The stars of Union County gathered at the IFC Center on Wednesday for the New York premiere of their drama film, which was released in the U.S. on August 14, 2026.
The premiere had a refreshingly laid-back feel, with the cast opting for comfortable, wearable looks rather than overly dressed-up red carpet outfits. The footwear followed the same relaxed vibe, with practical styles that felt just as wearable for everyday occasions as they did for the premiere.
💫 Jump to a Look:
Emily Meade led the lineup in a pale yellow Bardot dress paired with Butrich mules; Elise Kibler went for relaxed jeans with a striped Zimmermann top and white shoes; and Annette Deao kept it simple in loose black pants, a breezy pink top, and SAS slingback sandals.
Emily Meade makes a statement in whimsical red velvet Butrich mules and a pale yellow Bardot slip dress, while Elise Kibler pairs white pumps with Zimmermann’s striped Rebellion polo and relaxed denim, and Annette Deao prioritizes comfort in SAS slingback sandals, wide-leg black trousers, and a flowing pink top at the Union County premiere at New York’s IFC Center on August 12, 2026 (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Union County is a 2026 American drama that stars Will Poulter and Noah Centineo as brothers working through opioid addiction recovery as part of a county-mandated drug court program in rural Ohio.
Emily Meade’s Butrich Red Velvet Mules Add a Playful Twist to Her Bardot Slip Dress
At 5ft 4½ (163.8 cm), Emily Meade kept her ’90s-inspired look streamlined in a lingerie-style slip dress that skimmed her petite frame and fell to mid-calf. The Deuce actress, who reportedly wears a US size 7 shoe, added personality at ground level with her red velvet statement mules—the rich color and playful embroidery creating a striking contrast against the pale yellow satin.
She appeared to be wearing the “Euridice” mules from Peruvian label Butrich, crafted in rich red velvet and decorated with an oversized satin heart embroidery across the vamps. The hearts were finished with sunburst and eye motifs, adding a whimsical detail.
These mules were set on sculptural low gold heels with a rounded shape, adding a little extra height and a polished finish.
Emily Meade adds a whimsical element to her retro lingerie look with the Butrich “Euridice” mules, featuring red velvet uppers embroidered with oversized satin hearts across the vamps, finished with sunburst and eye motifs (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Shop the look: Meade’s exact Butrich “Euridice” mules may be difficult to track down, but Farfetch carries a wide selection of velvet mules from designers including Jimmy Choo, Giuseppe Zanotti, Dries Van Noten, and Balmain as of August 2026, with options ranging from understated velvet slip-ons to crystal-embellished statement styles.
Emily Meade paired the statement mules with the Bardot “Emory” midi dress in pale yellow satin. The lingerie-inspired silhouette hugged her figure through the bodice before falling into a softer, flowing skirt that ended around her mid-calf.
Tonal lace trim outlined the V-neckline and bust, adding a romantic detail to the simple design, while a low cutout back gave the feminine silhouette an alluring edge.
Meade accessorized with layered pendant necklaces, adding a touch of sparkle. For beauty, she kept things simple with rosy cheeks, a soft pink lip, defined lashes, and subtle eyeliner. She wore her hair down over her shoulders for a relaxed look, while her red manicure picked up the color of her mules for a cohesive finish.
Emily Meade channels ’90s lingerie dressing in a pale yellow Bardot satin slip dress with delicate lace trim and a cutout bodice, adding a playful contrast with red velvet Butrich “Euridice” mules embroidered with heart-and-eye motifs (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Elise Kibler Pairs Zimmermann’s Rebellion Polo With Jeans and Retro White Glove Pumps
Elise Kibler also went retro-inspired, pairing a color-blocked striped knit polo with relaxed denim for a casual, vintage feel that worked surprisingly well on the red carpet.
Her cream-white shoes had the rounded toes and high-coverage vamps associated with glove pumps, one of the sculptural pump silhouettes making a comeback in 2026. Kibler’s pair appeared to sit on low contrasting heels, giving the streamlined shape a practical finish beneath her relaxed jeans.
The crisp white leather also reinforced the outfit’s retro mood, balancing the faded denim and striped knit without making an otherwise casual look feel overly polished.
