Wait, What? Skinny Jeans and Ballet Pumps Are Suddenly Being Worn by the Coolest People Again

Almost out of nowhere, one of fashion’s most divisive items has started making its way back onto the style scene. Once dismissed as “dated” and “unflattering,” skinny jeans had been relegated to the back of wardrobes as baggy and straight-leg styles thrived instead. But now, slowly but surely, skinny jeans are creeping back onto our radars, and there’s one particular shoe pairing that fashion people have been wearing theirs with all winter.

In the early ’00s one would wear skinny jeans with either platform heels, ballet flats or ankle boots. Interestingly, this season fashion people are pairing their slim-fitting jeans with elegant ballet flats once more, and looking surprisingly chic in the process. The differences? Well, where you would’ve once had a series of layered jersey tops with motifs on or a “trophy” jacket (remember those?) now it’s all about using this pairing as a sleek basis for elegant coats and simple knits.

Both nostalgic and modern, this “dated” pairing combines the elegant energy of streamlined skinny jeans with the delicate shape of ballet flats to create a particularly polished silhouette.

Nodding towards a sense of Y2K nostalgia whilst tapping into today’s preference for minimalism and a polished aesthetic, it’s really no surprise that the trend has come back around this season. Styling well with oversized layers—think chunky knits, boxy blazers or oversized coats—to balance out the slim proportion of the skinny jeans and neatly fitting flats, the new-season combination has an elegant energy that stylish dressers can’t resist.

Reflecting the cyclical nature of fashion, these two old favourites have been reimagined for the modern wardrobe this winter offering a captivating blend of nostalgia and contemporary style that few other outfit combinations can achieve.