Foldable Ballet Flats: Yosi Samra, Linge Shoes, Ballasox

Philip is also a fan

I'm not telling you anything new when I say that foldable ballet flats are an incredible convenience that can save the day (or night). They're a great solution when one has to drive to or from an even that requires super high heels, they can hide in your purse waiting to give you some relief during a long commute, and they can look dressy enough when going out dinner after a long day on your feet sightseeing in a foreign city. What they don't do is support one's (non-existing) arches or cushion your soles, so these are not the ultimate answer for the flat footed among us. But all of the shoes you see above have provided me a much needed respite over the last year. Most foldables only come in whole sizes, so I go up to an 8 instead of my standard 7.5.

1, 3  Yosi Samra  ($65-$78, at Nordstrom and occasionally Gilt) are the best constructed among this group, with a thin but sturdy sole. They fold into a very small drawstring pouch and are offered in a huge variety of colors and finishes. They have the most "shoe feel" from all of my foldables, and look appropriate at many settings.

2     Ballasox by CC Corso Como. The ones I have are fleece lined (they also make regular ones) and are a treat for cold feet and I think of them as slippers that I can wear outside the house. I have one problem with them, and that's the thick seams, especially in the back. They're not smooth and I feel them when I walk around, which can become a problem. I wear these either in the car or for very short outings that don't require much walking. ($60, press sample. Can be found for much less on Amazon).

4     Linge Shoes. These flats are almost weightless and feel more like socks than shoes. The soles are the thinnest in this group, so it's not for walking on anything but a flat terrain. These flats have an elastic strap that can be worn inside or as an ankle strap, providing a more snug fit, which helps when going half a size up. They are also closer to real ballet shoes in their design by covering a larger area and not showing any toe cleavage. My one complaint is that they don't come with a pouch, so you have to find your own if you're going to shove the shoes into your purse. ($59, press sample. Available from lingeshoes.com).