Motorsport footwear has always been the thinnest and closest-fitting thing a sportswear brand makes, for the obvious reason that a driver needs to feel a pedal rather than be cushioned from it. That design brief produces something very close to a flat, and when the market turned against thick soles the brand had the right shoe already sitting in its archive. Turning it into a range of finishes rather than a single shoe was the commercial decision that followed. Y2K nostalgia did the rest, since the original sat right in the middle of that period.

Speedcat Ballet in suede, croc-texture, mixed feel and Nova finishes are the core of these puma flats and differ only in material. The PUMA x WICKED Speedcat Ballet silver slippers are the collaboration piece and the most decorative thing here. Mostro Fey leather sneakers use a different silhouette entirely, with a more aggressive sole. H-Street ballet flats and Speedcat metallic ballet flats are the two genuine flats in the group, built without a sneaker sole underneath.

Croc-texture and patent style finishes are the most durable surfaces here and the least breathable, which matters on a shoe with almost no lining. Suede is the opposite on both counts. A thin sole transmits everything about the pavement to your foot, so these are wrong for anyone who stands all day and right for anyone who mostly sits and walks short distances. Sizing runs narrow across the whole Speedcat family. If you take one thing away, size up half a size and buy croc or leather if you want them to last more than a season. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Puma Ballet Flats Are The Sneaker Brand's Cleverest Pivot and Bow Flats.