Marc Jacob's shoe style tends to be rather self-consciously "quirky", so I was actually fairly surprised that these classically lovely ballet flats were his design. In an eye-catching fuchsia satin with an oversized rose embellishment, these are feminine and pretty and will work well with skirts and trousers alike. At £345, they're definitely not the cheapest pair of ballet flats you'll ever find, but they may well be amongst the prettiest, and if you think so too, you can pick up a pair at Browns.
Related: Marc by Marc Jacobs silk ballerina slippers | Marc by Marc Jacobs ruffle top ankle boots | Marc Jacobs slouch boots
"Atart". Now, there's an unfortunate name for a shoe, if ever I heard one...
Is it an unfortunate design, though? Well, clearly my bias against all things tartan makes it impossible for me to be objective on this one, but I will say that if you're going to wear tartan shoes, I prefer them to be relatively unadorned, with no other colours or patterns on them. These ones from Faith add black and silver to the mix, breaking up the check patterns with vertical lines, and it just doesn't work for me. If it works for you, though, these are £38 and also available in a black/grey colour mix.
Related: Sequined 'Alburto' ballet flats from Faith | Faith Dran sandal | Faith's red sake ankle boots
I love the simplicity of these soft leather flats by La Redoute, available in three easily matchable shades for easy yet stylish everyday wearing.
The shoes have a super-comfy foam-backed leather lining, with an inner sock for additional comfort when you just want to jump into your pumps. Best of all, they just have that certain je ne sais quoi that French labels seem to pull off so well, of not looking frumpy or grannyish despite essentially being low-cost, flat shoes. £27 at La Redoute
Related: Nine West Lommit ballet flats | Sequin covered ballet flats by Barretts | Gingham print ballet flats from Gap
This winter is going to be the season of the flat, and Barratts clearly know it, releasing these sequin covered ballet flats just so we don't have to go without the glitz, even if we're going without the heels. These are also available in black, and at £18 they're a lot cheaper than most "party" heels you find. I'd probably wear them around the house, too - well, why not, if they're comfortable and pretty? Get them here.
Related: Nine West Lommit ballet flats | Paul Smith green patent ballet flats | Pedro Garcia ballet flats
Apologies for the oversized image here, but I just didn't think a smaller one would do these shoes justice. At first glance, I thought they looked a little bit like Christmas presents, with a glitzy bow on the top... and actually, on second glance I still think that. These would surely be up for the Most Ostentatious Embellishment on a Shoe Award, should such a thing exist (and it should, if you ask me), and I know lots of you will think the embellishment in question is just too much. Come to think of it, you may even be right. But they'll definitely be a talking point, which is why I had to show them to you. If looking just isn't enough for you, though, and you want to feel these on your feet, you can buy them for £95 at French Connection.
Related: Nine West Lommit ballet flats | Paul Smith green patent ballet flats | Pedro Garcia ballet flats
I actually wear flats a lot now that I live in London - the amount of walking you do in this city is ridiculous! However, the ratio of heels to flats that sit in my wardrobe suggests otherwise - and is in fact a bit on the impractical side. But isn't it always more tempting to buy a pretty pair of heels than a dull pair of practical flats?
Well, not in this case. These French Connection Danielle flats are sweet, colourful and yes, practical. I love the versatile colour-combination, which means they will fit in with pretty much anything you already have in your wardrobe. Plus it's not hard to love the cute gold bauble decoration and bow. At £65 they're hardly going to break the bank either, so you can get that same smug feeling you get when you purchase some totally lust-worthy heels. And your poor, abused feet will thank you too!
Related: French Connection's mustard T-bar peep-toes | French Connection peep toe flats
I was a little skeptical when Botkier announced that they were branching into footwear, but shoes from their fall 2008/09 have proven that the brand are serious about creating shoes that follow the individual style that we have come to know and love. The classic ballet flat has been given a slight design tweak and in its place came these Botkier Shera ballet flats. The sleek cut has been accented by a smooth tab-like metal plate at the vamp and a small heel. Note: Make sure you don't go walking through any metal detectors with these on, or you are sure to set them off!
Related: Botkier branches into footwear
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