with my favorite ballet flats in Tuscany.
a great ballet flat is hard to find.
so when i discovered the chic ballet flats by French shoemaker Arche several years ago, there was a hallelujah moment. a woman stopped me on the shoe floor at Saks once, exclaiming over my Arches. she thought they were Lanvin.
the brand is still a bit under the radar and not typically featured by bloggers, so here's my review:
the materials: buttery and thick leather uppers and lining with a substantially cushioned insole and latex outsole. i say 'substantially' because 98% of ballet flats that are stylish happen to have a paper-thin sole that wears out quickly. the Arches have a mini 0.5" heel, and the grippy latex outsoles are sturdy and practical for rain or shine.
the fit: these run a bit small lengthwise, so size up (i take a US 6.5/occasionally a 7, and need a EU 38 in these). as anyone who loves ballet flats knows, fit is tricky to get right. i have somewhat narrow heels, so finding shoes that don't slip in the heel is a never-ending quest. the moderate elastication ensures a flattering fit and no heel slippage. unlike some other ballets that are overly elasticated, the Arches don't dig or rub or give me blisters.
the comfort: comfy right out of the box, and i'd rate these an 11 out of 10 for all-day walkability and actual arch support. a definite travel essential – i always pack mine as an easy chic walking shoe. these have taken me all around NYC, Tokyo, and the cobblestone streets of Rome.
walking around in Tuscany with my Arche ballets (also here and here) / favorite denim jacket / trusty trio bag
worth it? absolutely. they rarely go on sale and are not inexpensive, but are much more affordable compared to the ever-inflating prices of designer shoes these days. and i love that they're still made in France by a small, not flashy, family-owned company that specializes in making shoes.
i hope this is helpful! do you have Arches? what are your ballet flat go-tos?
P.S. the closet edit continues: just updated the shop with new Dieppas here and here.
these look really comfortable, but they look a little orthapedic - not like a true ballet flat (e.g. repetto)
ReplyDeletei agree with you on the wee bit of ortho-ness of the Arches. i have a pair of 'true' Porselli ballets and while i love those for the classic look and the overall comfort, i would never be able to walk around all day in them. i find it interesting that originally ballet flats were never meant to be street shoes, and now they've become so popular...
DeleteI love Arches! My ballet flat go-tos are from Ann Mashburn. They are extremely comfortable right out of the box, the cushioned insole is great, and despite having narrow heels these fit perfectly.
ReplyDeleteAnn Mashburn is great! More people should know about the brand/store.
Deletei recently discovered AM and love the aesthetic :) thanks for reminding me!
DeleteMidlife fashion bloggers feature Arche:). We love them.
ReplyDeletehaha! :) great minds.
DeleteUnfortunately, I can't wear Arche. I find their soles a little too squishy and the heels too wide. They were supremely comfortable though when I tried them on! I've decided I can't wear ballet anything (flats or pumps) because they always fit weird. I'm still looking for a nice pair of flats for traveling though!
ReplyDeleteyeah i hear you on the fit issues. there are so many factors that affect how shoes fit, when i find a brand that is super comfy i stick with it. other than my Arches i find that TOMS and my Nikes are the other best travel flats.
DeleteI second the above comment - i don't know whose feet ballet flats were made for and haven't worn them since i was maybe 8 years old. i have narrow heels and most ballet flats strike me as shapeless, unsupportive foot sheaths. that said, i also think the quality of shoes has gone down over time more than any other women's clothing item. i did some research on this not long ago because i have such an awful time finding comfortable shoes (even at high prices, and even boots!) and found that most shoes today, because they are made in Asia, are based on an Asian last, and Asian women's feet are very different (according to this article) from your typical Euro-American woman's. The piece was in the NY Times and i wish i could link to it but can't find it right now. anyway, i don't know if this explains the whole problem, but there is definitely a ton of crap on the market for women when it comes to shoes. even Fryes are terribly uncomfortable for me, which sucks because i like some of their styles. i did own a pair of arches years ago - lace up oxfords they were - and i seem to remember they were pretty good comfort wise but haven't tried them since then, maybe i should try them again! they look great on you and in general i find that this blog has pointed me toward some of the more comfy shoes out there that are also stylish, so thanks for that! and sorry for the rant :) - the topic of shoes just really gets me going!
ReplyDeletethanks AD - i completely agree with you re the quality issues with women's shoes nowadays. i find that different brands have very different 'lasts/fits', so when i find one that fits me well (ie: Ferragamos, Arches, etc) i tend to be very loyal.
