7 Ballet Flats to own right now (And how to actually wear them)
From bon ton to glitch culture: the most disciplined shoe in the wardrobe gets an urban upgrade.
There was a time when ballet flats were a fixed point in the bon ton imagination: a polite choice, the elegant fallback when heels were too much and sneakers too little. A neutral zone in dressing.
Then something changed: runways began bending them, street style started distorting them and pairing them with socks, brands began treating them as surfaces for experimenting with new forms of behavior. Today, ballet flats move across multiple frequencies.
Here’s a map of the 7 styles defining the present and how to wear them outside their “intended role.”
1) Ballet sneakers
The ballet flat meets sportswear and loses all nostalgia. The result is a hybrid shoe that speaks the language of performance and the city. Interpretations from The Attico, silhouettes from adidas Originals, Prada’s mesh versions, alongside Alaïa and MM6 Maison Margiela, create a new idea of everyday movement. They’re so revolutionary that you’ll be the one launching a new trend and discovering unexpected pairings. Wear them with cargo pants, essential tanks, denim, and oversized shirts. But we also love them with a slip dress.
2) Pointed ballet flats
The pointed toe changes the tone of the conversation, from soft gesture to controlled statement. Prada makes it sharp and cut-out, Ferragamo softens it with almost liquid details, while Jacquemus reduces it to an architectural sign. They work when your look needs tension: tailored cropped trousers, clean flare denim, midi skirts.
3) Mesh ballet flats: between crochet and transparency
Mesh, crochet, and fine-knit constructions create an aesthetic that is more sensory than decorative. Prada and Alaïa’s interpretations sit alongside independent brands that use tactility as language. Wear them with neutral linen and breathable volumes; monochrome maxi dresses; tailored shorts and blazers.
4) Laces and ribbons: the gesture before the object
When the ballet flat ties around the ankle, the rhythm changes. Versions from The Attico and Chloé bring the body back to the center, transforming detail into movement. Wear them with fluid mini dresses, slip skirts, hemmed and flowing trousers, or tailored bermuda shorts.
5) PVC and rubber ballet flats
Transparency, glossy surfaces, almost exaggerated details. PVC and rubber ballet flats work more through irony than delicacy, breaking down wardrobe seriousness with a lightness that is intentionally non-nostalgic. Some versions play with flowers and pop inserts, others with almost clinical minimalism. We find them perfect for travel looks, maybe under overalls or essential denim.
6) Tabi ballet flats
This is the ballet flat that doesn’t need consensus. It’s a silhouette that works only as a statement and we’ve seen it everywhere. It fits perfectly into controlled monochrome, deconstructed tailoring, or conceptual midi skirts.
7) Square-toe ballet flats
The square-toe ballet flat moves between heritage and modernity. From Alaïa to Gucci’s interpretations, it introduces a new order more rigid, but not formal enough to feel stiff. It works with precise tailoring, straight jeans, fan-shaped skirts, and fluid trenches.
MM6
Anatomic Numeric plum-colored ballet flats
€ 490
PRADA
Ballet flats in sand suede leather
€ 860
PRADA
Begonia-colored crochet knit ballet flats
€ 990
HEAVENLY JELLY
Black Bloomi ballet flats in PVC with beaded flowers
€ 210
BOTTEGA VENETA
Black Rosa Mary-Jane ballerinas
€ 990
VALENTINO GARAVANI
Black VLogo Signature ballerina flats in nappa leather
€ 750
CHLOE'
Black ballet flats with small studs
€ 310
GUCCI
Blue GG denim ballet flats with Horsebit detail
€ 800
SENSO
Chocolate brown mesh fabric ballet flats
€ 140
PRADA
Cocoa-colored crochet knit ballerina flats
€ 990
BOTTEGA VENETA
Deep mahogany Rosa ballerina
€ 990
ALAIA
Foldable lace-up ballet flats in nylon and black suede
€ 930
BURBERRY
Fawn Check ballet flats beige
€ 525
ODISSI
Red Iris crochet ballerina flats
€ 345
VALENTINO GARAVANI
White VLogo Signature ballerina flats in nappa leather
€ 750
HEAVENLY JELLY
Transparent Lily ballet flats in PVC with beaded flowers
€ 255
SENSO
Red rubber mesh ballet flats
€ 160
ADIDAS ORIGINALS
Mei Core Black/Cloud White/Gum Taekwondo trainers
€ 100
ADIDAS ORIGINALS
Mei Cloud White/Better Scarlet Taekwondo trainers
€ 100
PRADA
Black satin ballerina with cut out
€ 1150
THE ATTICO
Ballerina flat Floor 01 black
€ 490
PRADA
Black mesh ballerina
€ 890
ALAIA
Two-tone ballerina with square toe in brown
€ 830
CHLOE'
Black leather ghillie ballerinas
€ 750
