Gen Z Is Over Ballet Flats—in 2026, *This* Is the Shoe Trend Cool Girls in Their 20s Are Wearing
A little elevated but still fun.
Iris Law wears outfits in ways I would never think to wear them. She is a true maximalist who doesn't follow any rules. She mixes patterns and prints. She creates color combinations that are truly out of the box. Her style feels definitively Gen Z in that it's heavy on the personality, but she also doesn't surrender to any trends. Case in point: her recent look featuring sharp slingbacks.
Iris Law's Outfit
On Iris Law: Louis Vuitton
Almost everyone, Gen Z and millennial alike, is wearing ballet flats on repeat. But recently, it seems the younger fashion set seems to be gravitating toward sharp slingbacks. It's not that they've given up on the comfortable coquette flat but more so that they've added something sleeker and more elevated into the rotation.
More Cute Slingback Outfits
Lila Moss wearing Burberry slingbacks
Gracie Abrams wearing Chanel slingbacks
Heels in general are a major 2026 trend, but not the kind that'll blister your feet or be impossible to walk in. Gen Z still prioritizes looks that you can actually live in, which would explain the recent proclivity to slingbacks. They're a great heeled option because they add height without sacrificing comfort and, as Law demonstrates, look just as cute as any ballerina alternative.
Shop the shoe trend below
