How To Choose The Best Ballet Flats

The ballet flat is back! I know we have been writing about this return for 2 years now, and last year it was very evident .. but the flat is 100% back in 2025 - and for a long time to come.
Writing about how to choose the best ballet flats, I have to look back in time a little. Perhaps not back to the 30's and 40's and its birth from a dancing ballerina slipper, but I always felt they were at their most chic in the late 50's. I know in the 60's my mum tells me she was never out of them, she would choose the best ballet flats to pair with loose fitting trousers and cropped jeans. Then in the 90's and into the 2000's ballet flats were just, cool - thanks Kate Moss and Alexa Chung.
Now the leather ballet flats' timeless appeal is serving them well again. HRH The Princess of Wales spotted in ballet flats again recently. So with such royal approval, and so called celebrity sign off, it tends to prove what many style followers have know for a while now, the ballet flat is back.
But are all ballet flats the same? Well clearly like most things, no they are not, so how do we choose the best ballet flats to pop in our closet. Let's investigate what’s really going to cosset your feet in the ultimate comfort, whilst keeping you stylish, confident and smart through the week and weekend.
While you are reading this guide, why not have our collection of ballet flats open, you can see how we measure up.

A Guide to help find the best ballet flats

Having been through a long period where it wasn't easy to find a great selection of ballet pumps, blame Lagerfeld  in 2014 ladies, there is now a plentiful flat selection. So how do we go about finding the best ballet flats that seamlessly combine comfort and style?
We have created a list of principle considerations that should with your search for the perfect ballet flats.

How to choose Ballet Flats - the Comfort factor

Others may start with colour, material or price, but for me if the ballet pump is not comfortable, you are not going to love it for long. Every shoe has three main components; an upper of the shoe, an insole and an outsole and each component plays a really important part in its comfort and its fit. As side point, each brand tends to have their own shoe last, the form around which they make the shoe, this is going to determine your size in a brand and if in principle their designs are right for your feet.

The Ballet Flat Insole

Let’s begin looking at comfort, start with the insole of the ballet flat. I find that all too often the insole lacks sufficient padding. Insoles are the ideal place for deep cushioning and added support. Look for substantial padding that would look after and comfort your feet. I find most of the pressure will be exerted under the balls of the feet so insoles that are well cushioned in this area (and at the heels) are a godsend. However, I often find they are harder to come by. I can only assume it's cost saving by the brands.

The material that the insole is made from is very important foot health and comfort. Leather insoles and leather linings are what to look for as leather is natural and breathable. If the inner lining and insole are not leather be cautious because very often this will lead to hot and sweaty feet. Even if the upper is leather, check the insole. Hot and damp feet may lead to foot health issues such as athletes foot, fungal growth and heat rash and spots.

The Ballet Flat Uppers

The uppers are what you see on the top of the shoe. This will be the materials and components such as studs, bows and laces. For the best ballet flats, look for soft, flexible and pliable leather uppers. Not only will these help your feet breathe and will be easier to look after, but good leather will mould to your feet. Anything stiff or rigid would likely cause friction and blisters - particularly at the heel.
In my experience the uppers would have minimal seams and stitching – especially around the sensitive foot joints and areas where bunions would form or are present. This is because these seams can press on the joints and cause discomfort. Soft leathers, like sheep leather and suede, will really help with these issues.

The topline refers to how the ballet flat upper is closing around your foot. Have you experienced wearing flats and having to grip with your toes to keep the shoes on? A soft elastic that’s gentle around your feet fixes this problem. Its rare to always find the perfect fit, and elasticated topline can really help stop your heel flapping out of the shoes. The unnatural toe gripping causes extra stress in your feet and all the way up your legs too, meaning your muscles become tight for longer periods of time.

If the ballet flats you find do have an elasticated topline opening, the elastic should be gentle and soft, so as not to hurt and damage your feet by being tight and uncomfortable. Another problem you can encounter with ballet flats is they always seem to pinch or rub on the Achilles heels. Look for a soft and cushioned padding on the heel area which works a dream. Cocorose London has this on all our ballet flats.

Has it happens, by volume, the vast majority of shoes are made using PU, also known as vegan leather, faux leather or plastic. Man made materials. The footwear industry is making great strides in innovations of bio-based materials made from plants, and I have no doubt that advances in recycled leather and new materials will increase. At this time though if you pick up a women's shoe and the upper isn't leather, it's more than likely to be a textile or PU material. Why is this important, because outside of environmental concerns, its about breathability. Genuine leather still has the advantage over most commercially available man-made materials for footwear in terms of breathability. And sustainability - you look after leather flats and they will last you far longer.

The Vamp (or toe length) refers to the length of the material covering your toes. We are into preferences here, personally I select a vamp that is not too low or short, so that my toes are covered. You may have heard of 'toe cleavage' mentioned before, this is when you can see part of your toes. The vamp can also have an impact of the space you have to wriggle your toes. This space is called the toe box, make sure you can wriggle and its not too shallow.

The Ballet Flat Outer Sole

Ballet flats need a good outsole; one that is solid and durable, and that's flexible to allow natural movements. I find it can be a bit tricky to get right. Some flats that look great have outsoles that are too think and you feel every pebble. Other are too chunky and make the shoe look frumpy.
Leather or Rubber. For me this is where man made wins. The leather outsole can look luxurious when fresh out of the box, and it tends to be lighter too. but they are something to watch out for. They are soft, but because of this they are not usually as durable as a good rubber sole and lack the grip, so tend to be slippery. Living in the UK we are often caught is a shower, even in the height of summer, and a leather out sole is not water resistant. So you end up with damp feet. Leather soles are natural so are easy to repair – but on a ballet flat, just be prepared to spend quite a lot of time (and money) at the cobblers!

