Vanessa Hudgens Just Took Balletcore’s Staple Shoe to the Soccer Field
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Vanessa Hudgens took one of the year’s biggest shoe trends courtside — to the soccer pitch, that is.
On Saturday, Hudgens sat on the sidelines for the first time at BMO Stadium to watch the Los Angeles FC game against the Los Angeles Galaxy with a group of friends — including actor Oliver Trevena. For the occasion, which she shared on Instagram, the “Spring Breakers” actress wore a set of Miu Miu’s hit satin ballet flats. Her $990 style, which first appeared in Miuccia Prada’s fall 2023 runway show, featured smooth black uppers with rounded toes, flat leather soles and thin rubber-layered outsoles.
The feminine style was finished with thin branded elastic front straps for a sweet Mary Jane-like effect, as well as thin bows topping each of their toes. The pair added a whimsical finish to Hudgens’ outfit for the occasion, which was decidedly more grungy: a collared black leather jacket, white blouse and dark washed blue denim jeans, accented with a buckled Valentino belt, small gold hoop earrings and glossy oversized sunglasses. The mix of styles created a feminine-meets-punk effect, while remaining truly nonchalant in the spirit of Hudgens’ bohemian-meets-contemporary aesthetic.
The Know Beauty founder’s flats also strongly leaned into the current “balletcore” trend, which has spawned the explosion of ballet flats on the market throughout 2023. Traditional satin versions of the shoe, as well as leather and mesh varieties, have been released with a range of colors, embellishments and shapes — as seen in current styles from labels including Sam Edelman, Khaite and Larroudé; pairs also dominated the upcoming spring ’24 season’s runways, seen at shows including Tory Burch, Tibi and Proenza Schouler during New York Fashion Week.
Hudgens’ ballerina moment marked the conclusion of an especially fashion-filled week. On Saturday, the “Come Back To Me” singer posed at StyleWeekOC 2023 at Fashion Island before speaking on a panel to discuss fall fashion and beauty trends.
On Monday, the Cali Water founder also made the rounds during New York Fashion Week, appearing in Michael Kors’ star-studded front row alongside Blake Lively, Halle Berry and Olivia Wilde at his spring ’24 runway show.
When it comes to shoes, Hudgens’ preferred styles vary between sleek and sporty. The “Gimme Shelter” actress often wears chunky sneakers for off-duty looks and the gym, from brands including Naked Wolfe and Mercer Amsterdam. When hitting the red carpet, she usually wears pointed-toe pumps and platforms from Miu Miu, Manolo Blahnik, Brian Atwood and Stuart Weitzman. Hudgens also mixes affordable styles into her off-duty wardrobes, such as Tkees flip-flops, Crocs clogs and Adidas slides that all retail for under $50.
Outside of wearing sharp shoes, Hudgens has also become a front-row fixture. In 2021, she appeared in Savage X Fenty’s Vol. 3 fashion show, and has led front rows for brands including Michael Kors, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera and Anna Sui during New York Fashion Week over the years.
About the Author:
Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.