From the e-mail bag (because we all know I can’t resist a good shoe question):

As a short-ish person of 5′5″ (on a good day) and being of an average size (10-12), I’ve been relying on pointy toed shoes for the last couple of years to help “elongate my legs.” But I love the look of ballet flats…on the table…on someone else…just not on me. I found a super cute pair and I’ve been wearing them around the house and trying them on with different things, but not only am I not sure I can wear them with dress trousers–which was a main reason for getting them–but I’m also not sure they’re flattering.

Can a short, not-stick thin woman wear ballet flats without looking shorter and wider? Typically I wear wide-leg/boot-cut pants & jeans or A-line to full skirts & dresses. I don’t do skinny pants and capris can be tricky since I’m short–many hit me in the wrong spot and they just aren’t appropriate for my job. Perhaps I’m just not used to my feet looking so “short”, but for whatever reason my head just says, “Enh. Doesn’t look right.”

Can you give a shoe-addict some shoe advice?

Thanks!
Rebe

Ballet flats are everywhere these days, and while they are incredibly chic and practical, they can be tricky to wear, for the specific reasons Rebe points to here: the ballet flat, with it’s rounded toe, CAN make your foot (and leg) look, well, stumpy.

Let’s talk about how to deal with that.

There are two strategies; one has to do with the shoe itself (we’ll get to that in a minute), and the other with your skirts and trousers. With ballet flats, the best choice of trouser is something with a straight leg–not necessarily a skinny pant, per se (although that’s great, too) but a pair of pants that falls STRAIGHT from the hip, without any extra flare.

J. Crew hip slung jeans, $98.99

Boot cut trousers and jeans typically have a long, straight leg, which is good with a ballet flat. Make sure your trousers are not TOO long, though; they should fall just to the top of your foot, like the ones in the photograph do. Keep in mind also that ballet flats are NOT meant to be worn with socks, which means that even though we’re talking about pants, this is not a look for very cold weather.

Ballet flats are ideal with skirts, particularly the ubiquitous knee-length A-line skirt. The slight width of the skirt will balance the bluntness of the shoe on even the most petite woman. For winter, this is a great look, because you can add tights; match them either to the skirt or the shoe. I like the look of a black wool skirt with black tights and a patterned ballet flat.

Steer clear of very wide leg trousers with ballet flats, as the pants will overwhelm the shoes. Ditto for pants that are too long and will buckle or crease across the top of your foot. Slightly shorter is better with a ballet flat. Very full skirts will also overwhelm a ballet flat, as will a very long skirt. Keep hemlines close to the knee, either just below (best for the office) or just above (for weekends, if you’re comfortable with your knees showing).

Still feeling like a round-toed ballet flat isn’t for you? A second option is to look for a ballet flat with a square toe box, which will give your foot and leg some length.

Leve by Jessica Simpson, currently on sale at Piperlime for $47.99

The square toe box works much like the pointy toe: it elongates your leg. I know that seems counterintuitive, but it really works. Something about the slight tapering of the toe box, and the slight snub toe, really DOES make your legs look longer, or at least longer than a traditional round ballet flat. The square toe is also more structured than the conventional ballet flat, which makes it a wee bit dressier.

The snub-toe ballet flat is more versatile than its round-toed cousin, and may be exactly what Rebe is looking for. It will go well with her dress pants and will give her a little more length. Look for a flat with a higher vamp (no toe cleavage) for the longest leg line possible. Look also for detailing on the toe–a bow or some quilting or piping (the V shaped piping on the pair pictured here extends the visual line of the foot, just like a pointy toe would).

All ballet flats are NOT created equal, and not every flat will work with every piece of clothing. But you absolutely CAN make ballet flats work for you if you are petite or curvy. You just need to find the perfect pair!

Don’t forget to join The Working Closet Flickr pool! And get ready to show us what you’re wearing to work, every day in August.