We have taken comfort incredibly seriously at Cocorose, please take a moment to read about comfort and wellbeing at our business here.

How to choose ballet flats - The Style and Design

When we chatted about the vamp we touch on preferences, and so too your Style of flat will be very personal.

Seek out a ballet flat that matches your style and that are comfortable. There’s nothing more stylish than feeling confident and happy, and you can not achieve either if you aren’t comfortable.

Classic colours like tan, navy, black and even red never date. Actually I find leopard print is now considered a classic colour way and is always fun. I have launched designs in metallics and in pastels - the ballet flat is so versatile, but interestingly the two tone tends to restrict to the upper and toe cap - never found two colour uppers work.
Look for details that add personality to your flats like woven or quilted leathers or pretty bows. Almond shaped or slightly pointed toes work best. The squared toe ballet flat has seen a small trend this season and can look very smart - perfect as a work shoe. I would say stay away from extreme points as your toes will get squashed and hurt, but its a personal preference.

Ballet flats are incredibly versatile and will pair well across your wardrobe, from casual to more formal, from day to evening and from work to weekend. Wear them with anything and everything, from jeans to suits and dresses to trousers.

We created some collections to help with the selection of your favourite ballet flats, here you can see our black ballet flat collection, and here ballet flats in our collections that have a wedge heel.

How to choose ballet flats - The Extra Details.

There are other factors I suggest considering. particularly when looking for a brand. What are the values and ethos of the brand, how are the ballet flats made, what are the sustainability credentials. If you are buying on line, very important to understand the returns policy, delivery costs, the brands customer service and do they have a rewards or loyalty scheme.

Its hard to discover, but try to find hand-crafted ballet flats; traditionally made by hand-lasting, rather than machine lasted. This preserves the art of shoe making and also gives the shoes a beautifully crafted look and feel. Small batch productions also help to avoid waste. You will tend to find brands like Cocorose London will go that extra mile to inform you they make by hand, because its far harder to achieve.

When you purchase the ballet flats, what happens? Do you receive loyalty points? Plant a tree? Give back to charity? Small details, but it matters. Seek out brands that care and that offer you value for money - it's a false economy otherwise.

Sizing - this will not impact you if you are a size 4 to 7, but of late we have seen it has been more difficult to find brands offering 2's for adults, size 3's 8's and very hard to find ballet flats for women with shoe sizes 9 or 10. When you do find them - covet them.

 

Conclusion - guide to finding the best ballet flats.

There is a large amount to consider when finding the best ballet flats, but I hope this has helped. As the shoe design and founder for Cocorose London, please allow me to tell you why I think our brand is creator of some of the best ballet flats for women.

We have been designing and making what many customers and publications have been referred to as “the best ballet flats out there”.
As an independent British brand, we've flown the flag for ballet flats since 2007, when I invented the foldable shoe. We have grown our collection in all sorts of directors since then, and today, our leather ballet flats – hybrid in design – combine the best of all needs - beautiful, comfortable, all-day-wear flats that incorporate our foldable technology for easy portability and functional storage.
It's the core credentials of our flats that make these shoes truly different however. All designs have our specially designed and tested, indulgent double-cushioned insoles; pillowed Achilles heel comfort; super soft, premium leathers that gently envelope and mould to your feet; and a proper, durable and flexible sole.

We have a whole range of beautiful styles for you to choose from, with sizes ranging from EU35 to EU43.

And we are very proud to give assurance that our footwear is meticulously handmade in small batches to avoid waste, a tree is planted for every purchase made, we have a recycle scheme that you can use freely and you can collect our generous Rosebud loyalty points. All of the shoes are carefully hand-cut, stitched and hand-lasted, with incredible attention to detail, and it’s this that makes all the difference to how they feel on the feet. To see the full collection visit our ballet flats collection page here.

FAQs about how to chose the best ballet flats.

Q: What are the most comfortable ballet flats for all-day wear?

A:- It really comes down to padding, fit and materials. Look for double-cushioned insoles (especially under your heel and the ball of your foot), soft leathers that mould to your feet, and a bit of protection on the heel to stop any rubbing. We’ve obsessed over these details so you don’t have to.

Q: Are leather ballet flats better than synthetic (PU) ones?

A:- If breathability, softness and longevity matter, then yes—genuine leather ballet flats win hands down over faux leather. They let your feet breathe, stretch slightly to shape to your foot and last longer - if you look after them.

Q: I have bunions – are your ballet flats suitable?

A:- Yes, many Cocorose styles are designed to be bunion-friendly, with soft, seam-free leather uppers that won’t dig in or cause pressure. No more cursing your shoes halfway through the day. Our customers regularly tell us how relieved they are to find flats that don’t hurt.

Q: Are ballet flats good for walking?

A:- Yes, they can be - if they’re designed properly. A lot of ballet flats out there look pretty but have zero support. Ours have proper rubber soles, grip, and just enough cushioning and structure to walk in comfortably (without sounding like a tap dancer).

Thank you for reading my guide on ballet flats, I would love to read your thoughts, please do comment below. I also wrote another piece on the timeless beauty of the ballet flat and how to wear them, please read my step into style blog here.