“Your “timeless/classic” wardrobe pieces are only as future-proof as your future tastes.”
This hit me! I have been thinking about the high vamp on shoes and the way I am drawn to it and wondering why low vamp look so utterly “old” to me. Thank you for the comparison here and the thought-provoking sentiment. I feel like skinny/slim jeans could fit here. A friend recently came to me and said “am I the only one wearing skinny jeans anymore” and I encouraged her to keep doing her thing because she likes the way she looks/feels and- inevitably- skinny jeans will come back and we will all shove our barrel jeans to the back of our closets again.
I'm so glad this resonated with you, Kelly! I think this phenomenon is something we can all SO relate to. Never underestimate fashion's power to change our minds and shape our eye to what it wants us to want this very moment!
Re skinny jeans, there's a bunch of Vogue and other higher power glossy articles on their imminent return, so your friend will likely be in good company again soon enough 👖But as you know my stance on this –- we should all confidently wear what makes us feel the most 'us'.
In the early 2000s, the fashion elite urged us to show "toe cleavage" via that version of ballet flats. Now, the high vamp ballet is co-opting the current mood of Spartan, monastic dressing. In my mind, I always associate ballet flats with Amy Winehouse during her most vulnerable years.
I agree, the vamp of the ballet flat is as much of an index of fashion as the width of jeans. I was also just thinking that the current iterations look more like "nunnery socks-with-soles" than ballet flats proper. Perhaps the desire to deflect the male gaze extends to our feet as well! While I don't think "Amy Winehouse" when I put on my ballet flats, that very specific cultural moment is definitely an example of the deep connections between celeb/pop culture and fashion.
Most of my fashion wants are driven by the introduction of new silhouettes, not new items. The clothing culture flip from tight/tailored to oversized/drop shouldered/“modern Poiret” (a term I’ve been mulling) drove my acquisition of a few new jackets, some shorter + looser sweaters, and shoes that looked right, given the above. I try for future-proof, but I like looking modern (as I get older, it’s important to me that I don’t look like I’m clinging to an earlier era), so this is my compromise.
I also tend to favor a new silhouette as a compelling reason (in my case, the barrel pant, which is a shape and form that is new to me and adds something original to my wardrobe). "Modern Poiret" is such a good encapsulation of the current look! And re your point on wanting to look modern vs being stuck in an earlier era; I think that tension/friction and the fine lines of figuring out what to tweak/update and what to continue to wear is at the heart of personal style over time.
That said, fashion can be sometimes too good at convincing us we need to update/refresh something, when in fact the OS is still just fine! 😋
"Your 'timeless/classic' wardrobe pieces are only as future-proof as your future tastes.” BINGO! Remember this the next time you justify a purchase on the grounds you "will wear it forever." For this to be true, you will need to hang onto it during the times when it just doesn't look right to you, or get rid of it because you don't have the space. I'm not advocating for fast fashion in any manner, just saying even "wardrobe classics" can be transient. Unless, of course, you have a s strong sense of personal style, but that changes over time, too.
Thank you for reading and commenting! (Btw, love your newsletter title & subject!) I completely agree. The language of fashion marketing has completely co-opted the phrase "wear it forever/classics/timeless" to sell us Very Expensive Things. It's important to break through that mirage and really interrogate what that means. It takes work and personal reflection to understand and abide by ideas of 'the timeless' and maintain/evolve a personal style.
As a tall girl (read: large feet), I remember distinctly when ballet shoes hit the rack. I was so relieved that there was something I could wear that didn’t make it look like I was wearing horse hooves, nor would make me tower over every man, woman, and child (esp in a work setting or on a date!). I think I was the first person I know to jump on the trend and I’ve never really evolved. Should I update my look - eh…probably? But the lasting love and gratitude I have towards the original style (not to mention the many pairs I also retain in my closet) will probably keep me from moving on.
