Let me get this out of the way: There’s no wrong way to wear ballet flats. I fully encourage you to style them in any manner you please. However, if you could use some pointers on how to make the classic shoes look fully up to date in 2026, you’ve come to the right place. The versatile flat shoes have never gone out of style in decades, but women’s styling choices have certainly evolved. If you’re anything like me, you might associate ballet flats with twee, schoolgirl-inspired outfits, but there are so many other options.
After sifting through hundreds of street style images of people wearing ballet flats, I noticed a few themes. For starters, women didn’t seem to wear the shoes with baggy trousers, which are by far the most popular style of pants right now. Instead, they teamed the flats with A-line skirts, Bermuda shorts, and other pieces. Scroll down to see what I mean.
1. With a Full Skirt and a Polka-Dot Jacket
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