Forget Classic Ballet Flats—Women in L.A. Know These Controversial Shoes Make Boring Basics 10 Times Cooler
If you're brave, try the look Jodie Turner-Smith wore.
While basics are, in fact, a closet necessity in any season, they can be boring. I'm just being honest. But there's a styling trick that can make them look cooler. Jodie Turner-Smith recently wore a white tank top and khaki pants on a day of running errands in L.A, and she paired the pieces with a particularly controversial shoe trend that caught my eye and made her plain outfit look much cooler: the barefoot-shoe trend via Vibram FiveFingers flats.
These shoes have been a hot topic within the fashion crowd, and most people are wearing them with the wrong-shoe theory in mind. Turner-Smith opting to wear the shoes with such a casual, laid-back outfit was an easy way to make her basics look less bland. I, for one, have been a fan since before they became a trend because they're actually good for your feet. That said, I'm glad they've had such a big moment over the past year on Instagram and even the runway (Coperni's F/W 25 collection, for example).
If Turner-Smith's easy styling trick inspired you, keep scrolling to re-create her look and shop similar items.
On Jodie Turner-Smith: Burberry Beige Wool Cargo Trousers ($1550)
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Kerane Marcellus is a New York-based writer. She joined theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing team in 2025 after writing for Essence Magazine and freelancing for a number of other arts and culture publications. Fashion is a form of expression that she encourages everyone to take part in. There is no right or wrong in getting dressed! When she's not writing, she's reading in the park or gallery hopping in the city.