In Chicago, it’s not quite warm enough just yet (despite our streak of 9+ days in the 80s) for us to don our espadrilles, open-toe wedges, or gorgeous braided sandals (which I’m obsessed with and will blog about at a more apropos time) so we must stick to our interim shoe of choice: the flat. ‘Tis the season of the flat and I’ve had the honor, now that I walk to/from work again daily, to try out numerous brands of flats. So which do I choose? I’ve even began to poll my coworkers so read below before you spend your hard-earned (or hard-begged for from Mummy) money…
Oh, I swear I wanted to love you. I see numerous other women walking down Michigan Avenue wearing you. I wanted your elasticized back to be comfortable…I did!!! But no dice, for me at least. For $195-$235, these rank on the higher end of flats. I’ve noticed that flats go fast in the working world (and even in the walking around day-to-day world!) and at that price point, I don’t think I’d venture outside of buying a brown, camel or black pair. Not only did I find them easy to scuff and the signature “T” emblem wore/scratch easily, they blistered the Hades out of my feet after one wear. Some women I’ve talked to are obsessed with these shoes and find the elastic back affords them the ability to wear them with patterned ‘hose or barefoot. I do love Revas for the flexibility they afford as a flat you can still wear at work and not look like you forgot to switch shoes. They’re the Louboutains of the flat world. After my footsies heal, I think I may give these another to see if I can be proved wrong [Tory, if you're reading this, do feel free to prove me wrong with sending free pairs 
].
JCrew… if you had a subtitle, it’d be “Old Faithful” since you’ve never steered this prep wrong. Their ballets are so versatile; I’ve seen them with suits, skirts and as the main footwear in weddings (BFF-if you’re rea
ding this… since I’m in your wedding this NYE, I vote for these!) They come in a variety of prints and range roughly $128-$250, depending on the style and fabric/material you get. The Viv ranges from $188-$198 and with the pointy toe, are super on-point to match with your power suits. I’ve tried on both the Vivs and the ballets and both are extremely comfortable and durable. I love these Viv Striped flats for summer (pictured)!
What I think is super cool about this line of flats from JCrew, is that they even make them in a “rainy day” shoe as well, which aren’t uncomfortable and make a great spring/summer alternative to your favorite Hunters or Wellies. These are also only $58 and a great price for their multipurpose uses!
For only $12.99 and running the “flat” spectrum: ballet/rounded to pointy-toe, black and brown to glitter and leopard print, these shoes sound like a win. I haven’t tried them on, and I’m curious if any of you have… I do worry about the durability of the soles-would they be made for walking? Would they stand-up against the wear and tear of Chicago streets? I may wait until the the Target opens on State Street to find out!
Sorry for my verbose explanation about flats. But like the perfect pair of black heels or the right color Sperrys, you want to make sure you’re making a sound investment in shoes that could cost you over $200 or more. I’d love to hear what you all think about my flat review!
Cheers!
