If You Want Your Dresses, Trousers and Shorts to Look French—Wear This Kate Moss-Approved Shoe Trend
Our take
The resurgence of the ballet flat, championed by Kate Moss and now embraced by the wider fashion landscape, feels less like a trend and more like a quiet reclamation of effortless elegance. For years, the stiletto reigned supreme, symbolizing power and ambition. This shift, however, speaks to a broader cultural recalibration, a desire for understated sophistication over overt displays of wealth and status. The article’s focus on the “beat-up” or distressed version further underscores this point – it's not about pristine perfection, but about lived-in style, a well-worn comfort that speaks of authenticity. It's a fascinating parallel to the broader movement towards quiet luxury, a sensibility that prioritizes quality, craftsmanship, and timeless design over fleeting trends. We've observed similar shifts in accessory preferences, as seen in our recent piece New The Row Alert! These Are the Early Autumn Bags and Shoes Set to Start a Frenzy, which highlights the enduring appeal of understated investment pieces. The ballet flat, in its worn-in charm, embodies this very essence.
The connection to Kate Moss is crucial here. Her style has always been about a certain nonchalant cool, a rejection of rigid rules in favor of personal expression. She's a master of creating elevated looks from seemingly simple pieces, and the ballet flat perfectly complements this approach. This isn’t about chasing a specific aesthetic; it’s about adopting a mindset – a confidence that allows you to look effortlessly chic without trying too hard. It's a stark contrast to the hyper-curated, influencer-driven fashion cycles we’ve become accustomed to. This movement towards a more relaxed, considered approach to style is also reflected in our exploration of travel packing strategies, as detailed in Forget Packing Cubes and Planning—This is How I Pack for the Summer I Want to Have – both are about intentionality and valuing experiences over possessions. The emphasis on the "London cool girl" aesthetic is also significant, highlighting the city's enduring influence on global style trends, often characterized by its blend of heritage and innovation.
Beyond the immediate fashion implications, the ballet flat's revival reveals a deeper societal shift. After years of prioritizing bold, attention-grabbing silhouettes, there’s a growing appreciation for subtlety and refinement. It's a reaction, perhaps, to the constant noise and visual overload of the digital age. The ballet flat represents a return to simplicity, a quiet rebellion against the pressure to constantly reinvent oneself. It’s a symbol of enduring style, transcending fleeting trends and embodying a timeless sense of grace. This isn't about abandoning personal style; rather, it's about finding a more sustainable and authentic way to express it – one that prioritizes comfort, quality, and a connection to the past. The resurgence also demonstrates the cyclical nature of fashion, with trends often returning with a renewed sense of purpose and relevance. Even seemingly ubiquitous patterns like plaid, as explored in Plaid For Fall Isn't Groundbreaking, But These 30 Cool Plaid Pieces Are, are experiencing a stylish revival.
Ultimately, the Kate Moss-approved ballet flat isn't just a shoe trend; it’s a cultural signifier. It represents a shift towards a more considered, understated, and personally authentic approach to style. It's a quiet statement of confidence, a rejection of fleeting trends, and an embrace of timeless elegance. As we move further into a world saturated with visual stimuli, will this preference for understated luxury continue to grow, or will the pendulum swing back towards bolder, more expressive aesthetics? The enduring appeal of the ballet flat suggests a lasting desire for a style that is both sophisticated and effortless – a desire that resonates deeply with the modern woman.
Whilst the internet might’ve just cottoned on to the fact that distressing your shoes in the spirit of Mary-Kate Olsen or Amy Winehouse circa 2006 might be the chicest thing you can do for your wardrobe, Kate Moss has been someone devoted to the beat-up ballet flat game for decades. Now, 26 years later, Kate Moss ballet flat outfits have become the paragon for what all cool ensembles should aspire to be.
Since her arrival onto the scene, complete with her cherubic features and gruff Croydon accent, the supermodel has been at the forefront of every sleaze-ridden and rock-esque fashion trend we’ve come to associate with British fashion today: pirate boots, Napoleon jackets, useless skinny scarves, low-slung jeans, the list goes on.
