Hailey Bieber Copies Kaia Gerber's Hack for Elevating Ballet Flats on an LA Lunch Date

The models are on a coordinating style streak.

Hailey Bieber walks in Los Angeles wearing a black bomber jacket and low rise pants
(Image credit: Backgrid)

Kaia Gerber has always been my blueprint for styling the best black ballet flats to look so much cooler. Apparently, Hailey Bieber feels the exact same way.

The minute photos released of the Rhode Beauty (and potentially fashion) founder meeting a friend for a lunch date at Los Angeles's Beverly Glen Deli, I thought something looked familiar. It wasn't that Bieber had reached for the oversize Saint Laurent bomber jacket she's worn several times before, or that she'd also picked up a pair of low-rise black trousers. Both pieces are staples in her most-worn outfits, to be sure. But looking at the toughened-up proportions at play in her jacket and pants contrasted her black ballet flats, I was immediately reminded of Kaia Gerber's street style.

Hailey Bieber walking in a parking lot wearing a black leather jacket with ballet flats and a crop top

Hailey Bieber arrived at Los Angeles's Beverly Glen Deli in an all-black outfit.

(Image credit: Backgrid)

The as-yet-unpatented Kaia Gerber ballet flat styling method involves a few key elements: a cropped top or sweater, a low-rise, loose trouser, and an under-the-radar It-bag—all coordinated in the same monochromatic tone. Stacking edgy layers on top of the sometimes preppy, sometimes Parisian shoe elevates it to another level. On Kaia Gerber, black ballet flats never feel overly precious or demure. Now, Hailey Bieber is following in her footsteps.

Kaia Gerber walks in Los Angeles wearing a cropped black shirt with low rise pants and ballet flats

Kaia Gerber's ballet flat formula also relies on low-rise pants and ballet flats.

(Image credit: Backgrid)

Bieber's spin on Kaia Gerber's ballet flat formula involved a few key modifications. Her flats had a half-inch heel, sitting halfway between a true flat and a ballerina pump. She traded a studded tote like Gerber's for a slouchy leather shoulder bag; she skipped the oversize sunglasses trend in favor of slim tinted shades. Still, the overall takeaway was the same: a ballet flat-based outfit that read more LA It-girl than French flaneur.

Hailey Bieber walks into a Los Angeles restaurant wearing a black saint laurent blazer with low rise pants and ballet flats

Her low-rise pants and black leather jacket toughed up what looked like a pair of Repetto heeled flats.

(Image credit: Backgrid)

Hailey Bieber and Kaia Gerber have been on the same style wavelength all month long. Earlier this week, I reported that the duo shared the same take on spring's work jacket trend—an under-$200 style from With Jéan—once again topping a pair of low-rise trousers. Just like today's all-black-everything ballet flats template, Gerber wore the jacket first.

I'd like to see these two swap style references next. What if Kaia Gerber tried Hailey's method of styling a barn jacket as a mini dress, or expanded her designer horizons to include extra-oversize Jacquemus barrel-leg pants? For these two, the closet sharing opportunities are endless.

Shop Ballet Flats Inspired by Hailey Bieber

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Halie LeSavage
Senior Fashion & Beauty News Editor

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”

Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.