The funny thing about ballet flats is that they have a long history that well predates the 2000s (Audrey Hepburn wore them! as did many other stylish women), so I don't think the shoe is going anywhere. There's a lot of inherent contradictions in how fashion works and how products are marketed that seem to converge in how this shoe has morphed with the times. Settling on the core shoes that really work for your style and life is what matters at the end of the day vs adhering to some arbitrary trend agenda. And flats in general for women are liberating in so many ways!
i wore them 15-20 years ago, because i was in need of flat, office-appropriate shoes and this was what was being peddled. they never felt authentically "me" but got the job done. i have no regrets about it, but in my 20s i bought into the current trends very easily and disregarded or even resented my true preferences. had loafers been popular back then, i think i would have been happier (but do i think that way only because loafers are currently trending too, and i have bought in...? only time will tell!)
it is still an effort to avoid trends that are not authentic to me, even in my 40s. not because i feel pressured, but because the degree to which we are influenced subconsciously is astounding. to pursue exploration of fashion and yet remain steadfast in what we personally and truly LIKE is so hard!
100% feel you on all of this. I think sometimes we are introduced to something initially via a trend, but then over time it turns out to be something authentically "you" and has staying power in your wardrobe. Participating in the fashion game can be fun and revelatory. And loafers may be very of the moment, but I've had loafers in my closet for a decade at this point and they're not going anywhere. There's something so straightforward about their design that I don't consider them a "high risk trend piece". 😋
The one thing I've found as I've gotten older is I'm much more trusting and confident in my own instincts and preferences. We should all listen to that inner voice first and foremost. But yes, there are subconscious background influencing factors all the time that add noise.
I'm working on a piece about this very issue of exploring/enjoying fashion without losing personal agency ... stay tuned in this space!
You're the only other person I know who owns and loves Porselli ballet flats as much as I do--they are truly the best. Every time I'm tempted by something else, I pull a pair out and am reminded of how beautiful they are!
I completely agree – there's an elegance to the shape of the toe and the vamp (no crazy toe cleavage) that somehow make them just right. The fact that they're still handmade to order in Italy and are relatively reasonably priced compared to the many other options out there make them a craft/business I want to keep supporting.
If Donald Judd made shoes I think he would approve 😋
Hi LF! (btw I really loved your interview at Eleanor's ss recently 😊) I wonder if you could reach out to Porselli re the sizing as they are still all made to order in Milan. I know the leather is supposed to stretch a bit as you wear them to fully form to your foot.
I bought a pair of Camper's version of the revamped ballet flat two (?) years ago only to never wear them because -- what a shocker -- I'm not a ballet flat person. At the time I was convinced that these shoes would refresh my shoe game, make my outfits seem modern, and that I would most definitely wear them a lot. Did I ever stop to ask myself if I actually liked them? Nope. 🤦🏼♀️
Tiia I think we've honestly all been there. Fashion's powers of persuasion are SO potent that it can smooth talk even a critical shopper into the dominant trend. This personal "teachable moment" for me has illuminated that I should pay attention to the language of the latest trends and give them a good parsing before committing to a purchase (or the latest 'look'!).
PS to your last point, I also realized that the reason why the Mary janes seemed appealing / filling a wardrobe hole was because ... I've never had any Mary janes in my closet because I just don't like them (that extra strap would deter me from reaching for them whereas my other slip-on/zip-up shoes are just so quick to put on). Ha! Sometimes we have wardrobe holes for a reason.
Yesss Porselli representation! I've never found a better ballet flat than theirs. I think I've had 4 pairs over the last 9 years, which speaks not to the poor the quality, but only to how constantly I wear them.
Hi Casey! I love that you've loyally and literally worn out multiple pairs with so much devotional wear. Given how quickly trends churn and turn around these days, do most people even get a chance to be this loyal to a brand? 9 years in Fashion Time is like dog years to human years, right?
Right?! I was really really into ballet flats in the 2010s and tried so many brands, but when I found Porsellis I just felt like they were the perfect pair for me. They looked right with everything! So even as ballet flats became less trendy, I just kept wearing them. Porsellis have gotten a bit trickier to track down now that A.P.C. doesn't keep them stocked, so I've tried Repettos and the like to try to find a more convenient alternative, but nothing suits my feet and preferences quite like Porselli! Fortunately, they can be resoled beautifully...
Yes to resoling — a great cobbler is gold and can work magic with favorite shoes! Have you looked into the next step of ordering from the EU (Pierotucci is the OG distributor, I think ... and there are even custom options!)? Another reader asked about stockists and EnSoie (a really beautiful Zurich boutique) also has some colorways. I was lucky enough to get the gold ones on sale when J.Crew did a collab with Porselli years ago.
