"I love a fun style trend—after all, it’s practically my job to do so. But surprisingly, I rarely buy into them; when I do, I really believe the piece is something special. Despite the recent resurgence of ballet flats, I hadn’t felt the need to pull the trigger on a pair—until now.
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The mesh ballet flat has been bubbling under the fashion surface for some time, but this summer, the shoe is bound to get the mainstream attention it finally deserves. Like many of the current trendiest items, ballet flat’s recent popularity was in part fueled by The Row. Nearly four years ago, the brand’s sock slippers took inspiration from the traditional Chinese slipper called a “xiuhuaxie,” leading fashion people to welcome the minimalist shoes into their wardrobes once again. But the mesh ballet flat craze came courtesy of Alaïa’s fishnet flats, co-signed by stylish celebrities like Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lawrence, and Sofia Richie.
Mesh ballet flats have been cause of much controversy. The ugly-chic shoe is certainly polarizing, but its intrigue is what makes it so worth investing in. I’m opting for the mesh style over a traditional ballet flat because it’s airy (obviously—it’s made of mesh), but the textured and see-through exterior elevates the shoe into becoming a statement while remaining sleek and minimalist-friendly.
In the summer, it often feels like even our favorite sandals aren’t sophisticated or statement-making enough. The mesh ballet flat is the solution to this styling conundrum—you have all of the breathability of a sandal combined with the corporate-chic feel of a ballet flat. The netted texture adds a touch of coolness for the perfect addition to your warm-weather footwear arsenal.
Don’t let the nuance of mesh ballet flats be a styling barrier. Simply throw them on as you would any other flat sandal or shoe. Style them with a butter yellow sundress to give a laidback look a little edge, or pair them with trousers and a button-up for an office-ready outfit. Plus, since the trend has had some time to settle, there are plenty of affordable options for you to try out yourself. And, lucky for you, we’ve rounded them all up in one place. Ahead, shop our favorite pairs of mesh ballet flats.
Kaitlin Clapinski, Contributing Fashion Writer
Kaitlin is a Los Angeles-based writer who covers celebrity style, current trends, and everything else fashion-related. You can find more of her work in Marie Claire, Editorialist, The Zoe Report, and i-D Magazine, among others.