Ballet flats + trousers?

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Thistle

Veteran

Is ballet flats + trousers fashionable? Or at least not frumpy?

I see ballet flats all the time, some that are of various heel heights, wedge heels, etc. but with the ballet toe.

No one where I work wears them, and I'm thinking it's because most of us are in pants. Or at least, pants with socks.

9 years ago

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from annagybe

Helen11

Veteran

I wear ballet flats with trousers, so I am interested in the general consensus here!
However, I'm in a hot climate, and socks are not needed even in winter.

9 years ago

Glory

Veteran

I am not sure but very interested in what everyone says. I have worked from home for the past several years and business casual was still the mode when I worked out of the office. The only time I saw flats then was with skirts and dresses.
The flats I see with pants now are most often shorter/ankle pants and skinny pants. I quite like that look.

9 years ago

Sara L.

Veteran

I think ballet flats with cropped trousers looks good and I wear this combo frequently. However, ballet flats (no heel, flat) with long trousers have a tendency to look frumpy, at least to my eye. This is just my personal opinion though. I think rounded toe shoes (not flats) can look fine with trousers, depending on the outfit.

9 years ago

Minnie

Active Member

I like ballet flats a lot, but I agree with Sara that they can look frumpy with trousers.
I guess it would really depend on the color, material and cut of both the ballet flats and the trousers.
I think a narrower trouser leg is easier to pair with ballet flats.
Some ballet flats have a higher vamp than others and to me the higher the vamp, the higher the potential frump factor.

9 years ago

cjh

(website)

Veteran

To me, they look fine if the pants are not too long and drag on the ground. Some people just cannot wear any heel. Personally, in the shoe realm, I think too much emphasis is put on fashion over ... comfort ... , but not just comfort - some bodies just cannot tolerate, or are incapable of, wearing certain styles.

9 years ago

AviaMariah

Veteran

I'm thinking they look fine with a straight or tapered leg. But I don't think they work with socks. I think the key is making sure some skin shows. So nude hose at the most.

9 years ago

Echo

Veteran

I agree that ballet flats work better for me with narrow and/or cropped pants. Otherwise, it just feels like there is too much pant and not enough shoe, if that makes sense. I also prefer a pointed toe with fuller pants.

9 years ago

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I wear them with my wide leg pants they are the ones with a slight wedge.

9 years ago

Roxanna

Veteran

I like them with slim ankle pants as well. I found this helpful:

http://dresslikeaparisian.com/.....let-flats/

9 years ago

Windchime

Veteran

Another vote for wearing them with skinny cropped pants or leggings. I used to wear them much more than I do now. Thanks to YLF's influence, I've added some new (to me) styles of footwear over the last couple years.

9 years ago

tulle

Veteran

I, too, love ballet flats with slim, slightly cropped pants (think Audrey Hepburn, or Mary Tyler Moore on the Dick Van Dyke show) for their streamlined look and mobility. And thinking recently that I'd like to add some more colorful flats to my wardrobe, I had the same question, Thistle: is this a frumpy choice? I finally decided that I just don't care. I'll wear them and think of them as classics.

9 years ago

Sally

Veteran

I hate heels and wear trousers all the time. Sometimes I wear with flats, loafers or sneakers. In summer I wear wedges. Most of my pants are slim fit but I'm branching into looser styles so interested to hear what others say.

9 years ago

marianna

Veteran

With slim/cropped pants - yes. With bootleg trousers I prefer a tiny wedge OR a pointy toe flat.

9 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Style very carefully. No socks or use true nude socks. Judging by quick online image search, wider pants work better with a contrasting color. Pay particular attention to top half.
I get a pair of the faux leather leggings from NAS I might try #3.

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9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I'm with Annagybe in saying style carefully. Sometimes, I feel, ballet flats don't have enough substance. They can look sloppy or just be too tiny, make a person look like Humpty Dumpty with little stick feet...

9 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

Annagybe gave some great examples of how it can be carefully pulled off if the top half has structure. In general though, I feel like it's easier to pair small delicate flat shoe with ankle showing, so whether slim or wider legged, cropped or rolled pants in general work better than full length to my eye.

9 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

I don't think my style factor is high enough to pull it off.

I will stick to smoking slippers, oxfords and loafers.

Still, I do like the looks Anna posted.

9 years ago

Sally

Veteran

I realise I don't wear ballet flats...I wear flats but they are pointed. I also wear loafers so not ballet flats. I love the examples that Anna showed....makes me excited about all my new trousers.

9 years ago

binkle

Veteran

annagybe provides some great examples, which I think also illustrate that the details of the SHOE are important. When I hear "ballet flats" I think of softer, round toes, absolutely flat: casual, slim cropped slacks, a non-tailored softer, looser skirt. A pointier, structured shoe works more if you want a stepped-up or work appropriate look (thinking of my own office culture especially.). I used to wear absolute flats with work pants, both structured and flowy, and in retrospect, I think they were not "uplifting" to my look.

9 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

I love your oxfords and smoking slippers! Are you getting bored with your options? You could add color or print.. Also, there are some very feminine shaped oxfords at the moment.

9 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

I think it's more that I was really eying those AGL ballet flats and trying to decide if I could them fashionably.

I can't.

And that's okay. The menswear vibe is great, and I am seeing the big block heel come back. Don't know if I can wear those, but maybe!

9 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I have some AGL flats though those actually have a slight stacked heel, which is key for me. I mostly wear with skirts but have worn with joggers and full- length slightly tapered trousers. I like Anna's # 5 and 6 and at work, still seeing such flats with wider pants as heels are often unwearable.
I do think really interesting shoes are needed, such as those 2-toned.
Agree that for proportion balance, sometimes I need " more shoe" and hence have focused on the loafer look and now also I like laceless oxfords more than with laces.
I like the look of the pointier toe with long trousers, but it's kinda the lure of the Devil for me. The pointy is not good for my feet, and I have to watch out for my imaginary footwear life. It's not a sustainable direction, so I need to be realistic and develop style that works from the ground up.
I still find that juxtaposition appeals to me, hence photo 5 of Anna's post with tailored jacket and feminine flats( alas, I think those may be slightly pointy) , and then I like to wear oxfords with a blouse or jacket combo that has a ruffle or flair or some slightly feminine detail.

9 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I have silver AGL ballet flats. They're really really comfortable.

9 years ago

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