But just one look into her street style archives will prove how prominent ballet flat outfits are in Kate Moss’s off-duty wardrobe. One minute, she’s pairing them with a denim mini skirt and bateau-neckline top for a stroll through Notting Hill; the next, she’s wearing them with a fedora, oversized waistcoat and microscopic shorts that appear to be the size of a belt for a debaucherous night out in Soho.
Leaving the scuff marks and distressed leather proudly on display, Moss removed any pretence of the ballet flat being relegated to prim dancers or private school attendees, firmly supplanting them as the ostensible uniform for Portobello Road pariahs. And, with names like Repetto and Le Monde Beryl in the everyday fashion girl’s vocabulary, we have Moss to thank for helping bring ballet flat outfits to the mainstream.
Still, to this day, Moss has never wavered from her long-standing admiration for the style. Always oscillating between midnight hues and bright whites, the star has continually insisted that ballet flats are a foundational piece in any well-edited wardrobe, whether she’s wearing them amid Paris Fashion Week or on a sun-soaked getaway to Formentera.
Proving her unwavering dedication to her favourite shoe choice for the past century, uncover the chicest Kate Moss ballet flat outfits that embrace the unfussy elegance of the style below.
Kate Moss's Chicest Ballet Flats Outfits:
1. Ballet Flats + Slip Dress + Oversized Blazer
Style Notes: Like most people in the upper echelons of the fashion industry, Kate Moss has developed somewhat of a uniform for herself. Ballet flats are a firm part of this ensemble, as are oversized blazers, which offer a more put-together look compared to her punk sensibilities in the noughties. Here, she was pictured leaving The Ritz in Place Vendôme after attending Saint Laurent’s spring/summer 2027 menswear collection in June. The contrast between the fluid slip dress, delicate and functional ballet flats and boxy jacket is the perfect embodiment of the masculin-féminin approach to dressing that Parisians are revered for.
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Perfect for channeling your inner First Wives Club member.
Kate Moss put slip dresses on the map.
The suede finish makes these flats hard to resist.
From the denim canvas to the gilded hardware, this Hermés Kelly has pride of place in Kate Moss's wardrobe.
2. Ballet Flats + Tailored Shorts + Silk Shirt
Style Notes: There are some items of clothing that serve as a time capsule for the era they were created in, serving as a marker for the tastes and preferences of the period. Here, Kate Moss is wearing several of them. Yes, there are the bow-adorned ballet flats, which feel far more twee than hepcat, but there’s also Miu Miu’s swallow print, which debuted in all its ditsy glory in the brand’s spring/summer 2010 collection. Pairing it with the wide-brim hat that was all over Topshop in its heyday, this look feels like the epitome of early 2010s dressing, complete with naive and coquettish motifs and business-casual tailoring.
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Relaxed tailoring is a cornerstone of Kate Moss's wardrobe.
From the ditsy florals to the lace trims, this piece bears the hallmarks of what Kate Moss looks for in her wardrobe.
Pleated shorts are summer's answer to wide-leg trousers.
With ruched detailing through the ankle, this style borrows traits from popular styles from Phoebe Philo and Khaite.
3. Ballet Flats + Structured Mini Dress + Oversized Bag
Style Notes: Before there was office siren, there was a genuine appetite for silhouettes that sculpted to the body, making you look like a walking corporate dress code violation. This look, which despite being almost 20 years old, is easily something you’d see now on those trying to replicate Gisele Bündchen’s wardrobe in The Devil Wears Prada. What’s more is Moss’s choice of ballet flats. Though ghillies have only recently become a must-have piece after appearing in the collections of Chloé and Simone Rocha, the supermodel has secretly been wearing them for decades, proving to always be one step ahead. (Hello, her recent outing in gladiator sandals!)
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This colour was all over the '90s runways, from Tom Ford for Gucci to Calvin Klein.
Unlike other softer ballet flats, this patent style features silver grommets, a razor-sharp pointed toe and leather laces.
Another timeless classic that has been worn by It girls on both sides of the channels for decades.
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