The Ballerina Way

Do you love ballet flats as much as we do? Do you just want to wear them everywhere and all the time so your feet don’t hurt at the end of the day? Designers across the fashion world have been creating the most beautiful flats season after season. The colors, the shapes, the textures are endless; all you have to do is possess a large variety for every occasion, outfit and time of the day. We give you the best flats available today, in a range of price points.

High-end Flats

1. Lanvin. Don’t be scared by the sky-high price tag ($400 and up); these are timeless flats that can be part of your wardrobe for a long while. They’re true statement pieces that provide comfort and a chic look all in one. Our favorites are the baby blue, pink and snake skin patent-leather ballerina flats and the two-toned crinkled cap-toe ballerina flats in different colors and finishes. If you just can’t allow yourself to spend $485 on flats, be sure to check out your local Barneys New York or Nordstrom stores for upcoming end of the season sales. Lanvin ballerina flats frequently make it to the sale rack, so keep your fingers crossed; you might get these amazing flats for an amazing price.

2. Giuseppe Zanotti. The incredible Italian shoe master has been creating “sole art” for over 20 years. We’re on the hunt for his shoes at the country’s top retailers and high-end boutiques. We love his designs season after season; like the leopard metallic-toe cap. The leather and suede used by the designer is ultra-high in quality, hugs your foot and is comfortable to walk in all day long. The Spring/Summer 2011 collection includes powder pink suede ballerina flats with Swarovski crystal studs, perfect for an elegant evening occasion. The price tag is around $415 and up, but if you catch it on sale you’ll get an amazing value for these precious flats.

3. Chanel. These classic flats are recognized immediately. The white and black or the beige and black color combos have become iconic in their own right. These flats go great with business suits, sharp and casual dresses, skinny jeans and tiny shorts. They look stylish and age-less. Prices start at $550 for these treasured flats. You can buy them in Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue.

4. Chloe. If you are feeling girlish and want to take your feminine look all the way down to the ground, flats can be a great way to do it. Chloe is one of those brands that, constantly gives us ultra-gentle opulent shapes, cuts and colors. We would choose Chloe’s iconic soft beige and off-white colors for our summer flats collection. Available at Neiman Marcus and select Bloomingdale’s at around $495 a pair.

Affordable chic

1. Vera Wang Lavender Label. Vera has been coming out with great fits and styles in her shoe line. We love the extra hidden heel she gives to most of her flats. They provide extra support and a slight height lift. The toe is perfectly round with lots of great details such as jewels and floral embossed clusters. The flats come in patent leather, snake finishes and solid colors. You’ll find them at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. Prices start at $195.

2. Tory Burch has been coming out with very comfortable and stylish flats for several seasons now. Her iconic double “T” medallion sits in the front of their round toe. The $195 price point is quite reasonable considering the sturdy quality she produces. Tory skillfully creates flats in this season’s hot colors, materials and finishes. We love the Tory Burch Reva Tumbled-Leather flat in an exciting orange color; or the Reva Woven Straw Ballerina flat for the summer season. For Fall/Winter we’re hunting for her flats with silver or gold finishes. Tory Burch flats retail at Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and small boutiques across the country. She even has her stylish boutique in the San Francisco’s Union Square district.3. Michael Kors. This true American designer knows how to deliver a great shoe at great price. We love his sexy laser cutouts. The leather hugs your foot in a comfortable way. The toe is rounded yet slightly pointy. Michael Kors has several lines under his fashion house and whether its a silver finish flat by KORS Michael Kors or the casual flat by MICHAEL Michael Kors, you’ll be happy with your selection. At a price tag of just under $100 it would be very tempting to buy several pairs.4. Sam Edelman. You might recognize these flats by the expressive hand-drawn Sam Edelman signature on the insole of his shoes. With an extensive fashion background and a stylish eye, Sam Edelman designs women’s footwear “collections that are eminently fashionable and beautifully constructed at an attainable price point.” Sold at fine department stores across the country, you can wear his beautifully crafted flats along side of Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry and Katy Perry. We love the Clive ballerina flats in a refreshing bright citrine color. Scalloped details, snake-print leather and a lightweight feel is what great flats are about.

The best thing about flats is that they are good for your feet. To dress up your day-to-day look we prefer to choose bright pop colors. For evening occasions go with a bit more sparkle and bling on the flats. They’ll add a touch of charm to your evening look and you will feel like Cinderella.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 6th, 2011 at 8:52 am and is filed under Fashion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed or trackback from your own site. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the author

When the two met in Southern California in 2001, Lena and Anastassia instantly hit it off and began to share their experiences and visions. Together, they were actively involved in the fashion and art scenes while building strong relationships of stylists, designers, artists and editors across Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Professionally, the two have combined experience in public relations for luxury jewelry line, music and entertainment management, production of fashion shows and national advertising commercials. They have collaborated on projects as stylists, buyers and editors. They also shared the love of shopping. Frustrated with sample sale experience of cold warehouses, random selection of merchandise, and uninviting environment, Lena and Anastassia set out to develop a project that provides high-end boutique experience at sample sale events. Duo’s involvement with the art world led to engage emerging local artists. As strong believers in giving back, the team decided to involve charitable organizations, and create their events as series of charitable fashion shopping and art social events. In the summer of 2010 stars aligned and Project Lena was born. With the launch of PROJECT LENA, sample sales are now thought of as luxurious boutique events with elements of art and giving back. The birth of the PROJECT LENA Blog was the inevitable next step. Both Lena and Anastassia have so much to share about the world of art, expression, fashion, beauty. They blog about what is current, what is new, what is here to stay, they spot trends ahead of their time. They share interviews of their exciting network of industry insiders, museum curators, designers and stylists. Anastassia B.