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Everlane's ballet flats are a soft, loafer-like flat with practical updates — here's what they're like to wear, and which colors to skip

Mara Leighton   

Everlane's ballet flats are a soft, loafer-like flat with practical updates — here's what they're like to wear, and which colors to skip
Insider Picks4 min read

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Everlane's Day Glove has earned a spot in many Insider Reviews members' closets — and often in multiple colors. We appreciate its comfort, versatility, color range, and how well it has held up over months of frequent wear.

The company has since launched other iterations of the original: the ReKnit, Tapered, Mesh, and now Ballet Flats.

The Ballet Flats have the same fundamentals as the Day Glove — super-soft Italian leather, pull-tabs on the heels, and two holes on the side for ventilation. They've also got a bit of a heel, a functional rubber outsole, and a cushioned insole that can sometimes feel closer to the support offered by a loafer than by a flat. The ballet bow is also functional — you can tighten or loosen it for your ideal fit.

Currently, you can pick up Everlane's The Day Ballet Flats ($118) in sizes 5-11 and five colorways that include vibrant blue, (seen above), black, white, pale wheat-yellow, and not-quite-blush pink.

Three team members tested The Day Ballet Flats and shared their insight on sizing and comfort below.

Sizing

Based on our experiences, we recommend ordering your standard size. We often size one half-size up as a default in Everlane shoes (which have a reputation of running small and narrow), but we found this pair to be larger than average for the brand.

One tester, editor Ashley Phillips, was glad she ordered one half-size up because she prefers a bit more room in the toe box, but myself and senior editor Sally Kaplan found them to be too large. I own and wear the Day Glove in both my standard 9 and 9.5, and the Ballet Flats in a 9.5 were definitely too big.

Comfort

Our testers agreed that the soft leather meant there was no-break in period and, thanks to a vamp that falls higher on the foot than the average ballet flat, we all noticed that they didn't dig into the tops of our feet uncomfortably. The heel is more structured than the other Day Glove iterations, but it's not so tough that you're in danger of blisters.

We also appreciate the practicality of The Day Ballet Flats' rubber sole, which offers more grip than the leather sole we typically find on ballet flats, and the ample insole cushioning. "There's a tiny bit of padding in the shoe that makes them feel more like a loafer than a flat," senior editor Sally Kaplan said. "I may even like these more than the originals!"

Style and color in-person versus online

In person, the Blue Haze color is a beautiful, deeper cousin to cornflower blue, and Wheat is a warm golden yellow true to the depiction online. But, editor Ashley Phillips was underwhelmed by the enigmatic Cavern Pink in person.

"I love how comfortable these flats are, but my one regret," Ashley said, "is not choosing a different color. I went with Cavern Pink, which isn't quite beige but it's also not quite blush. I haven't yet figured out what to pair them with."

It's worth noting that the leather wrinkles slightly when you walk or flex your feet, but the material is also sturdier than Everlane's classic Day Glove flats so signs of wear may take longer to show in earnest.

The bottom line

We love the comfort, style, and surprisingly thoughtful functionality of the Everlane Day Ballet Flats. The leather is soft and supple and doesn't have a break-in time, the bowtie adjusts to give you control over the fit, and the cushioning and sole create a plush experience.

These shoes run larger than many Everlane pairs, so we recommend sticking to your standard size unless you reliably run a half-size larger in other brands.

Overall, if you're looking for the aesthetic of ballet shoes with the comfort of a loafer, we think you'll probably love the Everlane Day Ballet Flat.

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