There are certain pairs of shoes I never really stop thinking about: Andy Sachs’s Chanel boots, Carrie Bradshaw ’s robbery-fodder Manolos, and on a more walkable note, Alexa Chung ’s Repetto ballet flats. Back in the Tumblr golden era of Alexa Chung IT (you had to be there), denim shorts and a pair of perfectly scuffed Repettos were the last word in attainable cool, and thankfully, some things never change.

Of course, the ballet flat can be a divisive shoe. But for those sceptics who can’t see their way past all the indie sleaze, Effy from Skins connotations, it’s worth dwelling on an era a little further back in its fashion legacy, when it became the cornerstone of French-girl chic, embodied by Jane Birkin. 27 Photos That Sum Up Jane Birkin’s Eternally Influential French-

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