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To answer my own question: No, the ballet-hybrid shoe trend hasn’t gone too far. Not everyone may agree, but I was impatiently awaiting what ballet style would be morphed together next...until I saw Repetto x Birkenstock. I have been a ballet flat loyalist for years—they were my shoe of choice during my high school and college days. Though I briefly swapped them out for chunky platforms post-grad, my heel height has been slowly shrinking over the years as ballet flats have reemerged on the scene.
What started as a love for ballet flats then morphed into ballet pumps and then into my favorite iteration, which is known as the ballet sneaker. As a 6-foot-tall woman who is always walking around NYC and has a passion for kitschy shoes, the ballet-sneaker hybrid means everything to me for so many reasons, and I’m always looking for more funky styles to wear. So when I came across beloved comfy sandal brand Birkenstock collaborating with iconic ballet slipper brand Repetto, my heart fluttered, and I got the shoes immediately.
Introducing the ballet clog, which I’m dubbing the Birkerina. They combine the dainty, simple details of a ballet flat with the practicality and comfort of a clog, which is a dream come true for me. The style (and $555 price tag) may not be for everyone, but they meld perfectly into my eclectic wardrobe. I threw together my best ballet-inspired outfits to try them out.
Both pairs I tried—the Opéra clogs and Scala mules—are super comfy, with a cork and latex footbed that has the built-in arch support that Birkenstock is known for. And unlike most traditional ballet flats, these shoes have plenty of room in the toe box, so your foot isn’t completely crammed together. In addition to cute clogs, the collab includes the traditional Birkenstock Arizona slides in fresh colors that are perfect for the ballet, including patent red, black, and baby pink.
From a comfort and style perspective, I’d gladly incorporate any of these styles into my regular shoe rotation, along with all of my other ballet shoe mashups. And I’ll keep dreaming of what ballet shoe styles could pop up next. Maybe ballet sandals? Ballet running shoes? Fingers crossed there’s a ballet snow boot in time for the winter.
