I Took This “Controversial” Shoe Trend to Paris—and I Have Zero Regrets

Bonjour, friends! This edition of the A-List Edit is reaching you from my spring break in Paris. You can trust that I’m spending the week scouting styling intel and It items for an upcoming dispatch in between all the croissants. (Back at the Marie Claire office in NYC, our podcast “Nice Talk” was just nominated for a Webby—vote here!)

Before I took off, I assembled my packing list using a few VIPs and their favorite travel shoes as my guide. Celebrity airport outfits are a tricky genre: Sometimes, stars are really just like us in a matching sweatsuit, sneakers, and a big ’ol underseat tote bag. Other times, they make choices that feel…interesting for, say, standing in the security line. I got dressed for my 7-hour flight—plus the sightseeing that would immediately follow—compelled to defend the honor of a travel shoe that usually falls in the second group: the mesh flat.

The Mesh Ballet Flats Trend

I can vividly remember the first paparazzi shot I saw of Jennifer Lawrence walking around Manhattan, toes out, in Alaïa’s mesh flats. A few years later, pedicure-forward footwear isn’t as much of a jump scare as it used to be. Everybody seems to agree mesh flats are just a cousin to a chic sandal—until the airport gets involved. Then, mesh flats are once again labeled “controversial.” That’s the word I saw thrown around online when Margot Robbie recently wore a flesh-toned Alaïa pair for her flight out of Sydney, anyway.

Honestly? I think the naysayers might want to reconsider with spring and summer travel on the horizon. If updated security guidelines say you don’t have to take your shoes off anyway, why not go for a comfy flat that can fashion-ify oversize, plane-friendly basics, like Robbie’s shorts and long-sleeve tee? And if you’re squeamish about all that foot exposure, you can always layer a coordinating sock underneath à la Selena Gomez for some texture play. (Marie Claire fashion director Sara Holzman does this at this office, too.)

How I Style It

My dream was to recreate Robbie’s outfit with the exact same shorts—but they’re long sold out, and I get pretty chilly on flights. Instead, I decided to bring the party-pajama energy, and a needed pop of color, with relaxed satin pants and a few layering basics. (And yes, I packed compression socks in my carry-on bag. As much as I’ve come around to the look of a mesh flat, I’m not keeping my feet out for the whole flight.) This way, my mesh flats functioned like an elevated travel slipper—one that transitioned easily to sightseeing.

For the rest of the trip, I’m staying true to the last edition’s word and wearing my ballet sneakers—for the most part. At dinner, I’m fine with showing a little toe alongside a textured matching set and a leather jacket. (Temps are expected to reach the 70s during the day while I’m in town.) The contrast between heavy-duty leather and these little mesh flats is *chef’s kiss.*