I have this recurring dream where I’m twirling around the streets of Paris at twilight, wearing a tulle Dior dress and sporting a beret in the deepest shade of noir, all the while carrying a baguette (bag or bread, either would suffice) in the crook of my arm. Of course, you can’t twirl effectively in spindly stilettos, so my footwear of choice is another French-girl staple: ballet flats. Naturally, I wake to discover I’m not in Paris, that the Dior dress was merely on subconscious loan and, to my dismay, there’s not a baguette ready to be devoured. However, much like Cinderella, I do have a pair of ballet flats that help me live out my Parisian fantasy in real life.
Back when I first moved to London, I wore ballet flats on repeat. My job as a fashion intern required me to hotfoot it to designer shops at a moment’s notice to pick up clothing for shoots, which would inevitably need to be swiftly returned. Ballet flats allowed me to dash around the city at high speed while ensuring I looked as presentable as a sweaty 21-year-old could. However, just last week, I was shopping in Mango when I came across the perfect pair of ballet flats, which come in so many pretty colours. It felt as if it was 2011 all over again. I slipped them on and instantly felt the comfort and Gallic charm. At a mere £36, they had to be mine.
As the week went on, I realised they went with everything I paired them with: statement skirts, tapered trousers, distressed denim, bright dresses, checks and velvet, to name a few. Since I bought them, I’ve started to see them crop up in a host of other new-in sections, which means it’s only a matter of time before they blow up on the fashion scene. To help you stay a step ahead of the trends, I’ve done the hard work and found the very best ballet flats for every budget. Turns out that dreams really do come true.
The elasticated strap makes these ballet flats feel so authentic.
The Mango ballet flats I spoke of earlier come in 2022’s hottest shade: tangerine.
