How to wear your ballet flats

Audrey Hepburn couldn’t have looked cuter when wearing dainty little flats. This year, the tiny shoe trend hit big when women began embracing the anti-wedge. You don’t have to be a prima ballerina to enjoy the comfort and youthful style of the ballet flat, but it was original dance solesters who brought back the ballet-style shoe. Now a wardrobe staple, the heel-less shoes were originally popular with older women because of the comfort they provided.

Modeled after the light leather slip-on shoes that dancers would wear, the flats began to rise in 2004. With the growing trend towards leggings and skinny jeans, original dance shoe makers like Repetto began taking their ware off the dance floor and into the street. Simple, elegant, and easier to walk in than the sexy stiletto, flats were quickly embraced due to their versatility and easy transition between daytime comfort and nighttime flare.
Evening Flats
It may seem counterintuitive to dress up your look by dressing down, but ballet flats are sophisticated enough to take you out at night and comfortable enough to keep you dancing. Choose flats in metallic colors, satin fabric, or with sequin details to spruce up a black wrap dress or pair with a shiny skirt.
Date Flats
You can look cute and flirty without feeling to girly if you wear flats with your next date attire. And it’s so much easier to stroll down the street, guy in hand, if you’re not worried about twisting your ankle in your new stilettos. Choose a bright color for your shoes – one that will complement your top and purse without matching the color exactly. Pick a different shade in the same color family to look right on, or adorn yourself in opposing colors and risk looking like you dressed in a rubbish bin. Complete the look with tight dark jeans. For an extra eye-grabber, pick flats with a pattern, embroidered detail, or buckle.
Afternoon Flats
For a lazy Saturday or an afternoon outside, choose a sunny shade like turquoise, yellow, or pink. Keep the patterns simple, and wear loose comfortable attire. A flowing skirt or tiny capris both look delicate with flats and are easy to move in during your afternoon activities.
Work Flats
Perfect for on the job, ballet flats are much more modern than your last pair of pumps. Choose basic black for more conservative attire or a solid color in a jewel tone for more creative work environment. Flats made from suede or canvas are great in the office and work well with slim pants or A-line skirts.

Summer Fashion: Mohop Handcrafted Shoes

Perfect for summertime, Mohop offers a unique mix-and-match opportunity for your footwear. Chicagoan Annie Mohaupt handcrafts each pair of shoes at her studio, and then the wearer is free to personalize her pair with ribbon laces and other decorations. The shoes are composed of a soling made from recycled tires, a Finnish birch plywood core, and then topped with various select veneers. While creating the Mohop shoes, Annie is careful to use the eco friendly woods, glues, sealers and inks.





























The shoes come in flats, kitten heels, or high heels, and Mohop offers a variety of ribbon laces to choose from as well. The wearer is free to customize the shoes by changing the ribbons, adding buttons or other adornments, or lacing the shoes in completely new ways. The possibilities are endless! This summer fashion item is perfect for dressing up your daily office duds or for wearing during a long beach stroll.


Special for the season, Mohop is offering free shipping worldwide for the summer of 2007. Enter the coupon SUMMER at checkout.