Kaia Gerber Pairs Timeless Ballet Flats With Laid-Back Sweatpants

kaia gerber walks through New York City wearing a white tank top, ballet flats, and sweatpants

(Image credit: Backgrid one time use)

published 9 July 2024

Kaia Gerber is always on trend. When the cool girls put away their Adidas Sambas and picked a new It Sneaker, the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66s, Gerber followed suit. She quickly adopted the polarizing "skirt over pants" look. The model has been championing the timeless ballet flat's revival. And now, she's cooking up a copy-able outfit formula including those rehearsal-ready shoes—and sweatpants.

kaia gerber walking in new york city wearing black repetto ballet flats, a white tank top, and sweatpants — Kaia Gerber was spotted strutting down the sidewalk in sweats and ballet flats.

Repetto Black Cendrillon Ballerina Flats

Wacoal Square Neck Cotton Tank

Leset Niko Ramie Wide-Leg Pants

You heard it here first. The new mid-summer outfit trend is ballet flats and sweatpants. Gerber was photographed on Monday, July 8, in one of her typical laidback off-duty looks—abundantly casual with an elevated flair. The model strutted down the sidewalk in a white cami tank top and low-rise, loose-fitting black drawstring sweatpants, paired with classic leather ballet flats by Repetto. She accessorized with her usual sunglasses by Thistles, a chocolate brown leather shoulder bag, and tangled wire earbuds. (Her trusty silver AirPod Max headphones must be charging at home.)

Coach Soho Bag In Regenerative Leather

kaia gerber walking in New York City wearing her Repetto flats with a black pant and blue shirt — Kaia Gerber has been staying loyal to her Repetto ballet flats all season.

Kaia's black Repetto BB ballerina flats have been a staple in her summer wardrobe. She's styled them with trousers, wide-leg jeans, and mini dresses. Sweatpants were the next logical style step. But Gerber isn't the first one to cosplay as a pre-rehearsal ballerina. Track pants and ballet flats took off as an unexpected clothing combo in the Spring. Chloë Sevigny stepped out in navy blue Adidas track pants, a matching Ralph Lauren Polo shirt, and stark white Maison Margiela Tabi heel-flat hybrids. (Speaking of heel-flat hybrids, Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted just the other week wearing a cross between kitten heels, ballet flats, and Mary Janes...paired with grey sweatpants, of course.)

bella hadid wearing pink satin ballet flats and a gray sweatsuit — Bella Hadid took the "balletcore" trend literally.

You can trace the trend back even further to the ultimate trend-starting model Bella Hadid, who decided to go literal with her interpretation of the "balletcore" phenomenon. Back in 2022, she wore a gray sweatshirt, matching flared sweatpants, and what looked like actual light pink satin ballet shoes.

Scroll down to shop like a ballerina—or a model dressing just like one.

J.Crew Zoe Ballet Flats in Leather

Mansur Gavriel Dream Ballerina - Black

Madewell The April Ballet Flat

Dolce Vita Anisa Ballet Flats Black Leather

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Julia Gray is a contributing fashion writer at Marie Claire, where she covers runway trends, celebrity style, and shopping. In her six years as a journalist, Julia’s reporting has ranged across style, music, Internet culture, art, retail, tech, and more. In addition to Marie Claire, Julia writes for outlets like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Ringer, New York Magazine, Pitchfork, Nylon, and Vice, among others. Julia's fashion reporting is led by curiosity. Julia is not only interested in critiquing and covering pop culture, but in understanding what our pop culture says about how we live and modern values. When she’s not writing, Julia hosts a podcast called Girls Room, where she and her co-host revisit shows like Girls and Gossip Girl from the beginning with guests like comedian Cat Cohen and writer Hunter Harris. Girls Room was recently cited in the New York Times.

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