DeletePS let us know if you find that NYT article - it sounds fascinating!
My go to Ballet flats are made by Frye. I love the colors they offer and the look of the leather. Their brown flats are so unique in color that i could never find a replacement for them. They have a rather thin sole though, that wears out easily. I get them resoled from time to time. And for durable flats, i love Cole Haan by Nike/Sharapova line. The sole is made by nike with a leather upper and are extremely durable.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read that article as well! I have long, narrow feet and for ballet flats the only brand that has really worked for me is Delman. I just wait for something in my size to go on sale (Gilt has them often). The soles are too thin for doing a ton of walking but they are pretty good for casual wear. I also have a pair from Geox that are not as chic but still not bad, and much more walkable.
ReplyDeleteI've found Geox ballet flats very cushy and long lasting. They have a sole not unlike the cole haan nike sole but a daintier profile....very flattering on the foot. I was worried they were too republican housewife but then saw alexa chung in a similar pair, with quilted sides and a bow, and they looked great with a loose chambray shirt and leather mini. So yes the styling of the geox ballet flat is a bit off putting at first but only til you get the hang of it. I climbed a mountain in france in mine and they did great!
ReplyDeleteDo you think they stretch enough for wide feet?
ReplyDeletei think so - the leather is quite supple, and will mold to your feet :)
DeleteLove, love, love Arche. For the comfort and durability. I have tried literally every make and model of comfort shoe, walking shoe, etc. that exists, and these and Merrells are absolute tops. I have put many many miles on my Arches, in travels all over the globe.
ReplyDeleteStylewise, they can be quite quirky..."orthopedic" is a good descriptor! I can usually find a couple of more classic styles each season (e.g. Maryjanes, wedges, slingbacks) however. Olivia
I've always been more partial to the Porselli/Repetto traditional ballet flat shape versus the elasticized, Lanvin-type of shape. And I think in the shape I prefer, it really is such a challenge to find one that has enough cushioning in the footbed to make it comfortable enough for all-day walking. Whereas the Lanvin-type shape lends itself to allow for cushier footbeds given their construction, the more traditional shape with its sleeker dimensions doesn't. Which is why I've more or less given up on finding the perfect ballet flat for me, at least the one that I know can withstand a full day of walking while traveling.
ReplyDeleteI've since converted to New Balance 410s. My recent stay in the UK for work forced my hand. It was still too cold for open shoes (i.e. my trusty and ergonomic Gizehs)/ballet flats, and my feet hurt from almost 9-10 of being on my feet, even in flat boots. I think with that much walking and standing, and probably with my advancing age (ha!) sneakers with adequate arch support are the only way to go. I would have preferred the 574s as they offered more support, by they looked like those wheelie shoes on my feet. The 410s were much, much sleeker and worked better with my proportions.
I swear by Madewell skimmers, even after trying on all the expensive brands in Saks. They have a sleek profile, look much more expensive than they are and are decently padded. Not much on the website right now, but hopefully they will stock more in the fall.
ReplyDeleteI love ballet flats, but they are not meant for the outdoors. I think most ballet flats were made for ballerinas who wanted a flexible shoe for simple dancing at social events, but could still walk home in them. Most likely they were meant as indoor shoes.
ReplyDeleteThere has been a trend for ballet flats/barefoot shoe trend, and Linge shoes are those. They are basically ballet shoes for outside, but I don't recommend them. I had two pairs... and they don't hold up for everyday street wear. I walked around for at least 2-3 hours, but on streets in Japan with the yellow bump markers for the blind, it was painful and I had to be careful walking around.
Besides Porselli (which I haven't bought yet but am considering), there is also Anniel. I don't think they are as widely known as Porselli, but they are still family owned and operated and primarily manufacture dance shoes. Another brand I like, that is mainly available in Japan, is Space Craft. I own a pair and love them. The majority of their shoes are not true ballet flats, but a modern spin... and most are unisex.
It's thank to you that I got my own pair of Arche Laius flats in a beautiful teal. What I've noticed these days is the dye has started to color my toes and the ball of my feet teal after a few hours or a day's wear. Has this happened to you?
ReplyDeletehi Elaine - thank you for commenting and my apologies for the belated reply!
Deletei remember a little bit of the dye rubbing off initially on my pair of Arches that were in the nubuck leather, but i had another metallic pair that didn't have this issue. i think it's just an initial breaking-in thing, not a permanent characteristic.