Margot Robbie, Laura Harrier and French Women Are All Wearing These Anti-Sandal Flat Shoes

I've noticed a decidedly chic common thread running through the wardrobes of Margot Robbie, Laura Harrier, and the chicest French women I follow. Dressing for the new-found sun, these stylish women have ascended the fashion ranks by elevating their footwear collection with a lesser-known shoe trend that I predict will start catching on very soon.
Instead of the trending sandal styles I'm seeing all around me, I'm following suit and turning my attention to the under-the-radar ballet mules trend this summer.
Pioneering the mule shoe style in the early '90s, Manolo Blahnik's Maysale shoes set the stage for the trend. With a small heel, pointed-toe design and easy slip-on silhouette, the iconic shoe quickly ascended to cult-buy status, paving the way for mules to become what we know them as today.
Now, many seasons on, the humble mule has been treated to a flat-footed makeover and a ballet-inspired re-design. After the roaring success of the ballet flat trend last summer, the hybrid ballet mule takes the best of both styles to create a fresh silhouette that makes chic heatwave dressing a breeze.
Offering all the comfort of your favourite slides but with an infinitely more polished edge, it's no surprise that the fashion set has decreed ballet mules their new favourite shoe. Styling well with jeans—as Harrier, Robbie and influencer Sylvie Mus have all proved—the shoes also look impossibly chic with a full-length skirt or pretty summer dress.
With a backless finish, the shoe's silhouette is, in theory, more casual than its fuller-coverage counterpart, but I've found that with the right outfit, the shoes can act as the perfect alternative to heels.
Designers have already been hard at work crafting elegant iterations. From Zara's pretty rogue style to Manolo Blahnik's iconic black pair, read on to discover our edit of the best ballet mules to shop this summer.
SHOP OUR EDIT OF THE BEST BALLET MULES:
Two-tone flats are one of the most elegant purchases you can make this season.
There's nothing I'd rather slip into than these sumptuous velvet mules.
These playful flats are always a street style mainstay during fashion month.
The most divisive shoes in fashion are now available in a mule style.
This rich chocolate brown shade styles so well with peaches and pinks.
Natalie Munro is Who What Wear UK’s news writer and has worked in the fashion industry since she graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of the Arts London. Natalie’s experience in the industry spans journalistic and styling roles that have seen her work for publications including British Vogue, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue Ukraine, AnOther Magazine and Elle UK.
With an interest in uncovering the latest fashion trends, Natalie takes a leading role in identifying news for Who What Wear UK. Reporting on a daily basis, Natalie focuses on trends on and off the runway, as well as street style and celebrity fashion. Natalie also creates content for Who What Wear’s social channels including TikTok and Instagram on a weekly basis.
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