IDK how i found this post but i love it, thanks for writing and sharing it with us. There are great parts of Ruth Goodman's book How to be a Tudor that talk about the changing courtly fashions and the evidence on the underlayer of preserved garments, with parts carefully made and hastily adjusted and readjusted. Keeping up with style was a sign that you had the means to notice and fund your wardrobe. I guess now that's still true but it's a somewhat obscured truth with cultural ideas like self expression through clothes. I think the styles do say something about our time but it's so amazing to pause outside the machine and really consider what truth we're feeding, and why.
Ingrid, thank you so much for reading and for your thoughtful comment! I am adding Ruth Goodman's book to my list; it sounds like a fascinating read. Is there anything more brilliantly modern and capitalist than the idea of self expression through clothes? And what appear to be merely 'the shallows' of fashion reveal time and time again so many complex deeper dynamics, if we just take the time to, as you say, "pause outside the machine".
I just bought a pair of secondhand Porselli ballet flats on eBay. 2010 me is so happy. I agree that the shape of the toe and the vamp height are just right. They don’t feel dated.
A few US boutiques carried them some years back, but it looks like if you want maximum color/style and even custom (!) options your best bet is ordering from Pierotucci. The Zurich boutique enSoie has some in stock colorways too. I'll update if I find more stockists.
I really enjoy both the "millennial" version and the updated mary-jane version, but I struggle to find a pair that both suit my feet and my style. I'm a size 9 (EU 40) and flat, low-profile shoes tend to make my feet look ... long? Plus the ûber-minimal style doesn't really gel with the clothes I wear. I'd happily buy a pair if I found one that I liked, but I'm not in a rush. Maybe I'm just too much of a chunky shoes kind of girl.
Maja you're going to laugh but as someone with smaller shoe size I feel like my feet always look 'too short' in some shoes, ha! Why are we so self conscious about these hyper specific details?? Anyway I think you'd look great in a simple flat, but as you say, no rush, just play around with what's available and I'm sure you'll find a pair worth buying.
“Your “timeless/classic” wardrobe pieces are only as future-proof as your future tastes.”
This hit me! I have been thinking about the high vamp on shoes and the way I am drawn to it and wondering why low vamp look so utterly “old” to me. Thank you for the comparison here and the thought-provoking sentiment. I feel like skinny/slim jeans could fit here. A friend recently came to me and said “am I the only one wearing skinny jeans anymore” and I encouraged her to keep doing her thing because she likes the way she looks/feels and- inevitably- skinny jeans will come back and we will all shove our barrel jeans to the back of our closets again.
I'm so glad this resonated with you, Kelly! I think this phenomenon is something we can all SO relate to. Never underestimate fashion's power to change our minds and shape our eye to what it wants us to want this very moment!
Re skinny jeans, there's a bunch of Vogue and other higher power glossy articles on their imminent return, so your friend will likely be in good company again soon enough 👖But as you know my stance on this –- we should all confidently wear what makes us feel the most 'us'.
In the early 2000s, the fashion elite urged us to show "toe cleavage" via that version of ballet flats. Now, the high vamp ballet is co-opting the current mood of Spartan, monastic dressing. In my mind, I always associate ballet flats with Amy Winehouse during her most vulnerable years.
I agree, the vamp of the ballet flat is as much of an index of fashion as the width of jeans. I was also just thinking that the current iterations look more like "nunnery socks-with-soles" than ballet flats proper. Perhaps the desire to deflect the male gaze extends to our feet as well! While I don't think "Amy Winehouse" when I put on my ballet flats, that very specific cultural moment is definitely an example of the deep connections between celeb/pop culture and fashion.
Most of my fashion wants are driven by the introduction of new silhouettes, not new items. The clothing culture flip from tight/tailored to oversized/drop shouldered/“modern Poiret” (a term I’ve been mulling) drove my acquisition of a few new jackets, some shorter + looser sweaters, and shoes that looked right, given the above. I try for future-proof, but I like looking modern (as I get older, it’s important to me that I don’t look like I’m clinging to an earlier era), so this is my compromise.
I also tend to favor a new silhouette as a compelling reason (in my case, the barrel pant, which is a shape and form that is new to me and adds something original to my wardrobe). "Modern Poiret" is such a good encapsulation of the current look! And re your point on wanting to look modern vs being stuck in an earlier era; I think that tension/friction and the fine lines of figuring out what to tweak/update and what to continue to wear is at the heart of personal style over time.
