Replace ballet flats with?

[BaroqueRockstar]

no flats for me, only stilettos and boots

 

[katebug]

I hardly think my Lanvin flats are played out, or have a student look...especially at over $500 a pair. I can afford these and I'm a student but I do not represent a typical student. Maybe the ones with little bows or whatever have a younger look but to me the plain ones are just plain rounded toe flats, not little girlie shoes. They're classic and I'm going to wear them forever. It's like saying the pointy toe stiletto pump is played out just because everybody is wearing it at the moment.

For 30cm of snow...snow boots. Bring along a pair of shoes to change into indoors if you like.

Sometimes I feel as if I'm one of the few people here living in the "real world" and a lot of people have lost touch with it.

I just had a look at some of those $500 Lanvin flats, and I must say that if I saw someone wearing them I would have no idea that they were so expensive. They look the same as a $10 pair to me. A ballet shoe is a ballet shoe. It may be of a better quality, a slightly nicer shape, but the overall effect will be the same.

Perhaps this whole discussion is dependant on where you live and how old you are. As a 20 year old from London, I feel that ballet flats were hard to pull off in the first place, especially living in a cold and wet country, and as someone who works I believe that they do not look professional, even if can do look smart.

I agree they are very comfortable and versatile, but there is no structure to the shoe, and whilst it is ok for students (I am also a student) to look so 'comfortable', I'm finding that ballet flats seem to signify the Topshop brigade - something I dont want to be a part of.

They do have the look of slippers, and I dont dispute that they can be flattering, but they can also make you look stumpy and quite childish.

Maybe my attitude would change if I lived somewhere hot and where I felt I could incorporate them into an outfit and still look grown up.

I just find that in the ''real world'', where people cant afford to spend $500 on designer pieces, that its best to avoid pieces that are impractical and now considered very much overdone and too trendy.

 

[FashionGrrrrl]

Well we all have our own opinions. What shoes do you wear to work? Do you ever walk or take public transit or do you drive everywhere? I didn't get the impression that London was a driving city or that heels and cobblestones were compatible but I could be wrong. A lot of people on these forums like ballet flats and some also wear them to work, just because they don't have a heel doesn't make them unprofessional. I suppose you think someone standing with bare feet looks stumpy? Should we all wear heels 24/7 and to bed too? Btw, I am older than you and I live in a big city too and I've seen ballet flats pulled off quite well. I'm glad you enjoy being uncomfortable (perhaps shuffling along in your uncomfortable shoes and holding up traffic too?) but I don't think that's very professional or grown up. I also find you contradict yourself by saying you shouldn't be comfortable but that you also should avoid things that are impractical. My ballet flats are practical, I pull them off quite well without looking "stumpy" or "childish", and I'm not going to stop wearing them because of the opinion of a 20 year old.

 

[FashionGrrrrl]

Also, with more maturity you will stop caring so much about what the "Topshop brigade" does.

 

[kylarrae]

I think the most versatile shoe this year is a motorcyle boot. It's tough yet cute and can be dressed up and down.

 

[katebug]

Well we all have our own opinions. What shoes do you wear to work? Do you ever walk or take public transit or do you drive everywhere? I didn't get the impression that London was a driving city or that heels and cobblestones were compatible but I could be wrong. A lot of people on these forums like ballet flats and some also wear them to work, just because they don't have a heel doesn't make them unprofessional. I suppose you think someone standing with bare feet looks stumpy? Should we all wear heels 24/7 and to bed too? Btw, I am older than you and I live in a big city too and I've seen ballet flats pulled off quite well. I'm glad you enjoy being uncomfortable (perhaps shuffling along in your uncomfortable shoes and holding up traffic too?) but I don't think that's very professional or grown up. I also find you contradict yourself by saying you shouldn't be comfortable but that you also should avoid things that are impractical. My ballet flats are practical, I pull them off quite well without looking "stumpy" or "childish", and I'm not going to stop wearing them because of the opinion of a 20 year old.

Firstly, I must say that your post made me feel patronised and was quite condescending. I’m not sure why you wanted to do that, but telling people that they don’t live in the real world and directly inferring that I need to gain maturity is very rude in my opinion. It certainly offended me.

