Death to the Stiletto! It’s music to my ears. You see, I’m a flats kind of gal. My closet is stuffed with cute sandals, mules, clogs, brogues, boots, slippers, gladiators—all of the low-to-no-heel variety. Just as you were debating what killer heels to buy for the holiday season, I come along and throw a monkey wrench in the works. I might live for fashion but ultimately, I live for comfort, too, and I a firm believer the two can go hand in hand.

Lifestyles have changed; more of us work from home, and even in the office, our Fitbit is clocking our every move and urging us to get up and get going. There’s no time for sore feet, ugly Band-Aids and lugging extra shoes around in our ever-shrinking bags. Change is afoot.

The last few years have seen a big resurgence in athleisure wear, so it should come as no surprise to hear that at the same time, the popularity of stilettoes has plummeted. Even with the inevitable wane of sports clothing, women are still embracing the alternatives. Fall brings us such hits as the utility boot, like the nude pair from Lanvin and flatforms like those by Tommy Hilfifiger. And there are some very hot thigh-high flat boots, which have left my heart racing. Chanel’s vintage gold pair and the white lace-ps from Giorgio Armani both had me swooning.

Still keeping us on our toes is the luxury sneakers moment. Every brand has its own hyped-up version of a running kick. Noteworthy are Balenciaga, Gucci and Maison Margiela. Once you’ve embraced the bliss of pairing your most fashion-forward outfit, may it be a soft, tailored suit or a tulle dress with a cool sneaker or flat boot, you will never return to the pain of a skyscraping heel.

To be fair, the heel is certainly not permanently dead (or even mostly) but the heady heights we saw in the past have given way to many more delicious alternatives. Reimagining heels sees us embracing some new heights. The classic pump with its round toe and block heel has risen from the ashes and Chloé’s version and is selling like hot cakes. Kitten heels are shouldering a lot of the legwork and I’m a huge fan. They feel modern and sophisticated.

Tom Ford did some spectacular styles including a luxurious sparkling silver pair. Miu Miu’s gold ones were paired with some fluffy white socks—a trend you might find hard to pull off but is still going strong. Certainly, these elegant styles will be a hit for the party season.

Women may opt out of wearing stilettoes, but fashion’s finest are offering up some very chic styles to make sure our shoe game stays strong.

Kim Smith has been a professional wardrobe stylist in Honolulu since 2004. Born a true Londoner, Smith had a successful career in public relations in the fashion industry in London for more than eight years before moving to Hawai‘i in 2002. Smith’s work spans a vast array of magazines, retailers and television as well as working with individual clients on their specific style needs. See her work at kimsmithstyle.com.