Help me break my addiction to ballet flats!

[ChiaraMontague]

Ballet flats have been part of my workwear style for well over a decade and I would like to mix it up with some other styles but I’m really stumped. I usually wear smart dresses (like the Boden Ottoman dresses) with tights and ballet flats, I’m really stuck on what other kind of flat shoes would go with this sort of look.

Brogues? Converse?

This is one where you'll have to keep having a look in stores and trying things on until you find shoes you like.
Some ideas:
Leather or suede smart sandals
A driving style shoe
A brogue or some other type of lace up shoe
Mary Janes or similar if you can pull them off
A super low wedge heel (looks like a flat from the front but has a small wedge at the back, M&S are quite good for this style)
Kitten heels (in the lowest heel)

thedarklady I think you are right, I will need to go and try different styles. I like the look of brogues on other people but not sure if I can pull it off ... time to get out of the comfort zone!

Ballet flats are terrible for your feet as the majority of them have no support whatsoever. This is what my podiatrist said to me years ago when I turned up for an appt wearing ballet flats and complaining about knee pain when I was running. I listened to him and stopped wearing ballet flats. I eased the transition by moving from my trusty Repetto ballet flats to other Repetto shoes as workwear.

That was a decade ago. Which also proves how dated ballet flats are. Their heyday is long gone. I think I've worn ballet flats maybe 3 times since then. These days I live in trainers or lace-ups (Geeks from Tracey Neuls) or funky low shoes from the likes of Yuul Yie or Rejina Pyo or even Miista.

Loafers - try next, river island and Topshop

Loafers or brogues.

I wear a lot of loafers and boat shoes but mine don’t work with dresses. For brogues I would wear one of your work dresses shopping as it’s hard to tell until you have them on. I like red or dead

Boots? Over winter I have been wearing Chelsea boots with my dresses as I have a pair that aren’t too bulky but not ideal for the summer.

Clark’s have a couple of pair of Mary Jane style shoes that don’t look like school shoes. here and here

www.allsole.com/flats-women/-footwear/dune-women-s-calie-suede-pointed-flats-black/11687644.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&variation=11687648&&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000024532183%22&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3ufE38nR4AIVCrXtCh0kdg8YEAQYASABEgI2ffD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I wear pointed flats
Probably have 6+ pairs in different colours

I resisted the temptation of ballet flats for years, but now they seem to be the only thing I ever wear with my leggings. Unless I have ugg boots on.

Ballet flats are terrible for your feet

^ this

Not only that, but they don't do any favours for your achilles tendons, ankles, knee joints and calf muscles either.

Thanks for all the recommendations! I’m going shopping tomorrow to try some brogues on, good shout on wearing what I’d usually wear to work to see how it works together.

I agree on how bad ballet flats are for the feet etc. I only wear them in the office (I change my shoes when I get to work) but even that is bad enough.