tieks review - good travel shoe?

Tieks Website

i was on the hunt for comfortable and stylish shoes for travel and during my research, i kept coming across youtube videos and articles about tieks.  i was intrigued.  they are basically ballet flats that claim to be "reinvented" and Oprah is allegedly a fan.  when i checked out the website, i had to admit that the shoes looked cute and there was an impressive array of color choices.  they were handmade in italian leather and seemed to fold up nicely and take very little space in luggage.  but the prices!  $175 to $345!!!  for ballet flats!  yes, they are handmade, but could they possibly be worth it?  let's find out!

i decided to order a pair and give them a try.  i figured that i could return them if they were immediately uncomfortable (even though several of the reviews I read noted that a breaking-in period was required).  i have tried shoes with a similar concept and they were obviously uncomfortable and/or lacked support.  i had faith that my sensitive feet would not lead me astray, so i took the plunge. 


the ordering and shipping process was easy and quick.  i ordered the lemon patent tieks on a Monday.  the total cost with tax (shipping is free) = $212.55. (eeek!)  on Wednesday i received a shipping confirm.  then the very next day, i received a small rectangular package.  happiness!


 i eagerly opened the box and was presented with an adorable blue box adorned by a crystal-embellished flower.  inside, were my new tieks - folded up - along with some marketing materials and a travel pouch.  super cute!!!

i immediately tried them on and, upon first impression, they were quite comfortable.  i could tell the leather would need a bit of time to mold and stretch around my feet, but they felt good.  my feet are a true size 6 and a little wide, so flats tend to pinch my chubby toes and chafe my heels.  i'm hoping these shoes will stretch and not cause any pain.

on my first day of full wear (7:30 am - 5:30pm), they performed well.  i think i only noticed a little bit of soreness on my right toe after 9 hours of wear.  not bad!

on my 2nd day of full wear, they were even more comfortable.  moreover as i entered the elevator at my work, a lady excitedly proclaimed "i love your yellow tieks!"  i was also excited to meet a fellow tieks-wearer, and asked her how she felt about them.   she obviously was obsessed with them because she told me she owned eight - count them - eight pairs!  she advised me that it might take 5-7 wears to reach full comfort, but i have to say that they are already pretty comfortable.  i even walked up a rather steep hill after lunch and they performed well.  they are definitely more comfortable than my tory burch, jcrew or banana republic flats so far.  And the soles offer sufficient protection against uneven or gravely or cobblestone-y ground.

i think it took me about 5 wears to truly break in my tieks.  i will definitely be taking them with me on my 3 week trip to Italy where i plan to do lots of walking (to burn off all the pasta, wine and gelato i plan to be having).

what are your favorite travel shoes?  comment below and let me know!