That said, fashion can be sometimes too good at convincing us we need to update/refresh something, when in fact the OS is still just fine! 😋
"Your 'timeless/classic' wardrobe pieces are only as future-proof as your future tastes.” BINGO! Remember this the next time you justify a purchase on the grounds you "will wear it forever." For this to be true, you will need to hang onto it during the times when it just doesn't look right to you, or get rid of it because you don't have the space. I'm not advocating for fast fashion in any manner, just saying even "wardrobe classics" can be transient. Unless, of course, you have a s strong sense of personal style, but that changes over time, too.
Thank you for reading and commenting! (Btw, love your newsletter title & subject!) I completely agree. The language of fashion marketing has completely co-opted the phrase "wear it forever/classics/timeless" to sell us Very Expensive Things. It's important to break through that mirage and really interrogate what that means. It takes work and personal reflection to understand and abide by ideas of 'the timeless' and maintain/evolve a personal style.
As a tall girl (read: large feet), I remember distinctly when ballet shoes hit the rack. I was so relieved that there was something I could wear that didn’t make it look like I was wearing horse hooves, nor would make me tower over every man, woman, and child (esp in a work setting or on a date!). I think I was the first person I know to jump on the trend and I’ve never really evolved. Should I update my look - eh…probably? But the lasting love and gratitude I have towards the original style (not to mention the many pairs I also retain in my closet) will probably keep me from moving on.
The funny thing about ballet flats is that they have a long history that well predates the 2000s (Audrey Hepburn wore them! as did many other stylish women), so I don't think the shoe is going anywhere. There's a lot of inherent contradictions in how fashion works and how products are marketed that seem to converge in how this shoe has morphed with the times. Settling on the core shoes that really work for your style and life is what matters at the end of the day vs adhering to some arbitrary trend agenda. And flats in general for women are liberating in so many ways!
i wore them 15-20 years ago, because i was in need of flat, office-appropriate shoes and this was what was being peddled. they never felt authentically "me" but got the job done. i have no regrets about it, but in my 20s i bought into the current trends very easily and disregarded or even resented my true preferences. had loafers been popular back then, i think i would have been happier (but do i think that way only because loafers are currently trending too, and i have bought in...? only time will tell!)
it is still an effort to avoid trends that are not authentic to me, even in my 40s. not because i feel pressured, but because the degree to which we are influenced subconsciously is astounding. to pursue exploration of fashion and yet remain steadfast in what we personally and truly LIKE is so hard!
100% feel you on all of this. I think sometimes we are introduced to something initially via a trend, but then over time it turns out to be something authentically "you" and has staying power in your wardrobe. Participating in the fashion game can be fun and revelatory. And loafers may be very of the moment, but I've had loafers in my closet for a decade at this point and they're not going anywhere. There's something so straightforward about their design that I don't consider them a "high risk trend piece". 😋
The one thing I've found as I've gotten older is I'm much more trusting and confident in my own instincts and preferences. We should all listen to that inner voice first and foremost. But yes, there are subconscious background influencing factors all the time that add noise.
I'm working on a piece about this very issue of exploring/enjoying fashion without losing personal agency ... stay tuned in this space!
You're the only other person I know who owns and loves Porselli ballet flats as much as I do--they are truly the best. Every time I'm tempted by something else, I pull a pair out and am reminded of how beautiful they are!
I completely agree – there's an elegance to the shape of the toe and the vamp (no crazy toe cleavage) that somehow make them just right. The fact that they're still handmade to order in Italy and are relatively reasonably priced compared to the many other options out there make them a craft/business I want to keep supporting.
If Donald Judd made shoes I think he would approve 😋
Wondering if Repetto flats updated too to the new modern high-vamp silhouette
I think they made a super high vamp style at least until recently! Looks like there's at least one no-cleavage style (the Lilouh).
I really wanted the Porselli flats to work for me, but my foot is somewhere between a 37 and 38 and I couldn’t make either size work. 😭
Hi LF! (btw I really loved your interview at Eleanor's ss recently 😊) I wonder if you could reach out to Porselli re the sizing as they are still all made to order in Milan. I know the leather is supposed to stretch a bit as you wear them to fully form to your foot.
That is a good idea! I also got a pair of loafers stretched in the fall - I wonder if a cobbler could help!
Great insights!
