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Ballet flats or ballet pumps are a style of shoe. The appearance is inspired by women's , with a very thin heel or the appearance of no heel at all.
Ballet flats are fashionably versatile as they are often worn with both formal and casual attire.
In medieval times, ballet flats were popular with both men and women. They went out of fashion in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when the high-heeled shoe came into fashion after Catherine de' Medici requested that her shoemaking add 5 cm (2 inches) to her wedding shoes. Heels lost popularity quickly after Marie Antoinette walked to the guillotine in a pair of heels. Functional shoes, such as sandals, , and flat shoes, prevailed in the nineteenth century.
In the 20th century, American fashion designer Claire McCardell commissioned Salvatore Capezio to make ballet flats with rubber soles in fabrics matching her designs, creating the modern ballet flat.White, Constance C. R. (1998-11-17). "Celebrating Claire McCardell". The New York Times. . Retrieved 2016-07-06. They were displayed at an exhibition of twenty years of McCardell's garments at the Frank Perls Gallery in Beverly Hills in April 1953.
In 1947, Rose Repetto hand stitched her first ballet flat for her son, famous dancer and choreographer, Roland Petit. Once actress Brigitte Bardot donned a pair of Repetto's flats, variations of ballet flats became popular and returned as a fashion trend.Casa Couture. "The History of the Ballet Flat" . casacouture.co. December 2012. November 2016. Repetto flats continue to be made and are designed for outdoor wear, using a variety of fabrics and usually with a rubber sole. In 1957, Audrey Hepburn wore ballet flats with cigarette pants in Funny Face, which also raised a wave of popularity.
Some dance schools allow ballet flats as part of their uniform requirements and some school bands require black ballet flats as part of the dress requirements for performances.
Around 2005-2010 ballet pumps became highly fashionable, popularised by the wear of top models including Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Mischa Barton. The trend had a revival in 2022, included in the "ballet and trench" style. and continues to be popular in 2025 and 2026 especially in plain, shoestring bow, and ankle strap designs.
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