Best Affordable Tabi Dupes & Split-Toe Flats

Sep 10, 2026 - 01:07

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Best Affordable Tabi Dupes & Split-Toe Flats

This Controversial Shoe Trend Is Taking Over Fall Courtesy of Getty Images Europe

If you've been holding on to that "ugly shoe hater" energy about Tabis... It's time to let it go and embrace these flats. These viral split-toe styles have been officially categorized as cute and chic. How do I know? Because I was a certified hater who recently converted to the cloven-hoof-chic shoe trend.

Everyone on TikTok is obsessed with Tabi dupes. Every time I scroll through my FYP, I get a new ad for the "ultimate comfortable affordable tabis flat." While the designer shoes retail for thousands of dollars, these duped flats are available for as little as $48.

Of course, these shoes are nothing new in the fashion world. But now, the dupes are truly everywhere. Because they're so versatile to style, we're sure we'll see them all over NYFW and throughout the entire autumnal season. So, keep scrolling to learn more about these flats.

The Tabis designs were popularized by the fashion house Maison Margiela, which can retail for thousands of dollars.
Originally, they're a traditional Japanese sock that is worn with thong shoes that date back to the 15th century.
Now, these split-toe shoes have been duped for less than $120 and have gone viral on TikTok, like the CUSHIONAIRE Maki Tabi Flats and the Steve Madden Calico Bone Mesh.

What Are Tabis?

Tabis are shoes with a split-toe design that separates the big toe from the rest of the toes. While these flats were popularized by Belgian fashion house Maison Margiela, these styles originally come from Japan's 15th-century fashion. Traditionally, Tabi are socks worn with a thong shoe made from rice straw, cloth, lacquered wood, leather, rubber, or animal hide called Zori.

The tabi split-toe design has become a signature of the Maison Margiela brand. Their tabi flats, sandals, heels, loafers, and boots retail from $800 to five thousands dollars. Luckily, these aren't your only options if you're looking to get a pair of your own.

How to Style Tabis?

Despite first-glance judgment, tabis flats are surprisingly easy to style. These styles are as versatile as ballet flats, with the unique element of the split-toe design that adds a chic touch to your outfit. Depending on the texture and material, they can elevate a casual outfit without looking weird or add to an already luxurious moment. We'd recommend styling them with jeans, skirts, or dresses of all types of fabrics, materials, or shades.

Depending on the brand, these tabi flats can be as comfortable as they are cute. And they can be made more comfortable with no-show, split-toe socks that work perfectly for these style shoes.

The Best Tabi Dupes:

Top Rated

CUSHIONAIRE Maki Tabi Flats

These TikTok-viral flats feature a cushioned footbed and a flexible sole that makes them super comfortable and stylish.

Steve Madden Calico Bone Mesh

These tabi dupes from Steve Madden have a distinct mesh texture (alongside a leather upper material and a 0.25-inch heel) that makes them undeniably chic. Plus, they run true to size for your bare foot (and even accommodate a no-show tabi sock). My recommendation is if you're in-between sizes, go for the smaller one.

VBDB Tabi Ballet Flats

These affordable ballet flats come in 11 different colorways and textures, from matte to shiny, so no matter your style, there's a tabi fit for your closet.

Jeffrey Campbell Pit Lane Flats

These Jeffery Campbell flats feature a smooth leather upper, a rubber sole, and a split, rounded-toe design that sits higher on your foot than the other flats on this list.

Matisse Mason Split Toe Ballet Flat

These red split-toe flats feature a ballet-inspired design with a bow detail, leather upper, and lightly padded footbed.

Bronx Semm-ie Split Toe Ballerina Flats

The more grounded (literally) pair of flats on this list, these ones from Bronx, feature a warm brown shade, pin-buckle fastenings, and stud detailing.

Jeffrey Campbell Saturna Split Toe Mary Jane Flat

In this soft pink colorway, these Mary Jane-style flats from Jeffrey Campbell feature a split toe and wraparound laces that are nothing short of adorable.

Steve Madden Cyra Black Leather

Looking for tabis with a bit of a heel? This pair from Steve Madden is perfect with its 1.25-inch heel and classic black leather upper.

How We Choose

The E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.

As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.