Ballet Flat or High Heeled Pump? Either will take you on a journey to discover new places and exciting adventures!
My favorite ballet flats from brands like Repetto, Roger Vivier and Chanel have become indispensable in my wardrobe. They are the classic shoe that will take you everywhere and they are seasonless – in the summer with a light dress as well as in the winter with tights. The only place they are not appropriate is in the snow! Be sure to pack your flats when traveling because you can walk long distances in them and they bring elegance to any outfit. If you have trouble with arches or the flat shoe is not as comfortable as a more stable sneaker, you can always have some insoles put into your shoes for more support. A good cobbler will help with this and also keep the bottoms from wearing out. I’ve had some of my flats resoled once or twice to keep them lasting longer. Chloe makes a ballet flat with a small heel, with their signature scalloped edging it looks so elegant with a T-shirt and jeans. Ballet flats are so chic and collecting them in a variety of colors allows you to bring in a pop if you are someone who wears a lot of neutrals. Almost every little girl has dreamed of dancing on the stage at one time or another in their childhood. Wearing ballet flats is a check towards that dream.
To change up any outfit from casual elegance to a more formal look, you can swap your shoe with a high heeled pump to turn your outfit into something dressier. For instance, the same T-shirt and jeans with the addition of a silver pump and a sparkly handbag will bring your outfit into a casual sophistication classification. A pleated skirt and cashmere sweater are sweet with a flat shoe, but change to a pump and it’s a different kind of polished. That little black dress always appropriate with your Chanel flats, day shoes of course, is completely transformed to a nighttime look when you put on a pair of Loubitans. It is important to remember that yes, high heels are sexy, but to be elegant you must be able to walk with confidence in those stilettos. Shoes that are too high are anything but stylish unless you are being carried into the room on a litter with carriers at each corner like Billy Porter at the 2019 Met Gala. Look it up. My friend Sammy Ratelle was the stylist behind that entourage for Billy and it was a show stopper!
Whether you choose ballet flats or stiletto heels, make sure you wear your shoe with Grace and elegance. Grab a glass of champagne and toast to having French Flair! That is the way French women would celebrate their shoes. And those cobblestones in Paris are not easy to walk on!
