When Tieks by Gavrieli asked me to review their ballet flats, I wasn’t so sure. Would shoes that fold flat to fit into your purse be comfortable, and more importantly, sturdy enough for the $165.00 price? And where would I wear them? It’s not like I work in a job that requires wearing heels, where bringing along a comfortable pair of ballet flats makes sense. But, when I took them on our AmaWaterways Christmas markets cruise, these shoes quickly became a favorite.
Do you like the so slimming pants at Chico’s? I’m a big fan, especially with a good looking pair of boots. That’s how I ended up packing three pairs of boots for the AmaWaterways cruise—I know, I’m usually preaching to you about packing light, but those pants with boots are so cute. But, what shoes would I wear with my favorite Chico’s pants when I became tired of wearing boots (or they made my boomer feet hurt)? There really wasn’t room in the suitcase for ANOTHER pair of shoes.
Matte black Tieks to the rescue. I folded the shoes flat and tucked them into a corner of the carryon. Now I had another pair of shoes to wear with my selection of so slimming pants. During a morning onboard the Amacello as we cruised down the Rhine, I wore Tieks instead of boots. After returning from an afternoon excursion, I took off my ugly walking shoes and put on the much cuter Tieks. The cushioned instep felt oh so comfortable after hours of browsing through the Christmas markets. And, the cushioned back didn’t cause blisters on my heel the way shoes with elastic backs do.
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While the non-skid rubber patches on the soles gave the ballet flats a sturdy feel, I didn’t test them on an outdoor surface. Anyway, I have other shoes for wearing outdoors, these Tieks are staying clean and pretty for the next cruise. They’ll look great with crop pants.
I should have taken a photo of the classy packaging of Tieks shoes. They arrived in a turquoise box with silk flower on top. Luckily, Nancy D. Brown took a photo when her shoes arrived so that I can show you. A bag for storing heels (this is in case you take them to the office) and plastic clips for turning up the hem so that your pants don’t drag the floor came in the box as well. The company offers free shipping and free returns, too.
Just in case you’re opposed to wearing leather, check out the vegan collection made with European textiles and man-made materials.
Do you own a pair of Tieks? Join the conversation at the My Itchy Travel Feet page on Facebook or send us an email with your comments or questions.
