Buy a smooth black tabi ballet flat first. It goes with the most, forgives the most, and is the pair you will reach for four days out of five. Buy patent second if you want the split toe to be noticed, satin if you mostly wear it in the evening, and a fabric or dotted pair if you want a summer version under $50. That is the verdict; the reasoning, and the material-by-material table nobody else has written, is below.
Every "best tabi flats" roundup is a Maison Margiela list with one Steve Madden Calico and, lately, a COS satin pair added. None of them compares materials, and none includes a vegan option. We make eight tabi flats in four finishes, so this is the comparison from the inside.
The material table
| Smooth | Patent | Satin | Fabric (dotted) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shine | Low | Mirror | Soft sheen | Matte |
| Scuffing | Hides scuffs | Shows scratches, wipes clean | Snags, shows water marks | Hides marks, holds dust |
| Stretch across the vamp | A little by wear 5 | Almost none | Softens, does not stretch | Some |
| Rain | Fine, wipe dry | Best | Avoid | Avoid |
| Socks and tights | Everything | Sheer or bare looks best | Sheer or bare | Plain socks only |
| Occasion | Daily | Daily to evening | Evening, events | Summer, weekends |
| Ours | Amelora, Wren, Elodie, Anouk, Corinne | Echo, Claudia slingback flat | Evelyne, Rosie | Colette, Mina |
| Price | $68.99 | $64.99 to $68.99 | $58 to $64.99 | $48 to $52.99 |
1. Smooth tabi flats: buy this first
A smooth, low-shine upper is the most forgiving surface a tabi can have. Scuffs disappear, socks of any color work, and it reads as an everyday flat with an unusual toe rather than an evening shoe. Our reference is Amelora: rounded toe box, low vamp, flat sole.
Amelora Black Leather Tabi Ballet Flats
The first-pair tabi: smooth black upper, rounded toe, goes with everything.
If you want the smooth base with a detail, we make four. Wren scatters silver eyelets across the vamp; Corinne covers the whole upper in close-set studs; Elodie laces a fine cord across the vamp and ties it off-center; Anouk crosses two straps over the instep so the shoe stays put without a mary jane strap.
Wren Eyelet Tabi Flats
Smooth base, silver eyelets. The "detail" version of the first pair.
Corinne Studded Tabi Flats
Studs edge to edge. Buy this as a second smooth pair, not a first.
Elodie Lace-Up Tabi Flats
Cord laced across the vamp, bow off-center. Balletcore's tabi.
2. Patent tabi flats: buy this to be noticed
Patent throws light, so the split toe is visible from across the street. It is the best material in rain and wipes clean, but it has almost no give across the vamp, so size precisely (between sizes, go up). Our Echo has a hidden low wedge under a mirror upper; Claudia is a patent slingback flat.
Echo Tabi Flats
Mirror patent with a hidden low wedge. Black or wine red.
Claudia tabi slingback flats - Black
Patent slingback flat: the heel outfits without the heel.
3. Satin tabi flats: buy this for evenings
Satin is the softest from day one and the least practical. It marks with water, it snags, and it creases at the vamp with wear. It is also the most beautiful finish a split toe can have in the evening, which is why COS's satin tabi sold through and why Margiela makes one. Ours are Evelyne in black with a drawstring bow and Rosie in blush pink.
Evelyne Black Satin Tabi Ballet Flats
Black satin, gathered vamp, drawstring bow. Evening only, and worth it.
Rosie Satin Tabi Ballet Flats
Blush satin with a knotted bow. The softest reading of the split toe.
4. Fabric and dotted tabi flats: buy this for summer
A fabric upper breathes, weighs nothing and costs least. It also holds dust and does not like rain. Our polka-dot pairs, Colette and Mina, are the under-$55 way into the split toe.
Colette Polka Tabi Ballet Flats
Dotted fabric tabi at $48. The summer and first-tabi-on-a-budget pair.
Which to buy first, by how you dress
| You mostly wear | First pair | Second pair |
|---|---|---|
| Trousers and knits, neutral palette | Amelora (smooth) | Echo (patent) |
| Skirts and dresses | Amelora or Elodie | Evelyne (satin) |
| Denim and sweatshirts | Wren or Corinne | Colette (dotted) |
| Evening more than daytime | Evelyne (satin) | Claudia patent slingback |
| Not sure you like tabis yet | A tabi mary jane (Lena) | Amelora |
Lena Tabi Mary Jane Ballet Flats
If you are unsure about the toe, the strap version is the gentlest way in.
Sizing by material
All run true to EU size. Smooth uppers give a little width by the fifth wear; patent gives nothing, so go up if between sizes; satin softens but does not lengthen; fabric has some give. In every material, do not size up to make the split feel roomier. The cm chart is in our sizing guide.
Care by material
- Smooth: wipe with a damp cloth; a leather-care balm on the toe cap keeps it supple.
- Patent: wipe; a drop of glass cleaner on a microfibre cloth restores shine.
- Satin: brush dry; blot spills immediately; store stuffed so the vamp does not crease.
- Fabric: soft brush; spot-clean with diluted soap; never soak.
How ours compare with Margiela, Steve Madden and COS
Maison Margiela's Tabi ballerina comes in calf leather, patent and satin, from $990, with a narrow toe box that runs small. Steve Madden's Calico is a leather tabi flat at about $120. COS made a satin tabi flat that became the affordable evening option at around $150. Ours cover all four finishes between $48 and $69, in vegan materials, with a rounder toe box on the everyday styles. The full comparison, by style, is here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tabi flat for everyday wear?
A smooth black tabi ballet flat with a rounded toe box. It hides scuffs, takes any sock and reads as a daily shoe rather than an evening one.
Are satin tabi flats practical?
No, and they are not meant to be. Satin marks with water and snags. Keep them for evenings and dry days, and stuff them when stored.
Do patent tabi flats stretch?
Almost not at all across the vamp. Size precisely and go up if you are between sizes.
Which tabi flat is best for wide feet?
The smooth rounded-toe styles. The split gives the big toe its own channel, so a rounded tabi is often roomier than a pointed regular flat.
Is a tabi flat or a tabi mary jane better as a first pair?
Flat if you already like the toe; mary jane if you are unsure, because the strap makes the shoe read as a mary jane first and holds the heel.
Read next
- Are Tabi Shoes Comfortable? An Honest Wear Test by Style (Flats, Mary Janes, Heels, Boots)
- The Best Margiela Tabi Alternatives Under $100: Vegan Flats, Mary Janes, Heels and Boots, Compared
- How to Wear Tabi Mary Janes: 12 Outfits, the Sock Rule, and Mary Jane vs Ballet Flat
All eight are in tabi heels and tabi flats; the plain-toe pairs are in ballet flats.
Shop the pieces in this post
- Amelora Black Leather Tabi Ballet Flats
- Wren Eyelet Tabi Flats
- Corinne Studded Tabi Flats
- Elodie Lace-Up Tabi Flats
- Echo Tabi Flats
- Claudia tabi slingback flats - Black
- Evelyne Black Satin Tabi Ballet Flats
- Rosie Satin Tabi Ballet Flats
- Colette Polka Tabi Ballet Flats
- Lena Tabi Mary Jane Ballet Flats