The first few years of the 21st century were a confusing time for celebrity style, with trends like boho, athleisure and indie sleaze all battling it out on the red carpet. When you cast your mind back to the early ‘00s, do you picture Sienna Miller floating around in a low-slung studded belt and gladiator sandals or Paris Hilton strutting her stuff in hot pink velour? A few key looks united every fashion tribe, though: namely, perma-tans, size zero bodies and wildly impractical footwear choices. The bad news is, some of these questionable trends are back, whether you like it or not.
The good news is, most of them have been toned down a little for 2024 ...
Then: Synonymous with what’s since become known as the “indie sleaze” aesthetic of the mid to late aughts, ballet flats that you could scrunch up in your bag when changing into heels outside the club or just allow to get completely filthy and rain-soaked, were everywhere. Kate Moss would team hers with skinny jeans, and therefore everyone else followed, while the late Amy Winehouse made them her signature look. If you wore them for a big night, you would wake up the next day fuzzily wondering why your feet hurt so much (“I was wearing flats?!”).
Every podiatrist’s nightmare. Now: They’re back, but this time it’s the “clean girls” rocking them, with stars like Anne Hathaway , Meghan Markle and Jennifer Lopez all stepping out in ballet-style flats this season, including a divisive, but definitely less st.
