Ballet Flats, A History

Ballet flats are likely a staple in every Sweet Lemon girl’s wardrobe. Whether you slip a bright colored pair of Tory Burch’s on with your skinny jeans for weekend brunch or wear your trusty Delman’s to work almost every day, it’s hard to imagine a shoe collection without these versatile workhorses. This is exactly why ballet flats have been an essential in every woman’s wardrobe for not just decades, but centuries.

The ballet flat’s long history dates back to the middle ages when it was the common choice of footwear among both men and women of all social statuses. While Catherine d’Medici tried to hinder the ballet flat’s popularity when she insisted that her wedding shoes be “lifted”, ballet flats persevered and began to enjoy a resurgence when women were allowed to dance in the French Royal Academy of Dance in 1681. Marie Antoinette’s choice of heeled shoes as her guillotine wear cemented ballet flat’s position as the most popular footwear in France.

Ballet flats continued to be seen throughout the 1700′s and 1800′s because of their practicality and comfort, but the mid-twentieth century began their true heyday. While it is up for debate whether it was Bridget Bardot or Audrey Hepburn that truly skyrocketed their place in contemporary style, no one can argue that they both brought ballet flats into the limelight and in the limelight ballet flats have remained for almost three quarters of a century now.

Audrey wore them with skinny black pants and a chic black turtleneck in Funny Face while Bridget pranced around the streets of Paris in the iconic ballet flat designed by Rose Repetto in 1947. Don’t forget that Mary Tyler Moore and Jackie O. also both looked fabulous in their cropped pants and ballet flats.

Today, we see ballet flats in every color of the rainbow and with every possible adornment. You can’t walk down the street without seeing at least several women wearing flats. A ballet flat is the easiest thing to slip on when you’re rushing out the door for your morning commute and while some girls may prefer the sexier look of heels, I think you just can’t beat the comfort, classic style, and legacy of a well designed pair of ballet flats.

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