Glitter Jacquard Ballet FlatsClick here for product page
Item 28692
Regular: $188.00
Store: $69.99
J.Crew describes these "notice-me" flats as the following:
Hot stepper indeed. Add a little sparkle to your step with these couture-worthy beauties. We've stepped up our ballet collection with new design details, including a cushioned insole for maximum comfort, a rubber sole for added traction and an elasticized topline so they hug your foot just so. Metallic jacquard upper. Man-made lining. Part of J.Crew Collection. Made in Italy.So let me start off by saying... Go J.Crew! Why? Because I honestly think someone from J.Crew heard our complaints throughout the blog-o-sphere about their ballet flats (pretty office shoes, but uncomfortable to walk-around in). As a result of listening, they created a *new* generation of ballet flats that address our concerns nicely.
These shoes, and its sister-products like J.Crew's Cece Cracked Metallic Ballet Flats (item 32828; $128.00), all have a nice amount of padding. Even more padding then the Lux Shimmerveil Ballet Flats (click here for a product review)! The elasticized topline has just the right amount of snugness to make sure your foot stays in place without digging into the skin. These make walking around a lot more comfortable than its predecessor ballet flats.
But there's more! The new generation of flats have a rubber sole instead of the traditional leather sole. This is so much better because it adds a layer of comfort when walking. It also provides better traction. For the leather sole ballet versions, I would have to add a sole gripper. I don't have to for these new ones! :)It also seems to me that there is a slight interior wedge. Again, I love this because it adds a tiny bit of height without the pain of heels.
As for the Glitter Jacquard Ballet Flats style... The ballet flat is quite pretty in person. The use of gold and silver is enough to make the shoes shine, but not to the point like its Glitterati counterpart. I also found it true to size.
Lastly, my local brick & mortar (B&M) store is selling them for $69.99. I noticed that they are still full-priced online. If you are interested in them, it might be worth calling your local B&M to check on price.
What are your thoughts on the Glitter Jacquard Ballet Flats? Have you seen or own these ballet shoes? If so, what is your review of the fit & style? Would you recommend it to another fellow JCA?
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ReplyDeleteGreat review! I totally noticed the difference in how they feel on the foot. Hurrah for padding!!! They are definitely TTS. I usually wear 8 in JC shoes. I've tried both on in-store and my usual 7.5 fit best.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review! I'm so glad to hear they've made some positive changes to their flats. Maybe I'll actually consider purchasing a pair now. :)
ReplyDeleteYes there is alot of padding and they are comfy. I picked a pair up in my B&M at $69.99 less the 30%. Perfect for the holidays!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see they add some cushion and I love flats as I don't wear heels but the style of these looks a big out dated to me. Like old lady Naturalizer shoes I remember from the 80's or 90's. Sorry but that was my first thought!
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for leather soles on shoes, and I suspect that putting a rubber sole on these was more likely a cost-cutting measure by JCrew. And I don't think ballet flats should ever cost more than $100, considering how small they are. But they are pretty and sparkly.
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ReplyDeleteYes, I prefer leather soles on shoes as well. I have not been happy with the 3 pair of ballet flats I do own from JCrew. Glad to hear others think they are improved but I won't be trying/buying the new ones unless they are around $40-50 per pair.
Thanks for the review. I saw this couple weeks ago on the rack but I passed since the one I grabbed had fabric already frayed from the seams. They didn't have another size for me to compare so I passed. The original price is a joke for what it's worth. I do like the new sole that the previous non-leather slippery sole. But nothing is better than leather sole IMO.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, the rubber sole is a selling point for me as leather soles do not hold up well for me, especially when they are as thin as they should be on a ballet flat.
ReplyDeleteSome of my nicest shoes like some of my collection Cole Haans and my Attilio Giusti Leombruni flats have rubber soles or at least partial rubber soles and the ones that do are both more comfortable and wear better. To each his own...
I bought these and I love them :) normal jcrew flat size and very pleased
ReplyDeleteThat's a great deal Alexis! I think the flats are really cute. I don't mind the throwback cap-toe kind of styling.
ReplyDeleteI own a variety of flats and some of them have leather soles and some of them are rubber. If you wear TB Revas, you'll know that they all come with a rubber sole. The rubber sole is comfortable, but I like my J.Crew flats with the leather soles, too. I like the "click click click" sound when you're walking on a hard floor. :o)
Alexis, thank you for the great review! I found these at one of my local B&Ms and picked them up after reading your review... and you are right, these are so much more comfortable than the ballet flats from even just a year ago!! Wore them all day yesterday and they were perfect. Hope you are enjoying your vacation!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review. As a result I was quite excited to see these in person. However, I guess you can count me in the minority of those who don't care for the changes. I did see these shoes in person and like jcrewphd, I saw a lot of fraying. Upon close inspection I did notice the ever so slight interior wedge, but I honestly could not discern between the "padding" on this flat versus the padding of their other flats. It must have been very slightly different. I just didn't see the quality to warrant even a $69.99 - 30% sale price. If I had to sell these at full retail, I would price them between $30 to $36. I'll stick with all leather shoes (lining, upper and sole). One would think, Italy, with its rich history of quality leather goods would be embarrassed to see "made in Italy" stamped on the inside of the recent J Crew shoes. I just don't understand the decline in quality. To this day, my manmade lined/soled tortoise pumps are still stiff and uncomfortable whereas my older, all leather pumps (with a thinner, higher heel mind you) are far more comfortable. From my personal experience, all leather shoes break in sooner and soon feel like a "second skin" around one's feet--unless of course one has 4"+ heels. It's sad. I really miss the quality of the J Crew shoes from 4-6 years ago. I wish I had had more funds to buy as many as I could then. Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteThanks to your review, I snagged a pair of these in my size in the store once someone returned them :)
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