Flattened.

I’m a stiletto girl. I’ll own that right now. I love them in (almost) every heel height, color and style variation. Aside from 20,000 squats and lunges, nothing does the legs justice quite like a pair of pumps.

That being said, I’m not about to go all Victoria Beckham and swear off flats. That’s just crazy talk (for people who can afford multiple bunion surgeries a year).

What flats should you have in your shoe arsenal?

• A gladiator sandal
• A ballet flat
• A chic flip flop
• A pair of classic tennis shoes (old school Keds are so fresh right now)

1. Sam Edelman Calypso ballet flats ($95)
2. Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent Dinah sandals ($216)
3. Hollister Vintage Cali flip flops ($30)
4. Keds Champion sneakers ($35)
5. Topshop Hatchet sandals ($55)

The gladiator sandal is still in the forefront, despite being around for several seasons. I love a gladiator sandal because they come in so many different forms– super strappy, ankle-cuffed, simple t-strap, etc. These classic Cynthia Vincent’s (2) go with everything in my closet, and I love the color and twisted straps in Topshop’s Hatchets (5). (PS- if you have problems wearing a gladiator, look for a version that doesn’t ride high on the ankle; oftentimes this cuts off the line of the leg/gives the appearance of the dreaded cankle. Something placed lower will alleviate that issue.)

A ballet flat is a year-round shoe: in the summer with denim shorts or a sundress; in the winter with trousers or wool leggings. So versatile, very Parisian. These Sam Edelman’s (1) are in classic black with studs and a cap-toe, but you can find a great pair at every price point. (One of my fav pairs are a pair of black patent leather ballet flats I snagged from Target.)

A simple flip flop is quintessential summer. To up the style factor a bit, avoid that wall of rubber flip flops at Old Navy and opt for something a little more savvy: leather is a great choice, like this flip flop from Hollister (3). Every year, I snag a solid pair of leather flip flops from somewhere like Gap.

The classic sneaker has been on the rise. Converse is back with a vengeance (or maybe they never went away…), and I love the low-top version of the Chuck Taylor. I’ve been rocking the Keds tennis shoe (in navy, just like 4 above) with white shorts and dresses. They’re a little dainty; a little country club.

What do you think? What is your go-to flat shoe?