Ballerina trainers are a hybrid shoe that pairs the soft, delicate upper of a ballet flat with the cushioned sole of a sneaker. The result sits somewhere between dancewear and everyday street footwear, a silhouette that reads feminine at first glance and athletic on closer inspection.
Some versions keep the bow at the ankle, while others run it up the calf like a pointe shoe ribbon, giving the hybrid a couture-adjacent flourish.
Stylists pair ballerina trainers with sheer socks, cropped trousers, and midi skirts, letting the shoe do the contrast work between delicate and sporty.
Fashion month street style has carried the trend, with editors pairing the shoes with everything from slip dresses to wide-leg denim.
Designers have explored the shape since the mid-2010s, when houses such as Celine, Miu Miu, and Chanel all experimented with flat-soled and trainer-adjacent ballet styles.
The shoe works best when the outfit leans in one direction, either all-soft tailoring or relaxed sportswear, so the hybrid detail stands out.
The upper borrows the rounded toe and ribbon or elastic details of classic ballet flats, while the sole introduces the comfort and grip of a running shoe.
