Fashion Trend: How to Wear Ballet Flats
Flats Are for Everyone, from Short to Tall, Casual to Dressy
Sep 14, 2009
Who doesn’t love Audrey Hepburn? She made the ballet flat fabulously chic wearing it with dresses, pants, skirts, and shorts. (And she was a petite little lady!) Thankfully, Fall 2009 fashion has caught on to this please-don’t-ever-die trend. Salvation from stilettos – at last!
What’s So Great About Ballet Flats?
High heel devotees may not see the value in the flattest of flat shoes, but their plusses are numerous.
- Cheap and easy. You can go after the designer-name flats but these little babies will become such a favorite you’ll want to budget to buy as many as possible. Invest in lower-priced versions that are easily and quickly replaceable (but still comfy) – you can even find them at clothing stores like The Gap and Old Navy.
- Flats, flats everywhere. Ballet flats are everywhere, in a multitude of stunning and understated styles, colors, textures, and designs. Get a croc-covered pair perfect for the office or a tweed Mary Jane for weekend fun. Patent leather is perfect for special occasions, while suede will make you feel most at one with fall.
- Versatile is an understatement. Flats really are the shoes you can wear with everything, and the shoes that still let you be one with your favorite fall fashion trends. Loving the neon look? Studded designs? Buckles, straps, or even laces? Round toe or square toe? They’re all out there.
- Pump it up. If you absolutely must have a little bit of lift in your shoes, have no fear. Some designs of the ballet flat do cheat a bit, offering a slight wedge or kitten heel.
- Dress code friendly. You can’t wear slippers to the office, but ballet flats are the next best thing. This alone is a good enough reason to savor these sweet shoes.
What to Pair with Ballet Flats
Welcome to your new wardrobe. With ballet flats, you will give new life to the clothes in the back of your closet that never seemed to look right with heels. Bonus: the flats allow you to create alternative looks for the outfits that seemed to only pair well with stilettos.
Wear ballet flats with:
- Boyfriend jeans or cropped pants. Get rolling and give yourself some casual cuffs on those pants. Then get ready to dress them up or down. The ballet flat is the best new accessory. Go with bejeweled for a fancier look or softest suede for easy chic.
- The short skirt. When you have plenty of room between the end of your skirt and the start of your shoes, you can get away with almost anything. Above-the-knee skirts and minis say “welcome” to the ballet flat.
- That little dress. You know the one we’re talking about. It makes you feel cozy but you feel silly in heels and nothing else looks right. Ballet flats to the rescue. Slip on some opaque tights to fit into fall, stay warm, and complete your look. Voila – your new favorite outfit!
- Skinny jeans or leggings. Just make sure you’ve got a little bit of skin showing so you don’t flatten yourself out too much. A little bit of visible ankle is always a good thing.
Am I Too Short for Flats?
Ballet flats are for every body shape and size, but there are ensembles that can flatter and some that can fatten, so know what will make you look sexy and what will make you look squat. Trust your mirror, not just the fashion trends.
If you’re short, you want to keep a slim silhouette and lengthen your body, so pair those fabulous flats with straight leg pants, particularly cropped ones that don’t hug your skin too much. A-line or pencil skirts are a fine option as well. Lean choices for your top and bottom make the flats flattering.
Now, the only question to answer is: Why are they called ballet flats if ballerinas are always on pointe?
