Spotted in Paris and Copenhagen: The Next Viral Sneaker Trend to Take Over

best ballet sneakers shown in a collage of photos of women wearing ballerina sneakers
(Image credit:  @alyssainthecity; @aude_julie; @shhtephs)
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman's avatar
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No matter what city you call home, you can always count on a few current shoe trends to hit mass circulation in the streets of Paris, New York, Copenhagen, and even the digital town square. What's the most recent style to attain that viral status? Ballet sneakers. Yes, you read that right. If you're wondering what led to the creation of a hybrid between the two silhouettes into the "sneakerina," you'd have to look at the bigger picture. Over the past few seasons, the collective craze over the balletcore movement and subsequently ballet flats laid the groundwork for many brands to leap into new territory.

There's no shortage of brands that have dipped their toes into this sneaker trend. Several come to mind: Salomon and Sandy Liang's collaboration drop, Adidas' partnership with Bad Bunny to create a unisex style, and Simone Rocha's ubiquitous embellished chunky sneakers. That said, the sheer number of variations available for this style isn't the only reason it's taken center stage in the fashion world. The style set quickly cemented the hybrid shape to cult status through their shopping habits. Rachel Makar, senior director of merchandising at StockX, explains, "Between February and March, we saw sales of sneakers with 'ballerina' or 'ballet' in the title increase by more than 1000%."

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a close photo of a woman's feet on top of the ledge of a window wearing long white socks and Mary Jane ballet sneakers with snakeskin print

(Image credit: @fridabecker)

With so many people buying into this trend, we'd be lying if we didn't admit that it can be a little hard to figure out which exact pair might be worth adding to your own wardrobe. That's where we come in handy. Ahead, we've curated examples of the shoe trend in the wild to show you how to stick the landing when it comes to styling this hybrid silhouette. You'll also find a curation of the 24 best ballet sneakers you can buy at every price point, based on quality, reviews, brand recognition, versatility, and trendiness. Whether you're an avid sneakerhead or want to channel your inner ballerina, there's something for you.

A Quick Skim of the Best Ballet Sneakers

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing in the street in Copenhagen wearing a denim cropped jacket over a white maxi dress styled with white lace-up ballerina sneakers

(Image credit: @amalienielsenn)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing in a home decor store wearing a navy baseball cap with a white asymmetrical t-shirt and gray baggy cargo pants, white socks, and black lace-up ballerina sneakers

(Image credit: @by.regiina)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing in a doorway wearing a tan suede jacket over a white t-shirt with white sweatpants and white ballet sneakers and a white bowler bag

(Image credit: @johannalager)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing by a window inside the home wearing a leather jacket over a white tank top with basketball shorts styled with tall white socks, and mary jane sneakers

(Image credit: @discodaydream)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing outside near a bench in Paris wearing a black leather bomber jacket with a navy plaid pleated mini skirt and black lace-up ballerina sneakers

(Image credit: @alyssainthecity)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman sitting on a bench in the park wearing a black leather moto jacket with a white mini dress, white leg warmers, and olive green ballerina sneakers

(Image credit: @alllisonho)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing outside wearing a denim jacket with a green midi skirt and white mary jane sneakers

(Image credit: @aude_julie)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman sitting on a bench outside a coffee shop with her dog wearing a gray trench coat with black trousers, a stripped yellow and black sweater, and brown multi-color lace-up ballerina sneakers

(Image credit: @poppyalmond )

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing outside, leaning against a brick wall, wearing a black tank top with a green printed maxi slip skirt, white socks, and black mary jane sneakers

(Image credit: @rubylyn_)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman sitting outside on the steps with her dog wearing a green button-down shirt with a satin mini skirt, sheer white knee-high stockings, and black mary jane ballet sneakers

(Image credit: @vivianyrl)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing outside wearing a short-sleeve plaid button-down shirt over a white long sleeve t-shirt styled with baggy jeans, pink satin ballerina sneakers, and a large bowler bag

(Image credit: @torivanbreugel)

The best ballet sneakers are shown in a photo of a woman standing outside leaning against a wall wearing a white t-shirt with a black belt, wide-leg jeans, and cow print mary jane sneakers

(Image credit: @shhtephs)
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Freelance Fashion Editor

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City. What began as a pastime (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a lifelong passion for unveiling the connection between fashion and culture on the internet and in real life. Over the last decade, she's melded her extensive edit and social background to various on-staff positions at Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and Byrdie. More recently, she’s become a freelance contributor to other publications including Vogue, Editorialist, and The Cut. Off the clock, you can find her clutching her cell phone as she's constantly scrolling through TikTok and The RealReal, in search of the next cool thing. 

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