The Rise of Ballet Sneakers in 2025
Like a fever dream pulled from the depths of your Dance Moms adolescence, ballet sneakers—the mutant lovechild of dainty flats and functional kicks—are the fashion world’s latest obsession. And while they may not be conventionally “pretty,” this hybrid shoe is slowly pirouetting its way into 2025 wardrobes.
Equal parts ballerina and commuter-core, the ballet sneaker fuses the nostalgic charm of a satin flat with the cushioned sole of a running shoe. Imagine if your Year 9 jazz ballet shoes had a baby with your dad’s New Balance 574s—now picture that baby on the Chanel runway.
Once reserved for dance rehearsals and dodgy theme park merchandise, ballet sneakers are suddenly everywhere. Sandy Liang dropped hers with signature coquette-core bows. Rombaut Boccaccio reimagined the soft satin ballet flat and merged it with a chunky rubber sole for a softly rounded dance slipper. Miu Miu, ever the trailblazer of niche-footwear, has gone full Black Swan meets Blade Runner with chunky soles, mesh uppers, and ribbon ties that creep delicately up the ankle.
The result? A shoe that makes absolutely no sense—and all the sense in the world.
The Best Ballet Sneakers to Add to Your Collection
Here are some standout options:
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Simone Rocha Black Mesh Tracker Ballerina Flats, $1,350
Best for: Instant classic
Key features: Vinyl trim throughout, bow appliqué at vamp, adjustable pin-buckle straps, grosgrain trim at collar, buffed leather footbed, sculptural platform midsole, treaded rubber sole -
ECCO Biom Leather Outdoor Shoe, $280
Best for: Outdoors
Key features: Crafted from a mix of premium leather, double-laced upper style, soft textile lining, low profile for optimal ground control -
Miu Miu Panelled Ballerina Shoes, $1,470
Best for: Wear with anything
Key features: Slip-on style, elasticated strap, removable insole, contrasting branded heel counter -
Adidas Taekwondo Mei Shoes, $150
Best for: Everyday
Key features: Includes three sets of laces, leather upper, textile lining, rubber outsole -
Louis Vuitton LV Sneakerina, $1,690
Best for: On vacay
Key features: Sacchetto construction, injected TPU outsole, made in Italy -
Puma Speedcat Ballet Leather Shoes, $140
Best for: On the go
Key features: Regular width, leather upper, elastic bands on instep, textile OrthoLite® sockliner, rubber outsole wrapping the heel -
Wales Bonner Off-White Mary Jane Flat Sneakers, $945
Best for: Statement
Key features: Low-top coated jersey Mary Jane-style sneakers in off-white, logo embossed at elasticized velcro strap, buffed calfskin trim at padded collar, logo-printed webbing pull-loop at heel, jersey lining, treaded Vibram® rubber sole
Why Ballet Sneakers Are Taking Over Fashion
As far as fashion plot twists go, this one was seeded seasons ago. Miu Miu first revived the humble ballet flat in 2022, sparking a Mary Jane and ballerina revival that quietly dethroned the sneaker as street style’s comfort king. Then came the rise of wrong shoe theory—the idea that clashing your footwear with the rest of your outfit makes you look cooler (and, crucially, richer).
Cut to this season’s fashion month and the ballet sneaker was seen all over the runway. Simona Rocha showed off a cute satin pair complete with ribbon laces. Wales Bonner introduced an androgynous take with a subtle silhouette and rubber sole. And just this month Louis Vuitton released its own iteration proving the versatility of the ballet sneaker is truly unmatched.
It taps into everything fashion is obsessed with right now: ugly-pretty silhouettes, ‘90s/early 2000s nostalgia, and a sense of playful contradiction. It’s about the mood: romantic but practical.
A Cultural Phenomenon
The ballet sneaker isn’t entirely new to pop culture either. Natalie Portman’s portrayal in Black Swan (2010) brought balletcore to the frontlines, ushering in an era where leg warmers and boleros were the coolest thing one could wear. Then came The Idol’s wardrobe department which dressed Lily-Rose Depp’s character in near-constant modern dance wear, fuelling the return of balletcore and its natural evolution: ballet-adjacent streetwear.
But perhaps the truest cultural reference point is the ever-iconic Spice Girls. Baby Spice, to be exact. Platform sneakers and baby pink crop tops weren’t just a phase—they were prophecy. Emma Bunton practically invented the ballet sneaker a full two decades before designers caught on.
It’s no surprise then that fashion houses seem to be declaring the ballet sneaker the It-shoe of 2025. Like the thong heel before it, it’s the kind of divisive silhouette that makes street style photographers sprint across intersections, camera at the ready. It’s functional, vaguely nostalgic, and most importantly—it photographs really well peeking out from under a puddle of tulle or laced over high socks.
So, should you buy a pair? Honestly, yes. Whether you lean into their dancer-off-duty potential with leg warmers and mini-shorts, or clash them with structured tailoring for an air of studied chaos, you’ll look chic either way.
Besides, if you’ve ever wanted to feel like you’re floating through your errands with the grace of a corps de ballet member and the support of a podiatrist-approved insole, now is your time.