When ballet slippers came into the scene several years ago, we were thrilled. What suburban girl didn’t force her parents to let her walk down the street in her old pink ballet shoes, and what half-grown woman wouldn’t want to do the same thing, but with better soling and more arch support?
But now the Jazz Shoe is trying to edge its way into mainstream culture, and we’re simply not sure.
The trend converged when Tokyo girls started painting theirs silver, while Irina Lazareanu dragged hers down Le Marais in Paris. Meanwhile, the dance brand Repetto started making real shoes inspired by their ballet slippers, and the line was so successful, they decided to keep going with other models. And the flat silver scuffs the girls wore in last year’s Luella show – though not quite jazz shoes – certainly helped.
Now we see them five times a day walking through Soho, and that number triples when it’s past midnight and we hear New Order coming from the speakers.
But do these shoes try too hard – and make you look too odd – or is there something exciting in their casual flat-footed style that makes them embraceable?
Tags: Irina Lazareanu
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I’m going to vote no. Just because Irina can pull off jazz shoes doesn’t mean the rest of us can.
i have to say, the pale pink, patent-leather repetto version of these is tempting. but i do think they’re destined to look silly and too pete doherty, british chap on most females. i’ll save them for dance class.
I think theyre ugly. I see no one wearing them in vegas thankfully. I think its an urban outfitters forced trend again.
This can work on a certain type of girl, on everyone else it will look foolishly. Besides when you see a trend walking around SOHO five times a day, it is time to gracefully move on.
so conflicted! they bring back nostalgic memories of fosse moves in jazz class and pirouttes in ballet class. girls were wearing them in paris a year ago, and i just knew the trend would find its way over here. i’m actually looking for a good pair of charactor shoes…
I thought this was just another 80s-early 90s throwback to Capezios? And some of you ladies have dated yourself well enough that I know you remember them too! I vote no. For now. I like ballet flats b/c they have no laces/snaps/straps and I am lazy.
Totally hideous.
i thought this trend came from scandinavia? i remember a magazine (possibly nylon?) idly musing at least a year ago about these (and linking them to scandinavia) and wondering if they would catch on in the USA/anywhere else
also, agreed that it’s a forced trend
they’re so ignorable.
I love that you referred to them as “ignorable.”
Genius.
They’re so goofy I’m sure they will be huge.
They’re everywhere. At first I saw them and laughed—too grandma chic. I keep saying no, but two months from now…sigh.
confession–I kind of like them. Especially in white, with no socks and bermuda shorts. They look like a daintier version of old-school Keds (I wonder if the rise in popularity of those can be attributed to the rise in white jazz shoes?) and I’ve seen pairs that almost pass as ballet slippers. Plus, as a dancer myself who loved her jazz shoes, they’re every bit as comfortable as ballet slippers, maybe even more.
they’re ugly. which means people will love them, “ohhh, look at my odd looking shoes i’m sooooo unique!” ugh. i wont wear them but it doesnt matter because 80% of people already own a pair in this town.
flat out no.
next?
AGNYSS DEYN was rocking them when we saw her on Tuesday night…
http://serhorn.blogspot.com/2007/07/tuesday.html
i don’t see what the big deal is, i’ve seen pictures within the last few months of stam and lily donaldson out and about in jazz shoes (stam was with DJ AM in nyc and lily was in soho with some dude). in other words, they already caught on
obvs they’ve caught on, so did bangs hairsprayed to stand 6 inches off of your forehand – that doesnt make it acceptable
They look like Keds. As in, like the Keds my grandma wears.
what i really want right now is something like that except in BOOT form.
I’m saying no – mostly because I saw two huge piles of them at DSW.
i put a little effort into shopping for cute jazz shoes last march – they were hard to come by and my london friend was urging me to let her bring some back (london was well into them). alas i got lazy and wasn’t THAT smitten on thier delicateness… so yah, then i got slip-on KEDS and i feel complete now.
good call, Anna!
They are ugly. But it’s true people DO like ugly shoes. Crocs anyone?
i agree that this trend is already old and done with – i liked them last year but you know when urban outfitters carries them in no less than 3 different styles then they’ve long past hit their stride (no pun intended).
I have the Jeffrey Campbell pair that was at Urban Outfitters (so sue me) and they sort of hurt. However, I think that they do for floaty white dresses in the summer what a shrunken leather jacket can in winter.
Dolce Vita makes a really cute, more delicate pair
to the regular person they mite be ugly but im a dancer, and wen u have to wear them to dance in you dont care,, plus their super comfortable once you break them in. mayb they shud leave jazz shoes for the dancers
I agree that this post seems kind of late though, as did the one-piece bathing suit post (at least girls have been doing that in Austin since early last summer).
I don’t know why but I’m liking all these trends that others don’t, the jazz shoes and high waisted jeans, even colored denim. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I have a pair of the Oh Deer ones in black and will wear them in the fall.
I’ve been known to wear my (real) jazz shoes out and about. With the return of the menswear inspired shoe this fall, I think this will be the meeting ground between oxford pump and ballet flat. V. comfy.
Well, a lot of people like both of those things, that’s why they’re a trend!
And Sarah Jane, this post wasn’t meant to break news of something brewing. We were more interested in whether it would have legs past the streets of Paris and the parties of New York…
oh god no! i hated wearing these even when i was actually IN my jazz class. i did buy a pair of high heeled tap shoes (w/o the taps of course) and wear those with little dresses all the times.
i love this style, but i prefer the oxford style pump even more. i’m surprised the majority is opposed, maybe it’s because i read mainly european and japanese magazines where the styles are more ‘daring’. ballet flats are cute, but these are far more than that. also, i guess it is true, not many people can pull them off well.
jazz shoes, New Order, facist president… if we can just clear NYC out with a few more terrorist events we can REALLY have the 80′s back! (along with cheap rents and a dangerous LES!). By the way those shoes are so frikkin over.
Ugh, apparently even Christian Louboutin is into them. http://www.shoewawa.com/2007/07/eek_its_not_oft.html
It’s so true! If you search for Repetto, it typically hits one of my blog posts about where to buy them and these days, many search queries are specifically for the repetto jazz!
1. Those shoes are already over. UO had them seasons ago, reinforcing the “already seen em at the mall” sitch. 2. Can you say “cankles”? These bitches will give even the skinniest 5’5″ lass them. 3. Wore them for dance/jazz classes when I was a kid and they sucked back then, except for sliding down hallways really fast (nubuck soles).
I have white ones and I love them. I wear them w/o socks with either shorts or skinny ankle length jeans/black pants… and they’re super cute. I guess I didn’t really know they were dance shoes, I thought they were, like, soft menswear inspired shoes. I bought them cause they made me think of Dries Van Noten.
and ps they dont give me cankles. Quite the opposite, actually. They make me ankles look kinda sexy… haha
The jazz shoes that look like this but lace up the front are better looking.
But be careful if ur buying actual jazz shoes from capezio or such. They have split soles in them for a better pointed toe. In real life they can tear and wear easily from walking on gravel.
Never the less, my favorite looking dance shoe is DEF the black T strap tap shoes. Take the taps off and there u go, an adorable shoe