Busy Fashion People Know This Flat-Shoe Trend Makes Outfits Look Chicer When You're Already Late

When you don't have time to even think about what shoes to throw on before you leave the house, sometimes the best option is the most unexpected one. As someone who prefers to plan my outfits around the shoes I'd like to wear that day, sometimes I simply can't think that far ahead, and I've found that reaching for the trend that Elsa Hosk just wore makes my outfit better every single time. The trend is colorful ballet flats, which have seen their popularity rise rapidly, and can now be considered one of the biggest flat-shoe trends of 2026.

The wrong-shoe theory, statement shoes, clashing shoes—whatever you want to call it—wearing shoes that aren't a safe neutral with your outfits has become a common practice among the fashion crowd. When it comes to Hosk's denim-shirt-and-balloon-track-pants outfit, which she recently posted to her Instagram feed, a pair of tan or white ballet flats may have felt more cohesive, but her decision to wear aqua blue ballet flats (Chanel, of course) was far more inspired.

When choosing your pair of colorful flats, the brighter the better. Favorite brands for ballet flats, such as Reformation, Margaux, Repetto, and Alex Mill, are offering up options in yellow, red, purple, lime, and shades of blue, to name just a few. Scroll on to shop my favorite pairs.

The Flat-Shoe Trick, As Seen on Elsa Hosk

On Elsa Hosk: Helsa shirt; Lioness Aniston Full-Length Pants ($100); Chanel bag and shoes

Shop Colorful Ballet Flats