The Gap’s version of the roll-up wonder, called the City flat, retails for a mere $39 through www.gap.com.
The ballet flat has become as basic a wardrobe staple as the pump, the stiletto and the peep-toe sandal. What began as a summer trend around the turn of the century grew into a flats revolution. Yet though I graze six feet in the smallest of heels, I resisted: After a decade and a half hobbling with the fashion nobs, I walked like a duck in flats.
More significantly, I feared the scorn of a buddy who had just retired from a career in dance. He, justifiably, maintained that ballet shoes were professional gear, every blister and aching toe earned by those called to the barre (sorry, couldn't stop my fingers there).
Of course, I feel a similar guilt usurping Buddhist-monk orange, adorning myself with military gewgaws and even flirting with the short flouncy skirts of a figure skater: The line between fashion and costume is thin and shaky, as is the distinction between tribute and parody.
But the shoes below are the shoes I fussed about for a month this spring. Bloch is a British professional pointe shoe company whose original Covent Garden location has been serving dance stars around the globe since 1932. It was the dancers themselves who encouraged the company to expand into streetwear; since 2007, the fancier department stores of the beau monde have carried Bloch flats.
This little roll-up version is $175 and comes in a lavender that made me furious with shoe lust (the big sizes, alas, were snapped up in seconds of hitting shop floors).
But the style is now an all-season classic, in a perfect grey, a black and then an array of fashion colours. It comes with a little carry case so you can tuck it into quite a small bag if your feet start screaming at your stilettos (mine have those 15 years of agony bottled up and ready to yodel about five minutes into a date).
There are lots of flats out there, many that mimic dance shoes in style. These are particularly kind to off-duty feet with their all soft leather uppers (the inside lining is pink suede). And on the foot, you lose the appearance of at least two shoe sizes, a point more critical if you start out in the upper ranges (and Blochs are stocked up to a near-miraculous European 42).
There is basically nothing you can't wear these little flats with, from jean short to ball gown (in a pinch, late into gala, when you toss your Louboutins into the fountain).
Someone clever at the Gap noted the great idea and we now have its version of the roll-up wonder, the City flat, which arrived in stores, for $39, this week.Since I avoided the trend for a decade, I figure, I can now justify a couple of pairs both high-end and low to make up for lost trend time, though I'll probably fuss and fester over the lavender ones I missed out on until at least next spring.