Tuneful & Trendy: Tieks (#5)

It's Tieks time!

If you've been following my Tuneful & Trendy posts, you'll see some colored flats I've been wearing with several of my outfits. These are an amazing shoe from the company Tieks. Tieks are ballet flats that come in a wide variety of colors, textures and patterns. The bottom soles are the signature blue Tieks color on every shoe, however. There is padding and support throughout the shoe also, but more on that later!

Who?  I had seen posts, comments, etc. about Tieks for months on teacher boards and blogs. As a music teacher, I am on my feet dancing, moving instruments and handling classroom management almost all day. My feet are killing me! So, I finally broke down and bought a pair. 
What/Where? I have three pair of Tieks currently: black, mustard and poppy. Black is most common and versatile. Mustard fits my school district and Poppy was limited edition for spring. I've only done the original leather, but maybe some day I'll venture into the lace or vegan fabrics. 
The price tag is steep which is why many people want to try Tieks but aren't sure. Depending on the pair, you will pay $175-$350. I saved up money to buy my first pair and my husband treated me late for my new job. You can find some on eBay that have been used for a cheaper price, but they won't mold to your feet.
You can only purchase Tieks online but they are great about customer service. I ordered mine on a Friday and they arrived by Tuesday - crazy fast! If you experience any problems with them, they will help you as much as possible to fix the problem. This handy guide and bag is also included to answer any questions you have about the shoes.

Why?
I love these flats! They are great to wear to school for comfortability, but also because they go with almost everything and look very professional. Did I mention they were comfortable?



Now, down to the nitty-gritty details about these flats!

• Day 1:  I am obsessed with the packaging of these flats! Look at that bow! Eeek! I also swear that these flats gave me good luck. I interviewed for my current job this past spring. Their colors were yellow and black. The week of my interview my first Tieks came (Poppy). The bow on top of my package was yellow - it was a sign! I am so happy at my new job and that bow was just the beginning. You are receive a personalized note with every purchase. How nice! 

•  Day 2: After the first day, I was finally able to open the beautiful package and see what was inside. The flats come folded up for easy storage and travel. When wearing them, you don't notice the crease or ability to fold at all. Immediately when putting them off, they fit like a glove. The leather is so soft! Make sure nothing is cutting or restricting your feet and toes. As a wide footed person, my first pair was too small. I'm normally an 8 in flats, but I went up to a 9 with other pairs and they fit much better. Just be aware if you have a wide foot - you might have to size up.

• Days 3-10: These next few days differ from person to person. Some people have no "break-in" period at all. I sure did with all my pairs of Tieks! The blue soles and leather inside provide support but they needed to mold to my feet. However, they never caused bleeding or blistering like other flats especially on the back of my heel. As you can see well on my right foot, my feet tend to turn out. This is something that would bother me with other shoes because the fabric wouldn't move to fit my feet. Tieks do! The leather is stretchy and eventually bends around my outside little foot permanently. If your feet sweat, they will sweat in these just like any other shoe. You can wear liners if it's a big deal, but they don't smell like anything other than your feet or leather.

• Future: As the shoes mold to your feet, they should become more comfortable and easy to wear during the day. You should see darker leather and crinkles where your feet normally sit. This happens with each pair, so have no fear. The bottoms stay pretty pristine as well minus a stray pebble here and there in the crack. The only thing to be aware of is rain and snow. On my poppy Tieks, I got some water on it and the leather turned purple for a bit. It was strange but dried back to the normal color. They're not made for weather extremes, so I wouldn't recommend wearing them for such.

So, what's my honest opinion of Tieks? They aren't perfect but for a plus size teacher, they are so much better than any other flats I've had. The break-in period can be painful, but that is the case with most of my shoes. I love the colors and patterns that they have to match my wardrobe. Tieks are also so easy to pack and go! The price tag is high, but if you have lots of foot issues, I would give them a try. Or, see if you can find a friend that has them to just test them out for a minute. Tieks aren't an all-weather shoe, but they make a comfortable and fashionable statement for this lady!
I'm already saving up for my next pair - metallic bronze! These are beautiful for fall and winter (indoor) events. 

I hope I've given you a better idea about Tieks ballet flats. Please email me or comment below if you have questions or feedback about Tieks. Thanks for reading this week's Tuneful & Trendy!



Note: This post was not sponsored by Tieks, but does contain links for purchase if you choose. All opinions are solely my own and were given after personal use.