The case for the bridal ballet flat

You might be head over heels in love, but walk down the aisle in flats.

You might be head over heels in love, but walk down the aisle in flats.

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The stiletto is dead. Isn’t that what Nietzsche said? In any case, the final knell for heaven-scraping heels couldn’t have come any sooner. The resurgence of the ballet flat—humble, grounded, and the bane of podiatrists everywhere—seems to reflect a broader shift in the way we’re dressing, as the style set embraces clothes that are, by and large, quiet in practice. In place of the logo-splattered, ear-splitting maximalism of seasons past is a pastiche of muted colours, ankle-brushing shapes and clean lines. Now, the It-brands are those who speak the language of soft luxury: Matthieu Blazy’s Bottega Veneta, Catherine Holstein’s Khaite, Elin Kling and Karl Lindman’s Toteme, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s The Row. As Laura Jackson and Joy Montgomery explained in US Vogue, “It’s less austere than minimalism but more polished than 'normcore'. It’s thoughtful, but not over-glossed; simple, but not boring.”

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They’re all sartorial values that the ballet flat embodies to a tee. Hence, its proliferation on the runways, in street style annals and on your Instagram feed, decorating the feet of your esteemed cool girls. The months have also knighted a handful of cult designs—ballet flats hailing from every point on the shoe spectrum. For the bar and the barre, fashionistas prefer Miu Miu’s satin pointe shoes; there’s also a breathable (though not rain-friendly) option in Alaïa’s mesh flats. From Repetto, Vibi Venezia and Le Monde Beryl are the patent and velvet delights of French girls and Roman holidayers, while The Row’s Ava shoes sit pretty in the closets of Jennifer Lawrence, Zoë Kravitz and Kendall Jenner.

But while an increasing number of us are opening up our homes—and hearts—to the previously maligned shoe, the latest stage in its revolution is still gathering favour. Enter: the bridal ballet flat, worn beneath a wedding dress. It was something that Margaret Qualley, model and actress, tried out for herself recently at her wedding to Jack Antonoff, snapped in a Chanel halter neck gown and Molly Goddard frock. With both dresses she wore a pair of pearlescent Mary Jane flats, square at the toe with a barely there heel.

For Qualley, whose style toes on the quirky and girlish, the choice of a ballet flat seemed like the ideal way to buck tradition. She’s not the first celebrity bride to shirk stilettos on her big day; recall Zoë Kravitz, who wed former husband Karl Glusman in a Funny Face-inspired tea gown and flat white shoes, or Mandy Moore, who gloved her feet in buckled flats, pink to match her ruffled Rodarte dress. And like Qualley, Keira Knightley wore Chanel and ivory flats at her wedding in 2013. Clearly, there’s something in the formula that debutantes can’t get enough of.  

Image credit: Instagram.com/zoeisabellakravitz

Image credit: Instagram.com/mandymoore

It’s strange, really, that ballet flats aren’t more popular amongst brides. At weddings, comfort is key. As the bride, you’re not simply exchanging vows; your ceremony will see you assume the role of shepherd, hostess, dance partner and social butterfly. Those aren’t jobs you want to totter through in sore feet. Consider, then, taking a cue from Qualley and Kravitz. You might be head over heels in love, but walk down the aisle in flats.

Below, a selection of our favourites.

SHOP NOW: Therapy Mystic ballet flats, $49.95 from The Iconic

SHOP NOW: Loeffler Randall Leonie grosgrain-trimmed satin ballet flats, $417.08 from Net-a-Porter

SHOP NOW: Maison Margiela Tabi leather ballet flats, $820 from Farfetch

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Originally published as The case for the bridal ballet flat