Square Toe Bow-Tie Slingback Ballet Shoes with Low Block Heel

Square toe bow-tie slingback ballet shoes on a low heel

Take a ballet flat with a square toe, add a small block heel, open the back and tie a thin bow across the front. The result sits between a ballerina and a pump, and that is why it goes with so much.

The upper is PU leather and the sole is rubber. There are two colours, black and a metallic silver colour, in five sizes from EU 35 to 39.

At a glance

The piece: a slingback by Dainty Footwear

The label is Dainty Footwear. The supplier calls them ballet shoes; with the heel in the photos, "slingback pump" describes them better. The spec lists PU leather and rubber, a low heel, a fit that is true to size and no box. Origin: imported.

The photos show two thin straps crossing over the instep and ending in a bow, a heel strap and a block heel in the same finish as the shoe.

Who it's for

For you if flats feel too flat and heels feel like too much. One limit to know about: the range stops at size 39. If you wear a larger size, this style is not available for you here.

Closer look: toe, bow and heel

• Closed square toe (supplier title and photos)
• Thin crossed straps tied in a bow (supplier title: bow-tie; photos)
• Open heel with a slingback strap (supplier title and photos)
• Low block heel (supplier: low heels; photos)
• Crinkled, slightly shiny surface; metallic on the silver-coloured pair (photos)
• Sold without a shoe box (supplier)

Materials and build: PU leather on rubber

PU leather is faux leather, without animal hide. On both colours the surface has a fine crinkle, which gives the black a soft shine and makes the silver-coloured pair look like foil. The sole is rubber according to the supplier. Lining and heel height in centimetres are not stated.

Size and fit: true to size, 35 to 39

The supplier says to order your usual size. Foot lengths from the chart: 22.4 cm for 35, 22.9 cm for 36, 23.4 cm for 37, 23.9 cm for 38 and 24.4 cm for 39.

A square toe gives the toes room at the front. Whether the bow can be untied to adjust the straps is not stated; in the photos it looks decorative.

Size chart (cm)

Source: the supplier's size chart, given in inches and converted to centimetres by us (1 inch = 2.54 cm).

Styling: long skirts and cropped trousers

In the photos they peek out from under a long black skirt. They work the same way under wide cropped trousers. Add white socks if you like the ballet look. The silver-coloured pair is the bolder choice and lifts an all-black outfit on its own.

Occasions

Work, dinner, a party, a wedding as a guest, a Sunday in town.

Care: no instructions from the supplier

The supplier gives no care instructions. A soft, slightly damp cloth is the usual way to clean faux leather; metallic finishes scratch more easily, so store the silver-coloured pair apart from other shoes. General advice from us.

The wow detail: the bow

The bow is not a flat ornament glued to the toe. It is made of the same thin straps that cross the foot, so it looks as if you tied the shoe on like a ballet slipper. It is delicate, and it is what people will ask you about.

Fashion that gives back

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. The causes are matched to 11 of the 17 SDGs, the global goals set by the United Nations, and you decide where your share goes.

Our promise

Ships from the supplier's warehouse overseas, with tracking. The supplier lists 11–14 business days for this item. Delivery is free within the EU on orders from €69; below that it costs €4.95 in the Netherlands and €6.95 elsewhere in the EU.

You have 14 days after delivery to ask for a return, as long as the shoes are unworn. Our promise is plain: if what arrives does not match what this page says, send it back within 14 days and we refund you.

More pairs are in our footwear collection.