The Brown Ballet Flats We Keep Coming Back To

I spent about four years convinced brown ballet flats were a “sensible shoe,” the kind of thing your aunt wears to a garden centre, and I want to apologise to the entire category for that, because I was completely wrong and it took a pair borrowed off my flatmate Priya, worn to a wedding when my actual shoes gave up on the dance floor, to prove it. Brown, done properly, isn’t beige’s dull cousin. It’s the colour that makes a flat look like it belongs to someone with a proper leather bag and opinions about coffee, not someone who gave up on dressing.

What makes a good one isn’t complicated but it’s specific: the leather has to have some give in it, a slight sheen rather than a matte cardboard finish, and the sole needs enough structure that you’re not basically wearing a sock with delusions. A flat that folds in half like a taco isn’t going to survive a full day, and you’ll know within about forty minutes on cobbles.

Styling wise, this is the shoe that makes trousers look finished without trying.

Tailored trousers, a slightly cropped hem, brown flats, done, you look like you have a job with a title. They do something brilliant to a slip skirt too, taking it out of “styled for a photo” territory and into “I actually left the house like this.” With denim they read a bit French, a bit like you own exactly one good coat and wear it constantly, which is a compliment.

Occasion wise, they’re doing the quiet work at the moments other shoes get too much credit for, the gallery opening, the long lunch that turns into three hours, the wedding where you know you’ll be standing on grass at some point.

My colleague Deb wore hers to a christening and spent the entire reception saying she’d forgotten she had shoes on, which is, genuinely, the highest compliment a flat can receive.

Buy them a size that fits your actual, real foot, not your aspirational foot, break them in around the house for an evening first, and stop treating brown as the boring option. It’s the one doing the most.

Top Picks

CASEY’S PICK FRANCO SARTOFranco Sarto Franco Rosalee Ballet Flat Shoes (Caramel Brown Leather) 8.0 M Slip On Fit, Almond Toe, Slip

$130.00 FRANCO SARTO

RILEY’S PICK LARROUDEVerona Ballet Flat In Brown Suede - 6.5 / Brown

$245.00 LARROUDE

CARL’S PICK FAMOUS FOOTWEARFranco Sarto Women's Rosalee Ballet Flat Shoes (Caramel Brown Leather) - Size 10.0

$129.99 FAMOUS FOOTWEAR

MORGAN’S PICK FAMOUS FOOTWEARBzees For Lifestride Women's Fairleigh Ballet Flat Shoes (Brown Leopard Knit Fabric) - Size 10.0

$84.49 $59.99 FAMOUS FOOTWEAR

DIANE’S PICK W CONCEPT (US)ZEFFY V-Cut Mary Jane Flat Ballet

$66.00 W CONCEPT (US)

COTTON ON (US)Cotton On Kids - Kids Ballet Flat - Tan/woven $29.99 COTTON ON (US)

FRANCO SARTOFranco Sarto Franco Rosalee Ballet Flat Shoes (Dark Brown Snake Print Leather) 7.5 M Slip On Fit, Almond Toe, Slip $130.00 FRANCO SARTO

FRANCO SARTOFranco Sarto Franco Rosalee Ballet Flat Shoes (Caramel Brown Leather) 7.5 M Slip On Fit, Almond Toe, Slip $130.00 FRANCO SARTO

LARROUDEVerona Ballet Flat In Brown Suede - 6.5 / Brown $245.00 LARROUDE

SHOEMALL.COMUGG Zora Ballet Flat Women's Brown Slip On 12 $129.95 SHOEMALL.COM

SAM EDELMANRuthie Woven Ballet Flat Terazzo Brown Leather $150.00 SAM EDELMAN

LARROUDEBlair Ballet Flat In Brown Suede - 5 / Brown $95.00 LARROUDE

SAM EDELMANMarcie Ballet Flat Terazzo Brown Weave $140.00 SAM EDELMAN

FAMOUS FOOTWEARFranco Sarto Women's Rosalee Ballet Flat Shoes (Caramel Brown Leather) - Size 10.0 $129.99 FAMOUS FOOTWEAR

SAM EDELMANKasey Square Toe Ballet Flat Cafe Noir Brown Leather $150.00 SAM EDELMAN

LARROUDEVerona Ballet Flat In Peanut Suede - 8 / Peanut $245.00 LARROUDE

W CONCEPT (US)Gem Flat Ballet [Brown] $277.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US)Giselle Ballet Flat [Brown] $275.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US)ZEFFY V-Cut Mary Jane Flat Ballet $66.00 W CONCEPT (US)

−54%

LUCKY BRANDLucky Brand Emmie Lou Ballet Flat$89.65 $41.24 LUCKY BRAND

−17%

DR. SCHOLL'S SHOESDr. Scholl's Women's Violet Ballet Flat Shoes Camelot Brown Fabric DRSCH Light Brown Camelot Brown Leather 11.0$60.23 $49.99 DR. SCHOLL'S SHOES

−29%

FAMOUS FOOTWEARBzees For Lifestride Women's Fairleigh Ballet Flat Shoes (Brown Leopard Knit Fabric) - Size 10.0$84.49 $59.99 FAMOUS FOOTWEAR

−57%

ANN TAYLORAnn Taylor Corduroy Ballet Flat$146.49 $62.99 ANN TAYLOR

−50%

NATURALIZER27 EDIT Carla Ballet Flat Shoes, Brown Cow Print Calf Hair Leather, 9.5M Slip-On Fit, Rubber Outsole$145.00 $72.50 NATURALIZER

−50%

NATURALIZER27 EDIT Carla Ballet Flat Shoes, Cocoa Brown Satin, 8.5W Slip-On Fit, Rubber Outsole$147.98 $73.99 NATURALIZER

−27%

NATURALIZERSoul Idea Ballet Flat Shoes, Brown Synthetic Fabric, 5.0M Slip-On Fit, Almond Toe$109.58 $79.99 NATURALIZER

−19%

SHIEKHWomen UGG Australia Isbella Port Ballet Flat Brown Flats 5 Brown$99.99 $80.99 SHIEKH

−41%

ANINE BINGVionic Women's Orinda Square Toe Ballet Flat with Arch Support in Brown Multi Haircalf, Size$144.05 $84.99 ANINE BING

−40%

ANN TAYLORAnn Taylor Weekend Pointy Toe Suede Ballet Flat$158.00 $94.80 ANN TAYLOR

−24%

FAMOUS FOOTWEARVionic Women's Orinda Ballet Flat Shoes (Brown Multi Calf Hair) - Size 10.0 N$144.72 $109.99 FAMOUS FOOTWEAR