News + Trends

Ballerinas feature a small but crucial detail this autumn

2.9.2026

Translation: machine translated

Hardly any ubiquitous everyday shoe is as polarizing as the ballerina flat. Why? Honestly, it's a mystery to me. If its flat sole is an aesthetic eyesore for you in particular, you should keep reading.

Ballerinas divide opinion. Those who wear them love them (obviously). The others... loathe them (with a passion). At least, that is what various non-representative surveys among my extended circle of friends and acquaintances have revealed.

Depending on which camp you belong to, I have either good or very bad news for you: ballerinas are here to stay for autumn. But to ensure things don't get visually boring, the little shoes have undergone a small makeover for the new season. And I could imagine that they might now charm even the skeptics over to their side.

Ballerinas? Yes! But with a heel, please.
Source: Spotlight/Launchmetrics

Small block heel, big visual difference.
Source: Spotlight/Launchmetrics

Spot it? That's right. Ballerinas, also known as ballet flats in English, are being unfaithful to themselves and trading their pancake-flat soles for a small, sturdy block heel. It may only be a few centimeters high, but it makes a huge difference to the effect of the shoe. From a clunky flat foot – which the aforementioned haters like to criticize about the classic ballerina – to a quasi-high heel. And all this without losing much of their visual timelessness and practical comfort. A win-win situation? Sounds almost like it, doesn't it?

What is your opinion on ballerinas – and their not-so-insignificant autumn update? Write it in the comments.