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Ballet flats orballet pumps are a style ofshoe. The appearance is inspired by women'sballet shoes, with a very thin heel or the appearance of no heel at all. The style sometimes features a ribbon-like binding around the low tops of the slipper and may have a slight gathering at the top-front of thevamp (toe box) or a small, decorative string tie.
Ballet flats are fashionably versatile as they are often worn with both formal and casual attire.[1][2]
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Shoes with a similar shape to the ballet flat has existed since at least the sixteenth century, when men wore a similar shoe, then known aspompes.
In medieval times, ballet flats were popular with both men and women. They went out of fashion in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when thehigh-heeled shoe came into fashion afterCatherine de' Medici requested that hercobbler add 5 cm (2 inches) to her wedding shoes. Heels lost popularity quickly afterMarie Antoinette walked to theguillotine in a pair of heels. Functional shoes, such assandals,boots, and flat shoes, prevailed in the nineteenth century.
In the 20th century, American fashion designerClaire McCardell commissionedSalvatore Capezio to make ballet flats with rubber soles in fabrics matching her designs, creating the modern ballet flat.[3] They were displayed at an exhibition of twenty years of McCardell's garments at theFrank Perls Gallery in Beverly Hills in April 1953.[4][5]
In 1947,Rose Repetto hand stitched her first ballet flat for her son, famous dancer and choreographer,Roland Petit. Once actressBrigitte Bardot donned a pair of Repetto's flats, variations of ballet flats became popular and returned as a fashion trend.[6] Repetto flats continue to be made and are designed for outdoor wear, using a variety of fabrics and usually with a rubber sole. In 1957,Audrey Hepburn wore ballet flats with cigarette pants inFunny Face, which also raised a wave of popularity.
Some dance schools[where?] allow ballet flats as part of their uniform requirements[clarification needed] and some school bands[where?] require black ballet flats as part of the dress requirements for performances.[7][8][9][10][11]
Around 2005-2010 ballet pumps became highly fashionable, popularised by the wear of top models includingSienna Miller,Kate Moss andMischa Barton.[12] Thetrend had a temporary revival in 2022,[13] included in the "ballet and trench" style.[14]
A condition known as "turf toe", where the joint of the big toe becomes inflamed due to strain,[15] is associated with wearing ballet flats to walk on hard surfaces due to the lack of support and shock absorption in the shoe combined with the way a foot's natural shape is contorted to fit within the toe box.[12] Fashion writers advised wearing them sparingly.[16]
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