Best Minimalist Ballet Flats
We have combed the Internet to bring you the best minimalist ballet flats that money can buy.
Here are the best minimalist ballet flats
- Vibram VI-B ballet flats
- Vivobarefoot Jing Jing flats
- Fit In Clouds flats
- Merrell wonder glove flat
Contents
Vibram VI-b ballet flats
This Vibram flats is a great choice for yoga or just casual wear.
If you are not unaware, Vibram has been a leader in the field of minimalist or barefoot footwear. While their shoes usually hit the mark in terms of performance, their design leaves a lot to be desired. Most of their shoes look like toe socks!
It is great that Vibram came out with this design that looks nice enough to be worn without attracting any strange looks. In fact, the style is pretty unique in a good way.
Overall, these shoes are pretty popular and most ladies order more than 1 color for different purposes.
What I like:
- Comfort: The VI-B model is lightwear and soft fabric for ease of daily wear
- Arch support: The shoes provide good arch support, and like all Vibram shoes, enable your feet to gradually build up muscles for stronger feet
- Can be cleaned easily: The shoe is machine washable. However, DO NOT USE the dryer or the sole might melt from the heat.
- Great colors: Beside the one above, they have another 4 options that are all pastel based.
What can be improved:
- Narrow: These design can be too narrow especially if you have wide feet. In such cases, you need to order 1/2 or one size up.
The shoes are true sizing unless you have wide feet.
Vivobarefoot Jing Jing Vegan Minimalist Dress Shoe
The Vivobarefoot jing jing ballet flat is a vegan minimalist dress shoe. Vegan shoes are shoes made using non animal products so those who care about sustainability.
Basically, what Vivebarefoot has done is to take the classic ballerina flats and apply the zero drop design on it. As such, it can be used in any occasion that traditional flats can be used. Whether is it for office, clubbing or just casual wear, the Jing Jing shoe is pretty suitable.
What I like:
- Comfortable and light weight
- Easy to match: You can wear these flats with either jeans or dresses. The clean lines and monotone colors make it easy to coordinate with almost of anyone’s wardrobe.
- Environmentally friendly
What can be improved:
- More colors: While the silver color is great, more colors will definitely be welcomed.
Fit in Clouds Ballet Flats
These Fit In Clouds ballet flats are a nice alternative to the likes of Vivobarefoot.
While Fit In Cloud might be as well known as the other brands, this comes at a advantage: you also don’t pay what these brands are commanding. On average, a pair of Fit In Cloud flats cost about 30-40% cheaper than other brands.
Some reviewers complaint about the lack of sole cushioning without understanding this is a zero drop flat. It is suppose to have minimal cushioning so that your leg and feet muscles get stronger over time by reducing the reliance on the shoe itself.
While affordable, the quality doesn’t suffer. The shoe is still well made with plenty of good things to like about it.
What I like:
- Light weight and super comfortable
- Feminine design with the shape and the emboss.
- Easy to match: Be it for office or a night out, these flats can match your attire easily. Dress pants, jeans dresses all can be matched easily.
- Wide design: These flats have roomy toe box and wider breadth, making it a godsend for ladies with wide feet.
What can be improved:
- Nothing much but more color selection will be nice. Currently, there are about 5 colors and most of them are darker monotone colors. Something brighter or in pastel will be great!
Most ladies should be able to order their usual shoe size. If you have wider feet or bigger toes, you might need to buy one size bigger.
Merrell Women’s Wonder Glove Flat
Merrell is another well known brand in the zero drop or barefoot shoe industry. Traditionally, it is famous for its hiking zero drop boots. Now, it has expanded its line which includes this ballet flat for ladies.
Shown here is the Merrell wonder grove ballet flat. It has 6 nice color combinations that caters to different needs, from casual to office to night out.
While the shoe can be a bit more pricey, you can see it uses better and softer leather.
What I like:
- Lightweight and comfortable to walk in
- Wide design
- Cute and trendy design
- Easy to match: Depending on the color you choose, it can be used for different occasions. You can match these with business outfit, casual wear and clubbing attire
What can be improved:
- Do not get them wet: Once these shoes get wet, they can smell badly. This is due to the microbial properties wearing off. If you want to protect these shoes, rubbing some coconut oil on the leather and the shoe’s inside helps. If you did get them wet, quickly hand wash them and hang out in the sun to dry
The shoe has true sizing so no adjustments is needed when ordering. If you want to wear socks with these, order half a size bigger.
Conclusion
While it is easy to shop for ballerina flats, finding those with zero drop is a bit challenging. This is because most stores do not label them and such. You really need to know the brands and the models to make the right purchase. Hopefully, this guide has made your job easier.
If you are trying minimalist ballet flats for the first time, understand that they will have minimal sole support or cushioning. That is intentional. The purpose is for your feet to stay close to the ground, and learn how to move them in a way that will not hurt your foot. In the beginning, this will be challenging, but over time, your walking form will be corrected and you will have stronger feet with the right walking posture.
