I've Always Been a Ballet Flats Girl—Here's How I'm Styling the Trend for Spring

According to the calendar, spring has sprung! Unfortunately, I live in Wisconsin, so that’s not entirely true for me (yet) but I remain hopeful. To bolster morale, I put away my trusty Ugg boots, which have carried me for months through questionable grey puddles, slush piles, and snow banks. In their place, I've pulled out something far more optimistic: my ballet flats. The changing of the seasonal guard should feel ceremonial, but for the time being, I am forced to endure more winter and simply indulge in a bit of fantasy, letting my feet experience life without socks while the rest of my body remains layered.

I heard earlier this year that ballet flats were making a “comeback” which was news to me because they have always been a wardrobe staple of mine. When I was a teenager, I wore the cheap versions made out of thread, fabric, and prayers—until they fell apart.

Now, things are a bit better for me and my favorite ballet flat is from Chanel. I used my babysitting money to buy myself my first pair and those were well under $500. I wore them into the ground before replacing them. And while I didn’t stand in line to get new ones from Matthieu Blazy’s first collection (to be fair, it wasn’t an option—there’s no Chanel in Wisconsin), my classic pairs work just fine.

I am a big believer in a wear-and-repair mindset when it comes to shoes but I understand if the Chanel price tag is a nonstarter. To that end, I would suggest looking at ballet flats from some other amazing brands like Margaux, Repetto and French Sole. So, let’s discuss how to style them.

Look 1:

As part of my weekly routine, I volunteer by reading to young children. These reading sessions always offer a fun dressing challenge because I have to rely on clothes that are functional. I get very into acting out the stories, so flexibility is key. These stirrup leggings—which I mentioned in a previous column—are perfect for that. To stay warm, I layered a shirt under my sweater, and threw on a hefty jacket. Warmth achieved!

Look 2:

Another chilly spring day calls for more creative layering. This time, I went for bold primary colors. I paired a red cardigan with oversized jeans and a long coat. Ordinarily, I might wear boots, but since I’m trying to manifest spring temperatures, I opted for flats instead.

Look 3:

I wore this outfit on a warmer day, so no sleeves were necessary! This vintage Chanel polo is one of my favorite finds from Treasures of NYC, and I style it constantly.

At one point or another, you might have heard that white jeans are solely meant to be worn from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but that archaic fashion rule has never made any sense to me. So, for this look, I busted out my white barrel leg jeans. I really like the proportions of a big pant and a smaller top. The ballet flats work with this sporty outfit because they add an elevated touch.

Look 4:

Whenever I wear milkmaid dresses, I often worry that people might put me in the "tradwife” camp. So, to avoid this, I’ll usually wear sneakers and a baseball hat to give my outfit a subversive appeal.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with looking like you want to frolic in a field. However, I prefer to convey the message that I want to frolic and also fight fascism. I’m not sure if I achieved that here, but I tried my best.