Tieks… the ballet flats with the iconic teal soles…
I had had my eye on Tieks for quite a while. They’re not exactly cheap (ranging from $175 – $345). And, they’re only sold online, so you can’t go to a store and try them on – something I really wanted to be able to do.
I spent more time than I care to admit looking at the Tieks website (www.Tieks.com) I was tempted by all the colors, but ultimately decided to go with the Matte Black, partly because I’m boring, but partly to replace my scuffed-up matte black flats I purchase at Target a long time ago (for a lot less than $175).
Tieks don’t come in half sizes, and everything I read online suggested going down in size. So, I ordered a size 6.
Yes, the packaging is cute, yes they come with an extra little bag to put your supposedly less comfortable shoes in when you change into your Tieks, and yes there was a personal note inside the box.
And, it’s obvious the shoes are made from nice materials.
Well, the 6’s were too small. So, I reached out to Tieks and they sent me a size 7 and gave me two weeks to decide which size felt better and send the other one back. (Everyone was extremely nice in the exchange process.)
When the 7’s arrived, the leather wasn’t as pretty as the leather was on the size 6’s – the size 7 leather was a little more ‘wrinkly’. And, honestly – they both felt tight and made deep red indentions on the top of my foot and on the back of my heel. That being said, I REALLY wanted to love these shoes.
I wore them both around my house for the full allotted return time.
I thought about asking them to send me another pair of 7’s in hopes of getting smoother, prettier leather, but I thought that back and forth could go on forever and I would just wind up looking like an insane person.
So, I kept the 7’s. I wear them…. sometimes.
They make farting noises when I walk, they make me feel like my toenails are coming off, and they still leave big red gouges in my feet. I wish there was more structure across the toe…. My toes kind of show through the leather, which I really don’t love.
I know everyone’s feet are different. (Although, I rarely have trouble shoe shopping…) Women talk about wearing these shoes all day at Disney – they talk about these shoes being their top pick when it comes to traveling, but I’m just not there.
I store my Tieks with tissue paper stuffed in the toes – hoping to stretch the leather taught – and give my toes a little more room. They arrive folded in half, and I frequently take them off and bend them backwards – hoping to stop them from feeling like little traps on my feet.
Along with my old Target flats (which, as much as I hate to say it, were more comfortable than my Tieks) I also have two pairs of comfortable, structured Breckelle’s flats…. These are not especially “nice” shoes, but like Tieks, they do come in an array of colors. I found my two pairs in a cute little store in Seattle… I bought a coral pair and a yellow pair… I think I paid $7 each. Mind you – the yellow isn’t as cute as Tieks’ Mustard Yellow and they don’t have adorable teal soles…
Having said all that, I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t tempted by every Tieks email that lands in my inbox. What, a new color? Well, I should at least look at them… I can’t say with absolute certainty that I won’t buy another pair – I might be curious to see how a different pair felt. But, I can tell you that I probably wouldn’t buy MY pair again… if that makes sense.