I bought a pair of Camper's version of the revamped ballet flat two (?) years ago only to never wear them because -- what a shocker -- I'm not a ballet flat person. At the time I was convinced that these shoes would refresh my shoe game, make my outfits seem modern, and that I would most definitely wear them a lot. Did I ever stop to ask myself if I actually liked them? Nope. 🤦🏼♀️
Tiia I think we've honestly all been there. Fashion's powers of persuasion are SO potent that it can smooth talk even a critical shopper into the dominant trend. This personal "teachable moment" for me has illuminated that I should pay attention to the language of the latest trends and give them a good parsing before committing to a purchase (or the latest 'look'!).
Well said!
PS to your last point, I also realized that the reason why the Mary janes seemed appealing / filling a wardrobe hole was because ... I've never had any Mary janes in my closet because I just don't like them (that extra strap would deter me from reaching for them whereas my other slip-on/zip-up shoes are just so quick to put on). Ha! Sometimes we have wardrobe holes for a reason.
Yesss Porselli representation! I've never found a better ballet flat than theirs. I think I've had 4 pairs over the last 9 years, which speaks not to the poor the quality, but only to how constantly I wear them.
Hi Casey! I love that you've loyally and literally worn out multiple pairs with so much devotional wear. Given how quickly trends churn and turn around these days, do most people even get a chance to be this loyal to a brand? 9 years in Fashion Time is like dog years to human years, right?
Right?! I was really really into ballet flats in the 2010s and tried so many brands, but when I found Porsellis I just felt like they were the perfect pair for me. They looked right with everything! So even as ballet flats became less trendy, I just kept wearing them. Porsellis have gotten a bit trickier to track down now that A.P.C. doesn't keep them stocked, so I've tried Repettos and the like to try to find a more convenient alternative, but nothing suits my feet and preferences quite like Porselli! Fortunately, they can be resoled beautifully...
Yes to resoling — a great cobbler is gold and can work magic with favorite shoes! Have you looked into the next step of ordering from the EU (Pierotucci is the OG distributor, I think ... and there are even custom options!)? Another reader asked about stockists and EnSoie (a really beautiful Zurich boutique) also has some colorways. I was lucky enough to get the gold ones on sale when J.Crew did a collab with Porselli years ago.
IDK how i found this post but i love it, thanks for writing and sharing it with us. There are great parts of Ruth Goodman's book How to be a Tudor that talk about the changing courtly fashions and the evidence on the underlayer of preserved garments, with parts carefully made and hastily adjusted and readjusted. Keeping up with style was a sign that you had the means to notice and fund your wardrobe. I guess now that's still true but it's a somewhat obscured truth with cultural ideas like self expression through clothes. I think the styles do say something about our time but it's so amazing to pause outside the machine and really consider what truth we're feeding, and why.
Ingrid, thank you so much for reading and for your thoughtful comment! I am adding Ruth Goodman's book to my list; it sounds like a fascinating read. Is there anything more brilliantly modern and capitalist than the idea of self expression through clothes? And what appear to be merely 'the shallows' of fashion reveal time and time again so many complex deeper dynamics, if we just take the time to, as you say, "pause outside the machine".
I just bought a pair of secondhand Porselli ballet flats on eBay. 2010 me is so happy. I agree that the shape of the toe and the vamp height are just right. They don’t feel dated.
yay, this makes me so happy and I love that you found a pair secondhand! What color did you get?
I'm going to update the post as well with a few more sources on where to find them as there are still so few stockists stateside.
Burgundy! And now I want more, so yes, tell me all the places to buy them in the US.
A few US boutiques carried them some years back, but it looks like if you want maximum color/style and even custom (!) options your best bet is ordering from Pierotucci. The Zurich boutique enSoie has some in stock colorways too. I'll update if I find more stockists.
I really enjoy both the "millennial" version and the updated mary-jane version, but I struggle to find a pair that both suit my feet and my style. I'm a size 9 (EU 40) and flat, low-profile shoes tend to make my feet look ... long? Plus the ûber-minimal style doesn't really gel with the clothes I wear. I'd happily buy a pair if I found one that I liked, but I'm not in a rush. Maybe I'm just too much of a chunky shoes kind of girl.
Maja you're going to laugh but as someone with smaller shoe size I feel like my feet always look 'too short' in some shoes, ha! Why are we so self conscious about these hyper specific details?? Anyway I think you'd look great in a simple flat, but as you say, no rush, just play around with what's available and I'm sure you'll find a pair worth buying.