Anyone who thinks that French girls wearing ballet flats is cliché clearly hasn’t seen my Instagram feed. Stylish French women love ballet flats—more than heels, sandals, loafers, sneakers—you name it. Compared to other flat shoe styles, ballet flats are quite refined, so it makes sense that they’d be the first choice of Parisians when they want to look elegant but also wear flat shoes.

The outfits highlighted below would certainly look perfectly lovely with sandals or heels, but when paired with ballerinas, the elegance is undoubtedly upped. Ballet flats are classic and subtle, never distracting from an outfit but always complementing it. They go with everything and can dress an outfit up or down, depending on the outfit.