Elise Kibler gives relaxed blue jeans a polished finish with cream leather pumps featuring rounded-square toes, high-cut vamps, and contrasting black heels at the Union County premiere (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Kibler paired the shoes with straight-leg denim in a medium-to-light vintage blue wash, with natural fading around the thighs and knees to enhance the worn-in look. The relaxed denim kept the outfit casual and balanced out the more polished feel of her white shoes.
Up top, Kibler wore the Zimmermann “Rebellion” striped-knit polo from the label’s Cruise 2026 collection. The same Zimmermann Rebellion collection has also appeared on YNS through Olivia Wilde, who wore its romantic ruffled lace dress with the label’s braided Helix heels. Kibler took the collection in a much more casual direction, teaming her color-blocked knit polo—striped in soft pink, cream, blue, and muted red—with faded denim.
Kibler wore her hair in loose curls to match the retro mood, and kept her makeup soft and natural with defined eyes and a rosy lip. She finished with minimal jewelry, wearing just a few chunky rings.
Elise Kibler, with Emily Meade, opts for a more relaxed style, pairing her white pumps with medium-to-light vintage blue wash jeans and Zimmermann’s “Rebellion” striped-knit polo (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Annette Deao Prioritizes Comfort in SAS Slingback Sandals, Black Trousers and Pink Chiffon
Annette Deao went for a relaxed, comfortably casual look, wearing simple pieces that felt more like everyday dressing than typical red carpet glamour. While the outfit was easy and practical, it was a little too understated for the occasion.
Deao wore sandals from SAS (San Antonio Shoemakers), the Texas comfort-footwear company founded in 1976. They’re an unconventional premiere choice, but one that made sense with the evening’s unusually relaxed dress code.
Rather than disguising their comfort-first construction, the sandals leaned into it with low wedge soles and a broad, supportive base. Against Deao’s wide-leg trousers and floaty chiffon top, they made the outfit feel more like polished everyday dressing than traditional red-carpet fashion.
The sandals featured leather uppers with laser-cut detailing across the double adjustable toe straps, along with an adjustable ankle strap with a hidden elastic insert for a secure fit.
Annette Deao embraces comfort in her SAS sandals featuring laser-cut detailing across the double adjustable toe straps, an adjustable ankle strap, and low wedge soles (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Shop SAS shoes: If Deao’s comfort-first approach appeals to you, Zappos carries a wide selection of SAS shoes and sandals as of August 2026, including adjustable comfort sandals, wedges, flats, and walking shoes in a range of colors and styles.
Deao kept the rest of her outfit just as relaxed, pairing the sandals with wide-leg black trousers and a layered pink chiffon top. The lightweight top had short sleeves and a loose, flowing shape, with an asymmetrical overlay draping across the front to create soft folds.
To finish the look, she added a teardrop pendant necklace and matching drop earrings, giving the simple outfit a little extra polish.
Annette Deao keeps the rest of her look simple, pairing her flat sandals with wide-leg black trousers and a pink chiffon top (Credit: Dave Allocca / Starpix / INSTARimages)
Celebrity Shoe Inspiration: How to Style Mules, White Pumps and Slingbacks
Union County’s relaxed premiere style shows that memorable footwear does not always require towering heels.
Emily Meade used embroidered velvet mules to add color and personality to a simple slip dress, Elise Kibler sharpened relaxed denim with crisp white pumps, and Annette Deao made comfort part of the look with supportive slingback sandals.
Similar shoe styles have appeared on very different red carpets, offering plenty of inspiration for dressing them up—or keeping them casual.
👠 More Ways to Wear These Shoe Styles:
- 🌹 Olivia Palermo shows another way to wear embroidered velvet mules, pairing her richly decorated Alberta Ferretti slip-ons with a printed skirt set for a playful mix of color, pattern, and texture.
- 🍒 Julianne Moore makes bright red Bottega Veneta mules the focal point of black tailoring, demonstrating how a bold backless shoe can transform an otherwise restrained outfit.
- 🤍 Cara Delevingne and Ariel Winter offer two approaches to crisp white heels, from pointed pumps with denim to ankle-strap sandals used as a clean contrast against colorful separates.
- 🖤 Margaret Qualley gives the classic slingback a polished Parisian update in Chanel’s black-and-white pumps, showing how an open-back silhouette can feel refined without relying on an especially high heel.
- ✨ Naomie Harris takes slingbacks in a dressier direction with metallic Giuseppe Zanotti sandals, using their sleek silver finish to complement rather than compete with an intricate floral Alexander McQueen dress.