If you had read my first post you would have seen that I find it difficult to walk in high heels, and therefore don’t, as I too want to be practical. I have no problem with other people being comfortable too, and I don’t care if everyone decided to wear ballet flats! It’s just that from my experience of wearing them, and what I have seen other people wearing, I no longer believe that they have a place in my wardrobe.

I am allowed to have an opinion on the ‘Topshop Brigade’ and as someone who loves fashion, I will. My opinion is that the look (which I see replicated to the finest detail on hundreds of girls every day) is unimaginative, the clothes are of a bad quality and it’s not my style. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like the actual girls who wear such clothes. It’s my point of view.

I walk at least 5 miles a day and would not ever want to feel that walking was a struggle. It is quite extreme to insinuate that I would be holding up traffic when you hadn’t acknowledged that I said quite clearly that I want to be comfortable.

I thought this thread was about finding an alternative to ballet flats, and of course a sensible alternative would not be heels, the polar opposite, but a different flat shoe or a style with a low heel. I currently mainly wear some flat boots or a pair of brown loafers to work or uni, but would love to find something a little more feminine. I know that this will be easier in the summer when I don’t have to worry about rain, dirt and mud seeping into my shoes, which was always a problem in ballet flats.

I am a big advocate of flat shoes. I have had comments made at work and from family which confirmed my own suspicions that they were making me look very young and yes, less professional although my job is quite casual. Whether it’s right or not, our clothes do make statements about ourselves and other people WILL judge us on it. When at work, I feel that fashion is lower down on my priority list than looking professional, and in some workplaces ballet flats would not be acceptable.

I’m sorry that I seem to have offended you…although I’m not quite sure what I did. It must be that I am a mere 20 year old who has no maturity.

 

[katebug]

edit - double post

 

[FashionGrrrrl]

The real world comment was actually about wearing anything but snow boots in 30 cm of snow, not directed towards you. I've tried to wear high-heeled boots in snowy weather a few times in the past but have always ended up slipping and falling, and most of the other stylish, low-heeled or flat boots available have no traction and will produce the same results, especially if it's icy.

For 30cm of snow...snow boots. Bring along a pair of shoes to change into indoors if you like.

Sometimes I feel as if I'm one of the few people here living in the "real world" and a lot of people have lost touch with it.

As for the rest, not so much offended as confused, I felt that your previous post was equating comfort with childishness and unprofessionalism.

 

[katebug]

As for the rest, not so much offended as confused, I felt that your previous post was equating comfort with childishness and unprofessionalism.

No, sorry, that is not what I meant. They were two separate points. All shoes should be comfortable, otherwise there is little point in wearing them on a day to day basis imo. As I said before, I am searching for a pair of shoes that are both comfortable and professional looking. Ballet flats do not meet both criteria for me. I admit that they are comfortable, however, not always convenient either (cold, wet weather = soggy feet!)

 

[gia0202]

so are tod's style loafers awful? i see those as options

 

[FashionGrrrrl]

No, sorry, that is not what I meant. They were two separate points. All shoes should be comfortable, otherwise there is little point in wearing them on a day to day basis imo. As I said before, I am searching for a pair of shoes that are both comfortable and professional looking. Ballet flats do not meet both criteria for me. I admit that they are comfortable, however, not always convenient either (cold, wet weather = soggy feet!)

kk, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding.

Flat or low-heel boots of any height sound like they might work for cold, wet weather as long as it isn't freezing or snowing, though I haven't really figured out myself what to wear in the rain. I usually step in a puddle when I'm not looking where I'm going and my feet get soaked, lol. I should really wear something more waterproof that covers my ankles too. I've seen some cute rubber boots around but I'd need to carry around extra shoes to change into and I remember them not being too supportive for my feet when I used to wear them, my arches would hurt after a while.

 

[pavement]

I will probably be living in flats for the rest of my life. I'm a bum, but I want to look halfway decent.

I never did like ballet flats however. They just look stupid to me. Especially with the little bow tie things.

I've just about worn out my tweed flats, and really need some good leather ones. Otherwise I kind of like kitten heels on a pointed flat. They're about just as comfortable. I couldn't really be ***ed into wearing full heels anymore. I don't care whose occasion it is.

 

[gius]

i think flats are still great
just not ballet flats
so, wear flat high-cut shoes or short boots--so cute!