Spotted in Tribeca and Beverly Hills: The Very 2025 Ways Gen Z It Girls Are Wearing Ballet Flats
Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
If you’ve scrolled through a single celebrity street style roundup lately, you’ve probably noticed it too: Ballet flats are back—and not the minimalist, quiet kind your mom wore to work in 2006. I’m talking glossy, patent Repetto pairs that have been making the rounds from Tribeca coffee runs to Beverly Hills shopping trips, worn by every Gen Z It girl worth her paparazzi flash. There’s something delightfully full-circle about it. The ballet flat was once the crown jewel of mid-2000s style. Who else remembers the iconic Tory Burch Reva era? The metallic medallions clicking down every high school and college dormitory hallway? Now, two decades later, the next generation has discovered the shoe again, but they’re styling it with the kind of irreverence only Gen Z can pull off.
Repetto, the quintessential French ballet brand beloved by style icons like Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn, has quietly reemerged as the label du jour. Its glossy patent flats have been spotted on the likes of Kaia Gerber, Olivia Rodrigo, and other off-duty icons who pair them with everything from baggy jeans to micro miniskirts. It’s not about nostalgia so much as reinvention—the same shoe but worn with new confidence, new context, and the kind of knowing wink that says, yes, we know this look ruled your old Facebook albums, and we’re making it much cooler this time around.
Below, see the ways Gen Z is approaching how to style their age-old ballet flats for the modern TikTok ‘fit check.
With Baggy Jeans
(Image credit: Getty Images; Backgrid)
One of Gen Z’s favorite ways to wear their classic ballet flats is by pairing them with something just as timeless: a great pair of jeans. The mix feels effortlessly balanced—the soft, romantic vibe of ballet flats meets the easy, lived-in denim. When it comes to denim, Levi’s has always been the go-to among young Hollywood. The American icon has remained a staple for decades, with It girls constantly reaching for its relaxed, baggy fits whether they’re running errands, catching a flight, or heading to prep for Paris Fashion Week. It’s a look that proves the best style moments are often the simplest. They’re classics reimagined.
Levi’s
Low Loose Women’s Jeans
Repetto
Cendrillon Ballet Flats
Levi’s
Baggy Dad Barrel Women’s Jeans
With Skirts
(Image credit: Getty Images; Backgrid)
Another go-to pairing for Gen Z’s ballet flats? Skirts of every length, material, and color. From minimalist office-siren pencil skirts to polka-dotted asymmetrical hems, the pairing of skirts and ballet flats feels equal parts nostalgic and new. While the combo can come off as too traditionally “feminine,” Gen Z stars are opting for fun patterns and reimagined silhouettes to make their outfits feel less balletcore and more cool girl. Olivia Rodrigo, Kaia Gerber, and other style fixtures have all been spotted pairing their skirts with Repetto ballet flats. It’s proof that ballet flats aren’t just having a comeback—they’ve found their next act, led by a generation that knows exactly how to make a classic feel brand new.
H&M
Double-Waistband Pencil Skirt
Sandy Liang
Lucy Skirt in Navy
Shop More Ballet Flats
Miu Miu
Satin Bow Ballerina Flats
Le Monde Béryl
Claudia Suede Ballet Flats
The Row
Leather Square Ballet Flats
Gap
Vegan Suede Ballet Flats
Mansur Gavriel
Square Toe Ballerina
Tory Burch
Eddie Ballet in Blue
J.Crew
Quinn Ballet Flats in Calf Hair
