Chanel Ballet Flats and... 🤎
Today I'd like to talk about the Chanel Ballet Flats and items inspired by these.
A friend of mine asked me about them a couple of weeks ago. Or not directly. Instead she sent 3 alternatives and asked for my opinion about them. I thought if she has this concern, there must be more beauties out there who does as well!
So first of all, a little bit about them...
The iconic Chanel beige & black ballet flats, first introduced by Coco Chanel in 1957, seamlessly blend elegance with practicality, revolutionizing women's footwear. Crafted to mimic men's loafers while offering a feminine touch, their two-tone design was intended to visually elongate the leg and shorten the foot. Over the years, these flats have evolved subtly, incorporating luxurious materials and slight design variations, yet always remaining true to their classic, timeless appeal. Today, they stand as a testament to Chanel's enduring legacy in fashion, embodying sophistication and comfort in every step.
And to my friend's concern:
She was wondering about the 3 pairs inspired by them, all from Marzio, pictures bellow.
She wanted to know if I'd recommend any of them and if not why. I sent her 7 min long voice message with my opinion around them and I wanted to share my opinion with you as well.
So first of all, I really appreciate Marzio as a brand. They have a lot of timeless footwear. It is definitely worth it to visit their physical boutique in Stockholm. A pair I bought a couple of times with my customers is their classic ballet flats in different colors. They are very affordable, chic and timeless and you will be able to style them into many different looks.
A STYLING TIP: in order to create a nice contrast in forms, pair your wide leg jeans with ballet flats. The ballet flats will balance out the weight of the jeans as well as make the look more elegant. Example in the picture below. (Wanna learn all about the styling principles for creating captivating looks? Check out my newest workbook STYLE YOURSELF!)
Outfit example; ballet flats + wide leg jeans
But to the point!
Do I recommend any of these?
The answer is NO.
And below you will find 3 reasons why not.
Reason no 1: Too obviously inspired by Chanel iconic model.
I would generally avoid buying pieces overly inspired by a specific signature piece. This is when it comes to color, shape, texture, style. I just find these pieces trying too hard being the original piece and not representing anything unique with themselves.
It's the same with the shoes overly inspired with the timeless Hermes Oran Sandals. To me, this is a no.
Reason no 2: Contrasting Colors
Another aspect to consider is the contrasting colors. It will always be harder to pair these kind of shoes rather than a single color shoe. With the OG it is a little different.
First of all it is a statement designer piece and this allows for a little more flexibility in color pairing in comparison to items inspired by it. It has to do with the item itself. It stands for itself.
Second of all, the beige shade of Chanel is super unique, not too cold, not too warm, a perfect neutral. None of the above pairs features this shade making them less versatile.
Reason no 3: Style & Form
The style & form of the OG Chanel ballet flats is classic, and just perfect. Everything in their form is extremely well balanced, well thought through and timeless. This is not the case with the shoes inspired by this pair. It will never be, and, for that price, it shouldn't be.
When you buy a single color pair, you won't have any reference shoe to compare these two. When you buy shoes clearly inspired by a specific pair, suddenly their form come to everyone's attention emphasising the lack of it's uniqueness and class. The heel, the texture of the shoe, even the shape of the sole under.
Summarizing
If you like this style, I REALLY recommend you to simply treat yourself and buy the OG piece instead! It's a great investment that will serve you for years. Of course, before buying them MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALIGNED WITH YOUR STYLE and that it is not just an item you like.
Though even if you just feel for them, if you take a good care of them, you will be able to sell them at the similar rate as you bought them for as Chanel (and Hermes for that matter!) regularly raise their prices meaning their value increase over time even though they're 2nd hand.
If this feels like an insane investment and nothing you are interested in doing, then I recommend you either buy the single color pair I mentioned above or Mery Jane style, such as these from Flattered.
I am curious! Do you plan to buy ballet flats this season? 🩰 If yes, which pair did you think of buying?