All throughout my elementary school days, I wore a uniform, and part of that uniform stated that I could only wear shoes in one of three colors: black, brown, and navy. As the fashion contrarian I am (and always have been), I chose the latter, a choice that put me at odds with basically everyone at my school. It didn't matter, though. I loved my navy-blue ballet flats and wore them even when I wasn't in class. When elementary school ended, however, my navy flats didn't join me. In fact, I never really thought to wear the color in footwear form again, and black, brown, and burgundy shoes all took precedence. That was until recently when a few styles began popping up in the elegant shade, helping me remember why I favored it way back when.
On Kaia Gerber: Repetto Cendrillon Ballerina Flats ($300)
Alaïa and Miu Miu are both members of the navy-blue shoe club—as are classic shoemakers like Manolo Blahnik and Gianvito Rossi. My favorite pair? The Cendrillon Flats from Repetto, every French woman's go-to brand for comfortable yet elegant shoes. I'm not the only person who holds them near and dear. Kaia Gerber, who frequents the Cendrillon Flats in a variety of colors, also has a navy-blue pair, which she wore this week while preparing for a New Play Reading Series she's participating in at Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
The model and actress styled her flats effortlessly with a matching athletic skort, a red T-shirt, and a black sweatshirt on top. The outfit could've easily been worn with sneakers, but her choice of footwear added a sense of formality to it that sneakers wouldn't have. Even so, the same shoes could easily be dressed up further by switching out the skort for a pair of white jeans or black trousers and changing from a sweatshirt into a sweater or white blouse.
Shop the shoe color trend that's chicer than black, burgundy, and brown below. Trust someone who's been wearing navy-blue shoes since the fourth grade—they're really that good.
Shop navy-blue shoes:
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Not Slippers, Not Boots—These New Uggs Are Already Replacing Every L.A. It Girl's Favorite SneakersThey're $150 and they're yours.
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Everyone With Good Taste Will Be Wearing These Shoes Come Spring 2026Your guide to the fashion month footwear you should have on your radar.
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The Chicest People I Know Have a Thing for This Elegant Color PairingTime to try it this fall.
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The Shoe Color Trend That Makes Wearing Jeans With Blazers Look 2025 Instead of DatedAs seen on Jennifer Lopez.
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Kendall Jenner Just Wore the Most Elegant Legging Color Trend of the SeasonJust in time for winter.
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J.Law Channeled Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in the Winter Hero Item That Makes Basic Trousers Look ElegantFrench women in Paris are also wearing it.
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I Hate to Say It, But It's Time to Set Aside These 5 "Dated" Sneaker TrendsThe new guard of It sneakers.
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Jeans, Who? It Girls Everywhere Are Wearing Boots With This Anti-Denim Trend Right NowIt will also be a fashion person's go-to uniform this winter, too.
