Tieks Ballet Flats: An Honest Opinion

Hello my fellow petite ladies,

I apologize for the delay in writing my post. August has been such a crazy month for me and I just moved and settled into my new home in NYC. Graduate school starts tomorrow so I wanted to write ya'll a post before things get too crazy. :) This post is a little different than my other ones as it is a review but I believe any ladies looking to buy Tieks should continue reading.

Now let's get started! Tieks have been all the rage in the ballet flat world.  Being a petite lady, why would I invest in such an expensive pair of shoes that does not even give me height? One word: comfort (or so I thought). I heard amazing things about these foldable and easy to travel flats. In theory they sounded perfect and worth the hefty price tag of $165 for the most basic print.  FYI: They range from $165 and go up to $295. They do not have half sizes but they do have a size 5 which is perfect for those who have petite feet. Moving to NYC, I knew I would have to walk more than I've ever walked in LA so I wanted to make the investment. I ordered the Matte Black flats on the website and the shipping and delivery was very quick, the packaging was cute with a hand written note and a flower head band.

I really wanted to love these shoes but honestly, they are pretty uncomfortable for me despite popular opinion. The toe area is really tight and leaves marks on my foot. My big toe hurts so badly after I wear them that I can't even force myself to break them in more. I did fork out the $165 so I really need to try to wear them so I can get my money's worth. I may try to wear thick socks and blow dry it (a tip I read online).

Aesthetically the shoes are adorable and fashionable and have a Christian Louboutin-esque vibe with the bottoms of the flats being a light blue color. They go with many outfits as well. However, I personally would not buy another pair because of the comfort issue.

If this post is too long for you to read, you can read this summary of Pros and Cons:

Pros:
- Very cute flats that have a light blue bottom
- Foldable and easy to travel with
- Goes with a lot of outfits
- Have small sizes for petite feet

Cons:
- Pricey
- Uncomfortable and requires extensive breaking in

Keep in mind that everyone's feet are different and Tieks may actually be the perfect shoe for you. I've read that there are tons of reviews that praise the shoes so I wanted to post my personal opinion about the comfort.

I hope this helps and if you have any tips about breaking in Tieks/making them more comfortable or have questions or concerns, please comment below!

Up Here: Shoe Shopping x date with bff

 

photo byJenn

Hi!

So 2 things!

I cut my hair short & bleached the heck out of it (not COMPLETELY what I wanted.. I wanted more ombre effect like I had before, but the lady misunderstood me I guess. I'm getting more used to it now though! haha but I definitely went through omg what just happened moment. ) I curled it slightly for this picture. 

Another news is that I bought shoes! More like spent a ridiculous amount and managed to justify the cost in my head.. hahaha.

I've been planning on "investing" on a nice pair of shoes. I originally had the Ferragamo Vara in mind since it is just classically beautiful. But, my best friend who owns a pair told me that she tends to not wear them as much because they look so formal. So, I decided that a more casual everyday pair would be more fitting for me since well.. that's what I need these shoes to be! my everyday pair.

I've had my eyes on Charlotte Olympia kitty flats for a LONG LONG time. They are just so effing cute!

So, since my bff and I went on our Beverly Hills adventure starting with Bouchon Brunch (which was pretty good, but not exactly worthy of the price tag in my opinion) and a visit to my friend's place of work - the Paley Center! Near the center, there's a Bev Hills location of Charlotte Olympia, apparently one of three stores in the world? I think.. haha

When we went in, I got SUCKED in by the salesperson, and SPLURGED (and worried about my credit card not going through since I never spend this much money at once...) on this BEAUTIFUL pair of kitty flats. 

 Aren't they just beautiful?

I'm smitten hahahaha. Even the packaging, as you see up there in my cute tote bag from Charlotte Olympia, was amazing! If I had the means, I'd buy out the whole dang store.

Unfortunately, I realized when I got home that the size isn't as fitting as I had thought. I usually wear 9.5 to 10 (yea, huge feet hahaha but i'm tall!), so I purchased 9.5. But, I think 10 would be a better fit. So, now i'm going to have to go back to the store (1 hour+ drive.. boo) to exchange. 

side note: the store doesn't allow returns, just exchanges. kinda annoying, no?

At least, I hadn't worn them out yet since I was planning on resoling them before I take them out for longevity.

The outfit I'm wearing is a bit fancier than my normal everyday outfits since I was, after all, in one of the fanciest cities & street. I paired my Equipment blouse with waxed black jeans and black flats to cut down the femininity of the shirt. I actually purchased my Equipment blouse for a heavily discounted price because.. well it costs an arm and a leg otherwise. You can usually find these blouses at Nordstrom Rack or Off 5th Saks 5th stores for at least half off the original price. Also, I busted out my hand-me-down-from-mom Lady Dior bag because i'm fancy like that.

Shirt: Equipment

Pants: J Brand. Similar Style Here

Flats: Via Spiga Suede Ballet Flats. Similar Style at Sam Edelman

Bag: Lady Dior

Sunglasses: Michael Kors. Similar Style Here 

 

Casual shopping outfit

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Up Here: Boho Chic?

Hello, my giraffes! (:

This outfit is from a couple weeks ago. A lot has changed since then (especially my hair! but that's for later). I recently got ill from shingles, which by the way is a ridiculous thing since apparently only people who are over 50 and exhausted and stressed get the shingles. I am 23. I must be poorly made. :(
Being sick makes it hard for me to feel fashionable or pretty hahaha.

Anyways, I will have an update for my hair soon! I chopped it off and lightened it. A bit too light for my liking, but i'm getting used to it.

This outfit was for the scorching heat that day. I love airy cardigan/coverups and black outfits. The material of my outfit allowed for breathing and comfort. Favorite combo!

Cardigan: Free People. Similar Style Here

Top: Plain Black Sleeveless Tank 

Skirt: H&M. Similar Style Here

Sandals: Sam Edelman. Similar Style Here

Sunglasses: Michael Kors. Similar Style Here

Hello my fellow petite readers! I am so sorry it has been a while since I've blogged. Since my last blog post, I went on a family cruise vacation which meant no internet access and no cell access. I am currently in Washington, D.C. spending time with friends and family. 

For anyone also on the east coast right now, you know how hot and humid it has been! There have even been heat warnings. In the humidity, my hair becomes unruly even though it is straight. My layers go all over the place and at the end of the day the strands resemble a messy mop which isn't exactly sexy. The easiest way for me to solve this is a fish tail braid. I made mine really loose and chunky so some of the layers fall out which adds to the effortless, imperfect look. This is especially great when I'm walking my dog and have plans immediately after. 

I wore a simple blue cotton dress that I bought from Urban Outfitters for a cheap price because one of the straps was broken. A little quick nip tuck with my thread and needle helped save the outfit. I then paired it with a jean jacket and some wedged ankle boots I got from Target for $8 (on sale).  These wedges give me height and are super easy to walk in so I don't feel like I need to wear sneakers when I go to the park and then change shoes when I meet up with my friends. 

Dress: Urban Outfitters, similar look here

Shoes:  Mossimo Kalare Wedge Ankle Boot in Cognac

Jacket: Thrift store find, similar look here