Best Ways to Style Your Flats

Spring is officially here and all I want to wear is lighter clothes, long midi skirts, cropped pants and spring shoes! I just added the cutest pair of Mary Jane to my collection and I thought it would be fun to show you how to style this type of shoes the best.

Flats are the perfect shoes for spring weather. Actually, they are your best friends for in-between seasons. You know when you’re struggling with what shoes to wear on a not too cold, but not so warm day?! Yep, I hear you!

However, you need to make sure you choose a good pair and to know how to style them appropriately to remain elegant.

First, let’s talk about the 3 staple flats every wardrobe needs: the Mary Janes, Ballet Flats and Loafers. Ladies, make sure you have at least one of these styles in your closet! As I said many times, the QUALITY is the most important thing. A well-made pair of real leather shoes is what going to elevate your style instantly. Shoes are the most important part of your outfit. Don’t EVER forget this! You can add as many fashion items to your closet but if you don’t have the right shoes, you’re missing the essential! Shoes are the foundation of any good look. PERIOD.

Speaking of good quality shoes, I’m excited to announce my partnership with Beckett Simonon to bring high-quality timeless elegant pieces to your wardrobe. They handcraft shoes just for you and use the best leather out there! I can’t wait to show you a few of my favorite styles from them!

Full disclosure, the links I’m sharing are affiliate links, meaning that I will earn a commission on the products you’ll buy from them. The good news is that you will get a discount through my links).

But first, let’s dive into the dos and don’ts when it come to styling your flats so that you look your best.

La French Girl Styling Tips:

1) Keep in mind, the style of shoes you’re wearing determine the outfit look you want to go for. For example, Mary Janes and Ballet flats have a feminine and romantic style. You want to choose feminine pieces like a long midi skirt or dress. Loafers are the opposite. They have a more masculine style and pair very well with ankle length pants and jeans.

Outfit Ideas #1

In the outfit above, you can see one of the ways I style my new pair of Mary Jane. They have become my new favorite flat shoes! I absolutely love the rosewood color, which is a unique shade of pink. Not only does it give the perfect pop of color to any neutral outfit like in the picture above (white midi dress with cardigan), but it also gives an even more feminine and romantic look. If you’re not into this color, I highly recommend this black pair. This is such a staple to have in any wardrobe! Wearing it with long dresses or long midi skirts gives you that instant effortlessly chic look.

2) Make it sexy. Don’t hesitate to wear short skirts with your loafers or Mary Janes/ballet flats.

3) Forget knee length everything: skirts, dresses, bermuda shorts…This length just DOESN’T work with flats. It will ruin your style straight away, unless you want to look like a grandma! ;-)

4) Mix the styles. These flats have a classic design. You want to bring modern pieces to your outfits to avoid the full on classic style, that will make you look old. Choose a short denim jacket instead of a cardigan to pair with your skirt for example.

Outfit Ideas #2

In the picture above, I’m wearing my Mary Janes with a long midi skirt and short denim jacket over a white tank top. Ballet flats are another style of flats that will pair very well with this outfit too. I love this pair in truffle suede. This color goes with EVERYTHING! Ladies, you need to have one pair of shoes in a neutral color (that is not black) in your wardrobe. It’s not easy to find a good pair and those are perfect! I also like the leather versions and all the colors too.

Outfit Ideas #3

Here is another example of outfit ideas illustrating what I mean by mixing the styles. I’m wearing my loafers with an ankle length navy chino and an oversized blazer jacket over a white tank top. It’s the oversized jacket that brings modernity to the look. Just like that, you create a modern elegant outfit! Talking about a more modern look, the design of the Siena loafers delivers just that. The suede fabric on this design is just gorgeous. This is another timeless chic staple in my opinion. Again, the truffle color is a big hit for me. If you’re not into suede shoes, you will find a leather version here.

5) Wear well-fitted ankle length trousers and jeans. Ankle length pants are the best fit to wear with flats in my opinion. You want to show off those beautiful shoes you’re wearing! ;-) More seriously, the fit of your pants is very important. You want a cut that’s flattering and feminine. Wide pants are not! Sorry ladies, this trend is not elegant! I personally love straight cut and flare pants, because they’re both more fitted through the waist, hips and thighs. This style of pants creates a flattering silhouette in my opinion.

Outfit ideas #4

You can see that wearing a pair of loafers with well fitted jeans and a blazer jacket is simple yet chic! If you’re looking for a good classic pair of loafers, the Astrid design (link here) might be something you want to check out. In terms of colors, black is definitely a must have. If you want to be a bit more daring, the dove color is stunning in my opinion! I feel like this color elevates your style straight away and is perfect to wear on sunny days! Picture a pair of white ankle pants with this dove color, I mean it just screams CHIC immediately!

A bit more about Beckett Simonon and their story. The brand started in 2011, handcrafting dress shoes for men only. They launched their women’s line just a few years ago and it’s really good! You will find timeless elegant pieces that will last for years and give you a refined look without trying too hard. I just love the brand values and mission, which is to bring high-quality products to the consumer at an accessible price. The shoes are made to order and literarily handcrafted by master artisans at their own factory in Bogota, Columbia. So, allow some time before receiving your pair. As I mentioned earlier, they use the best leather out there and source it from the best Argentinian and Italian tanneries. The shoes might feel stiff at first, which is normal for traditionally made leather shoes. You will need to break them in before wearing them. I wore my Mary Janes for 10 to 15 minutes at home for a few days before wearing them outside.

This small effort is definitely worse it! As I said earlier, I love my Mila Mary Janes and I hope you will enjoy my selections! Let me know in the comments below which are your favorites!

XO from your favorite French Girl! 😉