Emily Ratajkowski’s Shoe Style: From Reebok Club C Sneakers to Femme LA Heels

Walking through New York City in June 2021, Emily Ratajkowski demonstrated the enduring appeal of early-2000s minimalism.

Just months after welcoming her first child with Sebastian Bear-McClard, the model and author stepped out in a look that prioritized retro silhouettes and accessible footwear.

Emily Ratajkowski’s Off-Duty NYC Look: A Study in Early-2000s Minimalism

The outfit centered on a blue halterneck crop top featuring a distinctive buckle-like accent.

Emily Ratajkowski steps out in New York City on June 15, 2021, pairing a sculptural blue halter crop top and low-rise denim with vintage Reebok Club C 85 sneakers, while Sebastian Bear-McClard keeps it casual alongside her (Credit: Mega / WENN)

By pairing the braless look with low-rise, loose-fitting denim, Ratajkowski leaned into a fashion combination that first gained popularity two decades prior and continues to cycle through modern street style.

She highlights the clean proportions of her outfit—loose, faded jeans balanced by the understated, court-inspired silhouette of her white Reebok sneakers (Credit: Mega / WENN)

Leaning into the look’s pared-back, early-2000s sensibility, the We Are Your Friends star kept her accessories intentionally minimal—thin hoop earrings, a stack of delicate bracelets, and a few understated rings adding just enough polish without disrupting the outfit’s clean, off-duty ease.

She shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses and carried a $79 light-yellow “Gabbi” bag from the affordable-luxury vegan brand JW Pei.

For her beauty look, Emily pulled her hair up into a center-parted, chic bun, with a few loose strands framing her small, heart-shaped face.

A closer look reveals her accessories—a ruched yellow JW Pei “Gabbi” bag, tortoiseshell sunglasses, and stacked bracelets—adding texture to an otherwise pared-back, sneaker-led ensemble (Credit: Mega / WENN)

Why Reebok Club C 85 Sneakers Still Define Minimalist Street Style

To ground the midriff-baring look, she slipped into a pair of vintage white Reebok Club C 85 sneakers—an enduring “court-to-street” icon that has quietly defined minimalist dressing for decades. First introduced in 1985 as the Club Champion, the silhouette was engineered to meet strict all-white tennis club codes, but its clean lines and low-profile construction have allowed it to transcend sport entirely.

Rendered in a softly aged, chalk-white leather, the vintage version leans into the model’s heritage appeal—complete with perforated toe detailing for breathability, a terry cloth lining that adds a subtle, lived-in comfort, and the signature “window box” logo stamped with Reebok’s Union Jack. Unlike trend-driven sneakers, the Club C 85 serves as a stylistic reset: understated, unfussy, and endlessly adaptable.

Against the boldness of Emily Ratajkowski’s low-rise denim and halter crop top, the sneaker acts as a visual palate cleanser—proof that sometimes the most impactful styling choice is the one that doesn’t compete.

The worn-in Reebok Club C 85s anchor the look with their soft leather upper and slightly aged sole, reinforcing the sneaker’s timeless, off-duty appeal (Credit: Mega / WENN)

A staple also seen on figures like Addison Rae, these sneakers feature toe perforations, green logo detailing, and an off-white rubber sole that lends a weathered, lived-in feel to a casual ensemble.

The Reebok Club C 85 Vintage stands out with its chalk-white leather, perforated toe box, terry lining, and signature window-box logo—details that define its enduring court-to-street legacy

From Street Style to Red Carpet: A Shift in Silhouette and Mood

Shifting from off-duty street style to evening wear, Ratajkowski attended the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival in a look that favored architectural cutouts and sheer textures.

Emily Ratajkowski commands the Tribeca Festival red carpet in a sheer-paneled Nensi Dojaka mini dress, styled with barely-there lace-up heels and a sculptural black clutch in New York City on June 12, 2021 (Credit: Mega / WENN)

She chose a slinky black halter mini dress from London-based designer Nensi Dojaka, whose work is defined by delicate, ‘90s-inspired layering.

The dress featured a structured bustier top with a triangle cutout, balanced by long sleeves and a sheer mesh panel at the waist.

With one sleeve and asymmetric mesh cutouts, the Nensi Dojaka dress creates a sharp, architectural silhouette, balanced by delicate strappy sandals (Credit: Mega / WENN)

Allowing her dress to take center stage, Emily kept her jewelry to a minimum, wearing just a pendant necklace from MG Stones and her engagement and wedding rings.

Beauty-wise, she wore her hair down and glammed up with a subtle red smoky eye makeup, dark mascara, eyeliner, a hint of blush, and nude lipstick, creating a sultry look.

A closer view highlights her soft glam—warm-toned smoky eyes, glossy nude lips, and layered pendant necklaces that echo the dress’s minimal lines (Credit: Mega / WENN)

Femme LA Lace-Up Sandals: The Barely-There Heel That Defines the Look

Carrying a Tamara Mellon ShapeShift black clutch ($1,295), Emily completed her sexy red-carpet look with a pair of strappy sandals from Femme LA.

The lace-up heels wrap elegantly around her ankles, their ultra-thin straps and high stiletto heel elongating the leg and reinforcing the dress’s barely-there aesthetic (Credit: Mega / WENN)

These barely-there lace-up sandals have thin rope-like straps that wrap around the ankles, a thin strap across the toes, and 4.5-inch stiletto heels.

The Femme LA Barely-There sandal features a minimalist square toe, fine strap across the vamp, and wraparound ankle ties set on a slender high heel for a clean, modern finish

Emily Ratajkowski’s Shoe Style, From Street to Red Carpet

From vintage court sneakers grounding her off-duty denim to barely-there lace-up heels sharpening sheer, architectural eveningwear, Emily Ratajkowski’s style is defined by contrast—effortless yet intentional, minimal yet impactful.

Whether she’s navigating New York streets or stepping onto the Tribeca red carpet, her footwear choices consistently anchor the look, proving that the right shoe doesn’t just complete an outfit—it defines it.