Chanel ballet pumps are as iconic as the luxury French fashion house's quilted bag and cropped jacket. Honestly, they're a vibe - some even call them fashion's favourite flats.
Celebrities love them, no surprise there, as does Meghan Markle who wears her Chanel pumps in her signature cool, laidback yet polished LA way. Think with skinny jeans and a tweed cropped jacket, or running around Montecito in with an oversized shirt and denim. It's quiet luxury to the enth degree, and I for one want to be sort of person who looks expensive - but without a famous husband or Netflix series under my belt, splashing £800 on a pair of ballet flats is just not in my future.
© GettySo I turned to the high street and clocked a strikingly similar pair of pumps at H&M, for a much more palatable price of £19.99.
Let's caveat this whole article by saying that no, the H&M Chanel lookalikes are not of the same quality as a genuine pair. They're a polyester mix, as opposed to Chanel's leather, but the reviews are wholly positive in terms of comfort and quality - many shoppers applaud them for being comfier than more expensive versions and that they last. Which, for £20, you can't really grumble at.
Featuring a similar two-tone colourway to Meghan's, the H&M flats feature a black toe cap with cream body, with a sweet decorative bow detail at the front and a comfortable satin lining.
Available in sizes 2 - 9, the reviews recommend you size down as they come up large, so you might need to try a couple of sizes on before finding your perfect fit.
The classic cream and black colours are great if you want Meghan's look, but there's also other variations in shade including black with patent toe cap, leopard and denim.
Sizing aside, the reviews are glowing. "Actual ballet flats are really lovely - great Chanel dupe!" reads one. "Looks great and expensive!" another wrote, with one H&M shopper declaring them "so comfy, so elegant".
© ChanelChanel's classic pumps have been in rotation since 1957, when Gabrielle Chanel introduced her signature two-tone flats in partnership with legendary French footwear specialist Massaro, who made two-tone shoes for men. It has since been reimagined over the years, with details added and materials experimented with, including tweed and patent. It is Karl Lagerfeld we have to thank for the flat ballet shoe as we know and love it today, as he transformed the original sling back shoeto resemble footwear traditionally worn by ballet dancers.
