On Tuesday in New York City, celebrities from different realms of entertainment were out and about: Keke Palmer appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in multiple designer looks including a black archival Thierry Mugler dress, Kaia Gerber continued her “Shards” promotional era in a black slipdress and Kelsea Ballerini was out in a black and white polka dot Helsa minidress.

The three stars wore different takes on the LBD, but each completed her look with a pair of minimalist mule heels — the style currently battling the kitten heel thong sandal to become the shoe of the summer.

One of Palmer’s late night looks was a vintage Thierry Mugler dress with a halter neck, deep V-neck, a shiny linear accent across the bodice and a slit in the skirt. She paired it with black patent leather mules with a round toe and tall stiletto heel. The silhouette offered a clear example of the trend, with a barely-there upper defined simply by a toe strap with an hourglass-like outline. It’s an aesthetic Palmer has favored before, having just stepped out in June in glossy brown mule heels from Femme LA, the brand’s Paulo Slipper, at the 2026 Tribeca Festival.

Gerber wore Gianvito Rossi’s Sofia Mule in black silk crepe satin — from the Sophia line, which, fittingly enough, also features a kitten-heel thong sandal — paired with a silky black spaghetti strap dress and white scarf. The Sofia Mule’s dramatically curved heel makes it a more architectural take on the silhouette. Gerber, however, won’t commit to just one barely-there heel to define her summer. Just days earlier, she paired a black leather kitten heel thong sandal with a red fall 2026 Alaïa dress.

Meanwhile, Kelsea Ballerini stepped out in the Gemma dress from Helsa featuring a black and white polka dot pattern The silk chiffon dress featured a high neck, fitted bodice and A-line miniskirt. The musician rounded out the look with a pointed-toe take on the minimalist mule heel trend, a popular twist on the silhouette. Ballerini also appeared to select a pair with a black patent leather finish.

As summer goes on, we can expect both the thong sandal and the minimalist mule heel to continue dominating the women’s footwear scene. While both are popular, barely-there styles, they present slightly different energies: the thong sandal could be interpreted as more casual, and the mule a bit dressier. But both possess the simplicity and versatility to fit into a range of outfits and occasions, making them easy formal silhouettes to reach for in warm weather. Time will tell which heel will ultimately claim the title of shoe of the summer.