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A ballet sneaker (also called a sneakerina) is a slim, low-cut shoe with the shape of a ballet flat and the rubber sole of a trainer. It’s still getting new releases as of 3 November 2026: Kith’s Winter 2026 collection with adidas Originals includes a Stan Smith Ballet in wrapped suede, listed on Kith’s EU site at €105.00 in Chalky Brown (3 November 2026).
What counts as a ballet sneaker
The definition is loose. The Everygirl describes everything from slim satin trainers to Mary Jane hybrids, while CNN Underscored points to the low-cut upper, like a regular ballet flat, paired with a sporty sole and, often, lace-up details.
One way to spot one is the closure. Some have a single hook-and-loop strap across the foot, some have elastic panels, and some have ribbon or rope laces. Kith’s page for the Stan Smith Ballet lists a suede upper, a slightly padded collar and a hook-and-loop strap.
Where it came from
Refinery29 credits designer Simone Rocha with kicking off the sneakerina in spring/summer 2020, with her “ballet tracker” platforms. Luxury names followed (Miu Miu’s kitten-heel sneakers), along with collaborations such as Sandy Liang x Salomon, Cecilie Bahnsen x Asics and Onitsuka Tiger x Patou.
Refinery29 says the trend exploded in 2025 on the back of the adidas Samba Mary Jane, the lace-up Taekwondo Mei, Puma’s Speedcat Ballet and Louis Vuitton’s LV Sneakerina. Sports brands have kept going since: Highsnobiety described adidas’s Stan Smith Lo Ballet as the Stan Smith reworked into a strapped flat, and in June 2026 Onitsuka Tiger launched the Gymnarina, with interchangeable rope and satin-ribbon laces or a no-lace slip-on option.
Four ways to wear them
1. With wide or barrel jeans and a sporty jacket
The Everygirl calls this the sandwich method: two sporty pieces (a funnel-neck anorak on top, sneaker flats below) around a pair of classic barrel jeans. You can test it without buying anything by swapping any slim flat you already own into the same outfit.
2. Under a long coat, with tall socks
E! Online spotted ballet sneakers with tall socks, puddle pants and long coats, which is the cold-weather answer to a shoe usually seen bare-ankled. A coat you already own plus a pair of thick socks is all the layering it needs.
3. With a layered knit and tee
A Marie Claire writer wears a white pair under wide-leg trousers, with a sweater over a T-shirt for colour-blocking. The slim shoe keeps the focus on the layers above it.
4. With a skirt, a windbreaker and tights or socks
Parade suggests a casual jacket such as a windbreaker, with tights or socks, and also a semi-sheer midi skirt. A midi length shows the shoe off, according to the same piece.
The second-hand route
Second-hand is where the price drops most. On Vinted’s US adidas Mary Jane page on 3 November 2026, I saw a “Good” condition pair of Samba Janes at $85 and a new-with-tags pair at $75, plus Barreda Mary Janes at $40 (new with tags).
The strappier styles can need wearing in: Foot Locker’s Tokyo Mary Jane page says some shoppers find the straps and collar benefit from a short break-in. A pair that someone has already softened up may be easier to live in. Look at the strap fastening and the sole in the listing photos before you buy.
Source: adidas US product pages and Vinted US adidas Mary Jane listings, seen 3 November 2026
The chart compares two new adidas pairs against used or tagged second-hand listings, all in US dollars: the Stan Smith Lo Ballet at $100 and the Tokyo Mary Jane at $90 new, against Vinted pairs at $85, $75 and $40. Prices change, so check the listing before you buy.
Four pairs compared
| Shoe | Upper | Closure | Price (3 November 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kith Women Classics for adidas Originals Stan Smith Ballet, Chalky Brown | Suede | Hook-and-loop strap | €105.00 (Kith EU) |
| adidas Stan Smith Lo Ballet, Core Black | Soft premium leather | Hook-and-loop straps | $100 (adidas US) |
| adidas Tokyo Mary Jane, White | Textile (ASOS lists its Tokyo pairs as wipe-clean) | Elasticated straps or adhesive fastening, depending on the pair | $90 (adidas US) |
| Onitsuka Tiger Gymnarina | Soft leather | Elastic opening, laces optional | RM 670 (Malaysia launch price, June 2026) |
The Gymnarina’s price comes from Fathom Magazine‘s launch report, and the Tokyo materials from ASOS. For suede, it’s worth checking what care the seller recommends before you wear it in rain.
Will it last?
The silhouette looks likely to stay. Yahoo Shopping argued in spring 2026 that it had stopped being a trend and become a staple, with newer pairs getting more delicate than the gummy-soled versions of the year before. In Business Insider’s stylist round-up, low-profile sneakers were tipped as the direction for 2026, with chunky dad shoes on their way out.
Specific versions will probably fade faster. Metallics, pink satin and ribbon laces are tied to the moment, and Highsnobiety’s Gymnarina review noted that shoe is closer to a ballet flat than a sneaker, which shows the category stretching. My read: a plain black, brown or cream pair will keep working for years, and a loud one may feel dated after a season.
Header image: illustration, AI-generated.