There's a plethora of practical options to choose from if you're the type who would choose comfortable footwear over heels any time of the day. For instance, if you're after an edgy or sporty look, wear a pair of sneakers. If you're into something cute and dainty, a pair of ballerina flats might be more up your alley. But a shoe that can deliver both? There was no such thing—until the fashion world gave birth to the ballet sneaker.
What Is the Ballet Sneaker?
Think of it as the unlikely marriage between balletcore and athleisure. No one thought it was gonna work, but their union surprises everyone as they turn out to be a match made in sartorial heaven.
Simone Rocha was the first to introduce the hybrid design in her Spring/Summer 2021 runway presentation, calling it the "ballet tracker." Her romantic interpretation of the sneaker broke conventional norms, blending the delicate aesthetic of ballet slippers with the robustness of trainers. Since then, the designer has released it in different iterations: rendered with criss-cross straps, adorned with beads and pearls, and bedazzled with crystal buckles.
Naturally, something this revolutionary was bound to be a massive success, and before we knew it, there was already a slew of fashionable options to shop from the likes of Rombaut, JW Pei, and Cecilie Bahnsen, among others. The ballet sneaker's paradoxical appeal is both romantic and athletic with just the right dose of eccentricity, which makes it an interesting case study for the wrong shoe theory. And lest we forget, it's also ultimately comfortable.
How to Style the Ballet Sneaker
Now the question is how does one style a ballet sneaker? Do you put on a dainty dress like you would with ballet flats or do you put together something sporty that would typically go well with average sneakers?
Truthfully, anything goes. The whole point of the ballet sneaker is to throw the rules out the window. Pair it with a tiered midi skirt or some boxy denim jorts. Go for a tailored ensemble or a printed summer dress. Team it with sheer stockings or with leg warmers. Whichever way you go, these hybrid kicks will surely inject some personality into your look. After all, why choose between ballerina flats and sneakers when you can have both?
SHOP: Ballet Sneaker
Convinced now? Shop for your own pair of ballet sneakers below!
Off-White Low Trek Ballerina Flats, $1080 (approx. P63,200), SIMONE ROCHA, ssense.com
Crystal-Embellished Satin Flats, €719 (approx. P45,800), SIMONE ROCHA, mytheresa.com
Flavia Ballerina Sneakers in Pink, P5900, JW PEI, jwpei.com
Viv' Match embellished sneakers, €799 (approx. P51,000), ROGER VIVIER, mytheresa.com
Pink Boccaccio II Aura Bows Ballerina Flats, $440 (approx. P25,700), ROMBAUT, ssense.com
Silver Leather Mary Jane Sneakers, $820 (approx. P48,000) MARNI, ssense.com
Giros Shoes,€490 (approx. P31,200), CECILIE BAHNSEN, ceciliebahnsen.com
Pink Lace-Up Ballet Sneaker, £115 (approx. P8600), LAZY OAF, lazyoaf.com
Giselle, P14,800, AKIKO AIOKI, akikoaioki.com
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