Style Shoes & Accessories Ballet Flats Are Back—Here Are 11 Cute Ways to Style Them Channel your inner ballerina. By Wendy Rose Gould Wendy Rose Gould Wendy Rose Gould is a freelance lifestyle reporter based in Phoenix, Arizona. For the last 10 years, she's covered beauty, health, wellness, and travel for leading lifestyle outlets, including NBC, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Glam, TripSavvy, and others. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 20, 2024 Close Photo: Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images The ballet flat is an icon worn by everyone from Brigitte Bardot—who’s credited with bringing this practical-but-chic flat from the dance room to the sidewalk—to JLo who wore a pair last week. They’re miles more pragmatic than towering heels, but still evoke a femininity that’s hard to match. “The ballet flat is the epitome of timeless fashion—it never fully goes out of style, and it always comes back,” says Libby Edelman, co-founder and fashion director at Sam Edelman and Sam & Libby. “It's both polished and comfortable, and so perfect to wear all day, every day.” Another perk? There are endless ways to style ballet flats and you can wear them year-round. Here’s some inspiration so you can wear this timeless and practical shoe, too. RELATED: The 11 Best Comfortable Flats of 2024, Tested and Reviewed 01 of 11 Dress Them Up With Trousers A sleek blat ballerina shoe looks chic and elevated with a pair of wide-legged trousers and fitted black top. The black and white theme keeps the look simple and effortless while still looking polished. 02 of 11 Add Some Wide, Relaxed Jeans “I love pairing my ballet flats with wide denim,” Edelan says. “I'll pick a fun color, and they’ll peek out from my relaxed jeans.” Add a camel-hued blazer over a plain white tee and you’re set. 03 of 11 Get Glam with a Dress The thing about ballet flats is you can wear them casually with jeans or take them up a few notches with the right dress. This off-the-shoulder black maxi looks great with a pair of cognac-hued flats and matching bag. 04 of 11 Try Monochromatic Mode An easy way to style flats is to stay within the same color family. Here, shades of cream and brown create cohesion and dimension at the same time. 05 of 11 Couple ‘Em With a Linen Dress For a fit you'll wear all summer long, pair some silky black ballet flats with a crinkled, cream-colored linen dress. A small bag and gold necklace complete the look. 06 of 11 Wear Ballet Flats with Denim In place of wide-leg jeans, consider throwing on an all-denim dress and then adding a pair of ballet flats in a bright hue, like fire engine red. 07 of 11 Pair Them with Frilly Socks “You can have fun and pair them with socks to make a statement,” says Edelman. Plain socks work, but lean into the girly vibes with a frilly set. 08 of 11 Go East Coast Money You don’t have to live on the coast—or even travel there—to siphon a little nautical inspiration. This preppy look sticks to red, white, and black with fitted trousers, shiny red ballet flats and matching Chanel bag, oversize sunglasses, and a sweater tied casually around the neck. 09 of 11 Add a Flowy Blouse and Skirt These shiny silver ballet flats add the right amount of zhuzh to this pale blue skirt and flow blouse. Style it with a statement necklace and a woven bag. 10 of 11 Sweater and a Short Skirt Edelman says wearing ballet flats with a skirt is a classic choice. Add a cozy sweater on top and some gold or silver jewelry. 11 of 11 Take Them to the Office Yes, ballet flats work for your 9 to 5, too. Take your inspiration from this fit by pairing white ballet flats with a nice pair of shorts or trousers, fitted black top, and a matching blazer. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit