P|H - Beaded Strap Ballet Flats for Women Margaret

Ballet flats with a beaded cord across the instep, for a full day of walking in town.

These are flat ballet shoes for women, cut low on the foot and pulled on in one motion, with nothing to buckle or tie. She reaches for them on a weekday morning, for the errands in town, the long walk back with the bags and the hour in the garden afterwards. They take her from the front door to dinner without a second pair.

The toe is squared off and wide across the front, so the foot spreads out instead of being pinched at the sides, which is where a narrow ballet flat usually goes wrong. A thin cord runs over the instep, threaded with a carved barrel bead and two round wooden beads, and a second cord gathers the topline at the heel so the shoe stays on the foot while she walks. The sole is flat and finished in wine red, with a row of stitching running all the way around the edge and a small pull tab at the back.

They sit well under cropped jeans and wide trousers, under a midi skirt with opaque tights, and under a long autumn coat once the mornings turn cold. The upper has a grained, faintly creased finish that keeps its character as the weeks go by. Choose from taupe, black and brown, in sizes 5 to 13.

These are the flats that end up by the front door instead of at the back of the closet. Most women who start with one pair come back for a second color.

Why you'll love it

• Squared toe with room across the front of the foot
• Beaded cord over the instep and a second cord gathering the heel
• Flat wine red sole with stitching around the edge
• Pulls on without a buckle or a zip
• Three colors: taupe, black and brown, in sizes 5 to 13