Going into middle school, you need to look cool! As a dancer I decided the cornerstone of cool was my chunky glitter gold bow ballet flats. The year I bought my first pair of ballet flats at the mall with money from babysitting, was 2007. I launched them at my first ever school dance with a turquoise and brown bubble dress and brown leggings underneath - all from Limited Too! Back then, leggings were new so they were only worn under skirts and dresses. (I remember our student Code of Conduct strictly read: “No leggings as pants.” I never got in trouble except when teacher’s tried to stifle my creativity in outfit making.) At the capri length, with lace trim, how I see it is that leggings were first made to highlight your ballet flats. Across the next few years, skinny jeans were the supreme denim choice. Skinny jeans are as similar to a ballerina’s tights as a pair of jeans can be. The whole skinny jeans and ballet flat combo was about looking as slender as possible going into the new decade - the ‘10s.
Ballet Flats Then: In the beginning I always felt a fun sense of rebellion when I wore ballet flats! My mom’s generation wouldn’t be caught dead at a dance in anything but high heels. I liked wearing flats because they were more comfortable and just as stylish. Sneakers in the late 2000s were in summary: dorky. There were a few select brands who.got.it. like: Converse and Osiris' but they were out of my budget and to be honest, not girly enough for my teenage style. As the years went on ballet flats became so exploited you could buy them in any color, fabric, or embellishment style. I had everything from purple glitter, to orange gem-encrusted, to black patent leather. Ballet flats are simple to mass produce and not very supportive but, they were incredibly lightweight meaning, they were consistently under $20 a pair. I became a collector. An addict. I never wore the same pair of flats the same way.
In the mid-2010s, eventually the term “ballet flats” just became flats. The ballet muse was obvious - there was no need to call it out. But what makes an ordinary flat a ballet flat? The signature bow across the toes. This was taken from famous dance footwear brand, Capeizo who was tasked to create a version of their ballet slippers for everyday wear back in the 1900s. Celebrities known for their poise and high-class aura, such as Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O made flats just as much as a sexy mainstream option as 3 inch Manolos.
Ballet flats are often regarded as a 2010s trend but, I was ahead of the curve in 2007 and I’m ahead now by telling you to buy into that 2010s nostalgia and work flats into your 2025 wardrobe cycle!
Ballet Flats Now: Ballet flats now are actually simpler and easier to wear than ballet flats then. This makes sense as the trend is just re-emerging. Ballet flats now are limited to the very classic style you’d expect to see at Ann Taylor or The Limited in the 90s.Think matte leather, solid color blocking to highlight the cap-toe. Embellishments are really a no-go as ballet flats have grown up from the gold glitter days and are targeted more towards adults who loved this style in yesteryears.
To restart my ballet flat collection, I opted for a Chanel dupe - nude with a black cap-toe and the signature leather bow that I know all too well.
Pointe Flats: If you’re not a bow girly or are too triggered to rewear a popular trend from not that long ago, go for a more pointe inspired flat than ballet. For inspo scroll back see the photo below. Pointe shoes are like ballet slippers except they have a wooden bow in the toes to allow you to stand fully on your toes. The box creates for a flat toe look with a square shape of the shoes v. a ballet flat’s rounded look. The square toe look has been trendy in the boot world now for the past two years or so. Where rounded is girly, pointed is classy, and square is trendy!
A pointe shoe also has ribbons for ankle support. A pointe flat has a single elastic across the top of the foot rather than the toe bow of ballet flats. For summer, indulge in a pointe flat that laces up the ankle to make denim cutoffs more femme. I have a fun black and white checkered pair with a black ankle ribbon. Do I think the term ‘pointe flats’ will go viral? Like no, the masses don’t actually know that much about ballet to distinguish between different shoe styles. I think pointe flats will continue to ride off ballet flat’s coattails.
How to Wear Ballet Flats Now: At this point, skinny jeans are out of the question and if you asked me to wear leggings under my mini skirt I’d assume it's Halloween and you’re asking me to go as Miley Stewart or London Tipton. 15 years later, the ballet flats themselves aren’t that different but how you style them certainly is! In the wide-leg sector of the pants world, denim has almost completely replaced trousers. For every dressier items in 2025 add something more chill to create an air of casualness. A la frayed black denim and ballet flats. With a wider shaped bottom, less attention is paid to footwear but its a fun surprise for those who look closely. Enhance the girliness of ballet flats by wearing with a pearl necklace (mine has a bow on it) and a lace top.
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