Real stories · The flat that stays on

The Flat That Stays On

A pretty flat shoe that actually stays on your foot — no slipping at the heel, no gripping with your toes. One little strap, and the whole problem is solved.

Every woman I know has fought this war. Ballet flats are the obvious shoe — neat, versatile, kind to the knees — and almost every pair ever made slips off at the heel by mid-afternoon. You develop that secret toe-clench to hold them on, your feet are exhausted by teatime, and eventually you give up and go back to lace-ups.

The Selvarinne, from York Boutique — a British label I trust — wins the war with one old-fashioned idea: a slim strap across the top, with a proper little buckle. Fasten it once in the morning and the shoe simply cannot leave your foot. No slipping, no clenching, no walking out of one at the top of the stairs.

They're properly built, too. The insole is cushioned, which is why your feet don't ache after a morning in town, and the sole has a textured non-slip grip — on York's wet cobbles in October, that's not a small thing. The soft PU leather needed no breaking in: comfortable from the first hour, smart with trousers, skirts and everything between.

Fasten the little buckle once — and your toes can finally retire from holding your shoes on.

I'll admit I did check before ordering that I could send them back if the fit was off — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free — but they fit true to size and the strap adjusts to exactly where you want it. They're listed at £80 and sell for £39.95 because York Boutique sell direct with no middleman.

They come in brown, black or coffee, in sizes UK 2 to 7. If your flats have been quietly escaping for years: buckle them down.