The Best Ballet Flats To Take You Through Summer And Beyond
Easy, effortless and eminently wearable, ballet flats are this season’s footwear favorite – from classic silhouettes to contemporary versions
The answer to most of this season’s sartorial footwear dilemmas? Ballet flats. At some point in the 1940s, the design made the transition from being a dance-studio essential to a polished daywear option – and has never been far from the style radar since. Synonymous with Parisian Left Bank elegance, ballet flats have graced the stylish feet of Hollywood stars from Audrey Hepburn (who famously had hers made by Salvatore Ferragamo in the ’50s) to Brigitte Bardot – and, more recently, were a footwear favorite of the 2000s, worn on repeat by Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. For the past few seasons, ballet flats’ soaring popularity has been steadily transitioning the style to a firm closet staple.
Beyond their undeniable elegance, the beauty of ballet flats lies in both their versatility and comfort – usually crafted in supple leather, mesh or suede, they fit like a glove and will go with everything from knitted dresses to straight-leg jeans and sharp tailoring. Summer is the perfect time to embrace lighter colors, making Gucci’s leather-trimmed raffia flats the ultimate investment. They’ll look super-chic with printed dresses for day events and cropped wide-leg denim on off-duty days. Elsewhere, Aeyde’s zebra-print pony-hair pair are ideal for summer evenings – style them with a black slip dress for effortless elegance.
Mary Jane styles in mesh and perforated finishes are undoubtedly the most sought-after style – and those in the know will be aware that Alaïa’s are on everyone’s wish list. This version, crafted from supple suede, have a bohemian feel and will look cool yet elegant styled with billowing dresses. Their cult status means they are sure to become the talking point of all your outfits, too. Alternatively, Emme Parsons’ leather-trimmed woven raffia style have a covered toe design, making them a little more office-friendly (and helpful if you haven’t had a chance to get your summer pedi yet).
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