in soft tan leather, and the footbed is designed by a podiatrist, which helps on a long day on your feet. Bared suggests wearing it with denim or shorts.

Bared Footwear Surfbird tan woven leather Mary Jane ballet flat — Bared Footwear Surfbird in Tan Woven Leather. Image: Bared Footwear

Sleek shapes with a little structure

A pointed or square toe gives a little shape without making it fussy. The Bared Footwear Grackle in Black Leather is $289, with a pointed toe and a gold-studded ankle strap. It is the dressiest flat here, and it works with a slip skirt or tailored shorts.

Bared Footwear Grackle black leather pointed-toe flat with a gold-studded ankle strap — Bared Footwear Grackle in Black Leather. Image: Bared Footwear

For a cleaner, quieter shape, the Tony Bianco Celeste in Black Nappa is a square-toe flat in soft leather with a close, glove-like fit, $179.95. It is also listed in Chocolate Nappa.

Tony Bianco Celeste black nappa leather square-toe ballet flat — Tony Bianco Celeste in Black Nappa. Image: Tony Bianco

A little gold for the evening

When a summer wedding or a night out calls for something a little more, but you don’t want a heel, the hoss Estelle Flats in Cracked Gold Leather are $420 and on my Christmas list. The cracked gold finish catches the light, and they are all leather, so they dress up a simple black or white outfit.

hoss Estelle cracked gold leather flats — hoss Estelle Flats in Cracked Gold Leather. Image: hoss

How to choose

For the hottest days, go mesh or woven, because both let the foot breathe. For a flat that dresses up, choose the Grackle, the Celeste or the hoss Estelle. If chocolate brown is the aim, the Wittner Annie and the MIDAS Murph are the two to look at. Black mesh is the easiest to wear on repeat, and the MM6 Mesh Ballerina is the one to save for.

At a glance

MM6 Maison Margiela Anatomic Mesh Ballerina, black: $920, sheer mesh
Tony Bianco Mazey, Black Mesh: $179.95, everyday mesh
Wittner Annie Chocolate Woven Leather Mary Jane: $219, woven chocolate
MIDAS Murph Choc Woven Leather Ballet Flats: $179.95, woven chocolate
Bared Footwear Surfbird, Tan Woven Leather: $319, tan Mary Jane
Bared Footwear Grackle, Black Leather: $289, pointed toe, gold studs
Tony Bianco Celeste, Black Nappa: $179.95, square toe
hoss Estelle, Cracked Gold Leather: $420, evening gold

Verdict: If you only buy one pair for summer, make it the Wittner Annie they are the most versatile. It covers woven leather, chocolate brown and a Mary Jane shape for $219, and it will get worn all season OR just treat yourself as a girl (or guy) can never have too many shoes.