(Varelidi seconds that sentiment with the Demis.) Diamond, a self-described “heels girl,” praises these flats’ “simple, chic ballerina shape.You’ll probably be unsurprised to hear that the shoes in question come from luxury, Olsen twins–owned label The Row. (Their pick from the company, the Classic, has been discontinued.) De Roccia wears hers everywhere from parent-teacher conferences to dinner parties with friends and points out that the flats feel “made-to-measure” from the first time you put them on, so there’s no need to stock up on Band-Aids while breaking them in. Margaux also counts Luisana Mendoza de Roccia, co-founder of Maisonette, and Nell Diamond, Hill House Home’s founder, as converts. “But they held up so well that I order a pair each year now,” she says. She initially thought the style would be too sophisticated - with its grosgrain trim and little bow - to last through her work in the studio and running around playgrounds.

But it was Chloe Varelidi, founder of the play-set label Follies, who name-checked the Demi. In the making of this list, Margaux - the start-up shoe brand with a decidedly French flair - came up three times. So we asked the super-stylish among us - including fashion-brand founders, designers, and stylists - for their recommendations. But being the Strategist, we took it upon ourselves to find the best black flats under $200. Considering how much wear you can get out of a pair of black flats, an ultraluxe pair may seem like a justifiable splurge.

But like all basics, the sheer number of options you have - from Alexa Chung–approved Repettos to The Row’s minimalist mary janes - makes finding the right pair all the more difficult. meeting, a quick lunch with work friends, or dinner with your real friends before you go out dancing until 2 a.m (if you’re so inclined). You can slip right into them for a 9 a.m.

Somehow, wherever and whenever you wear them, flats will work. That’s exactly what makes them such an essential (alongside the classic button-down or turtleneck). Somewhere between heels and sneakers on the footwear-formality scale are flats.

Black round toe ballet flats