Inexpensive, Comfortable, Stylish Ballet Flats?

[krispi]

My BF and I have a short weekend trip to NYC planned for early April. I''ve been on the hunt for comfortable but stylish shoes for the trip, since we''ll be doing a lot of walking. I just got this pair of Steve Maddens at DSW over my lunch break, and I''m super excited about them. They''re really comfortable! But I''d also like to find a pair that''s a little more dressy. I was thinking about a black pair of ballet flats, but I haven''t been able to find any that I like. Either they''re cute or they''re comfortable, but I haven''t found a pair that''s both. Any suggestions?

A little bit more about what I''m looking for - I prefer solid black, no suede, with some kind of embellishment on the toe - bow , buckle, etc. I''m trying to keep the price about $50 or less, and like I mentioned - they have to be comfortable for lots of walking!

 

[crown1]

hi! i have a pair of brown and a pair of white privo leslie mesh ballet flats. i got them from zappos and they are soooooo comfy. they have a sole that makes it feel like an althletic shoe. they are not the most stylish but are not bad for walking around like you will be in the city. i don''t see them on zappos now but a search found them on amazon with a 49 buck savings. they are priced at 29 bucks. they have them in black. i have not personally seen the black but you might want to take a peek. not just what you are seeking but for the price you can''t beat it. hth.

 

[jas]

payless has some super-cute styles right now!

 

[belle]

i have these in a ....couple of colors

they are steve madden 'kerrii'
i know what you mean about either cute or comfortable. i am all about comfort. other than running shoes, i don't find comfort in too many styles of shoes. i think these flats are a nice combination. i would order them from zappos and at least try them out. the reviews seem to be hit or miss as far as size. for me, they were true to size. (even though steve maddens usually run large for me)
ps, you can get them cheaper on endless or smartbargains...maybe even ebay.

 

[sera]

Typically DSW carries Aerosoles, Clarks, Easy Spirit and Hush Puppies- each comfy and typically supportive. Shoe Pavillion carries Aerosoles often as well. The Clarks Artisan have a lot of cute styles... It seems Easy Spirit has a few cute shoes now... I just bought a really cute pair. If you can get them on sale at DSW, then they can be pretty cheap. The Skecher''s ballet-sneakers are cute and comfy- they have a lot of variations.

Try using Zappos search... these are some I found by search women''s casual flats and are brands I find very comfortable...

Naturalizer

Clarks

Skechers I have a few ballet flat sneakers but not these particular ones- all of them are very comfy and sturdy.

Dr. Scholl''s I saw these at Macy''s and picked them up- super light.

Dr. School''s Mary Janes

Aerosoles I actually tried these on (without the ankle strap) at DSW and thought they were very flexible, soft and comfy.

 

[krispi]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I''ll see if I can find somewhere to try some of these on. Since I really want them to be comfortable, I do kind of want to try them on first.

I also tried these on at DSW in black, but they didn''t have them in the right size. They were fairly comfortable because the insides are quilted as well. My biggest concern was that they look a little too much like house slippers. What do you guys think? The real temptation is that I found them on line at Goody''s for only $15!! DSW wanted to charge $40. It kind of makes them hard to pass up. They''re made by Sam and Libby, and I''ve had pretty good experiences with that brand in the past.

 

[sera]

Are those by Sam & Libby? I have them in gold and they are comfy. Before buying them I debated about getting them because I thought the same thing- slippers!

But, whatev... I bought them anyway... anyone who knows me is going to know I wouldn't be wearing slippers. And if someone who doesn't know me thought they were slippers, oh well, I don't know them and it doesn't matter to me. I liked them, wanted some gold, they were comfy- so I got them.

I don't know how they would feel walking in them all day. If I'm walking, I wear something with more cushioning (though they are slightly cushioned).

 

[moremoremore]

Those flats are super cute. I'm so tall that I'm a flat addict. I looked for them but can't find black in my size. Bummer. I have to say admit that I have two pairs of flats from...payless...that rule in terms of comfort. One is discontinued (black patent "Ava" that looks just like kate spades and on which I get compliments constantly)...if you can find them, they are awesome. I just did a 2 day shopping extravaganza in NYC and they were great!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FrekeChild]

check this out

I figure it''s worth a look. It''s basically a chain (with only two stores) here in New Mexico but their real business is online which pulls the inventory from the stores.

I didn''t know if you''d gotten anything yet, and figured I''d post it.

 

[marvel]

Date: 2/27/2008 6:39:15 PM
Author: moremoremore
Those flats are super cute. I''m so tall that I''m a flat addict. I looked for them but can''t find black in my size. Bummer. I have to say admit that I have two pairs of flats from...payless...that rule in terms of comfort. One is discontinued (black patent ''Ava'' that looks just like kate spades and on which I get compliments constantly)...if you can find them, they are awesome. I just did a 2 day shopping extravaganza in NYC and they were great!!!!!!!!!!!

These flats are super cute. I have the opposite problem...I''m so short that all my shoes have heels and I don''t have any cute flats

 

[Mara]

i actually got some cute and comfy Privo''s recently...but I was going to say also, check out Jessica Simpson''s line of shoes. I saw some super cute ballet flats in a mag this week for spring and I think they were her line of shoes.

Nordstrom.com has a great selection of ballet flats and you can order online and return to stores. Shipping is $5 i think. I love ordering from them.

Random note also but for cute ''walking'' shoes...I got the best shoes recently from Merrill...they are so comfy and super cute. I want to get another pair in a diff design.

 

[Mara]

Oh actually the name is Merell.

Here is a link...my design is slightly diff but same idea. They have a bunch of colors. I absolutely LOVE these shoes, I wear them for dance class but also for going out walking around. They are super cute with jeans too.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2975374/

 

[krispi]

Thanks for all the suggestions! You have some great ideas. I haven''t ordered them yet, but I''m about 99% sure I''m going with the ones from Goody''s. I just can''t pass up on the $15 price tag. Even if I get some inserts to make them a bit more comfy, they''ll come out less expensive than anything else I''ve found.