As autumn rolls around, the great wardrobe reshuffle tends to follow an all-too-familiar pattern: longer hemlines, black coats, grey knits, darker denim and, if we’re feeling particularly adventurous, perhaps a touch of chocolate brown. This is precisely why adding colourful ballet flats to your new-season rotation feels like a good idea – a bright pair of pumps is an easy way to inject some much-needed colour into the muted autumn staples we’re beginning to reach for.
Shop colour-pop ballet flats
While the classic ballerina might traditionally be associated with the softer end of the spectrum – think black, blush and taupe – the new-in sections of our favourite retailers are making a strong case for going bolder and brighter with your ballet flats this season. Indeed, the understated almond-toed silhouette is particularly good at carrying a vivid hue without looking overly saccharine. Try cobalt with blue denim, red with grey tailoring or metallics with your favourite black trousers.
So, if your autumn wardrobe is currently looking more neutral than you’d like, consider this your sign to add some colour from the ground up and browse ’s pick of the best colourful ballet flats.
Two-tone ballerinas
For those who aren’t ready to embrace full colour-blocking, the two-tone ballerina offers a happy medium. The classic black-and-cream combination, made popular by Chanel, has become one of the house’s most recognisable signatures. And now, Matthieu Blazy’s vision for the maison has re-popularised the shoe, serving up contrasting trims, tweed fabrications and unexpected colour pairings like mint green and bright red – all of which prompted queues outside the Paris boutique when they finally arrived in stores last season.
Alie Cap Toe Ballet Flat
Metallic ballerinas
Metallic shoes have long been one of the street-style set’s favourite ways to make an everyday outfit feel slightly more interesting. Silver, in particular, works surprisingly well with autumn’s darker palette: think charcoal tailoring, washed-out denim and black knitwear. Gold, meanwhile, brings a warmer note to the season’s ubiquitous browns and burgundies. Either way, consider the metallic ballet flat a new neutral of sorts.
Veralli Metallic Leather Ballet Flats
20 Serafina Leather Ballet Flats
Cobalt-blue ballerinas
Cobalt has made a bold comeback on the catwalks over the past few seasons, migrating from the worlds of statement accessories and leather coats to shoes. Ballerinas of varying electric shades – including Yves Klein blue, a particularly intense, highly-pigmented shade developed by its namesake French artist in the ’50s – have arrived in suede, patent leather and mesh.
Blue suede ballet flats
Bright red ballerinas
Granted: red is a pretty timeless tone for a shoe. But in the neutral-leaning territory of ballerinas, the introduction of bold scarlets and vermillions feels like a pretty big deal. A surefire way to put a directional spin on everyday outfits, a red ballerina is a ready-made way to cut through minimalist monotony, while still keeping it relatively pared-back.
Red leather ballet flats
Chocolate-brown ballerinas
Chocolate-brown ballerinas are perfect for anyone who’s not quite ready to taste the rainbow, but still want to put a fashion-savvy foot forward. A true street-style fave, they work well with an unexpected tonal contrast – as seen here, for example, with a pair of acid-washed blue jeans.
White ballerinas
A crisp white ballerina has the same wardrobe-refreshing effect as a freshly dry-cleaned Oxford shirt. Come autumn, try yours with dark indigo denim, a black wool skirt or charcoal knit – a particularly good way to make lighter footwear feel less summery.
Leather Studded Tie Ballet Pumps
