French Sole - worth it?

[theonlynonblonde]

I love the look of ballet flats, but find the cheaper ones hideously uncomfortable. they manage to rub, chafe and generally bust my arches. is it worth moving away from the cheapo ones to something like French Sole? don't mind paying a bit for clothes and shoes IF they are going to last me ten a couple of years and basically not cripple me.

If you read the thread about the blochs ballet shoes wearing out after 5 months then you may be put off. It seems that shoes with a leather sole are not very hard wearing.

It depends how many pairs you have. For instance, at any one time I usually have a black pair, a navy pair, a gold pair and a snakeskin pair, and, because they don't each get worn every day, each pair lasts about three summers. For the winter I buy the 'sturdy' ones, which usually last a couple of winters.

My LK Bennett ballet flats have lasted really well (£40 from the outlet) but the leather is a bit thicker than the French Sole leather which is lovely and soft but to me feels like my clod hoppers would rub through it in 5 mins.

So I'd say upgrade a bit - but not as far as FS?

The most hard-wearing ballet pumps I've had are from GAP (I wore them almost daily for about 3 years - traipsing around London walking lots & lots) and Joules (in the sale for £20). Weirdly, the GAP ones felt quite flimsy, but for some reason were actually made of steel and lasted ages and ages. The Joules ones are now looking scruffy, but don't have any holes or anything in them - they could probably be revived with a bit of shoe polish.

Puffykins, I've often looked at the 'Sturdy' FS shoes - do they have a 'proper' sole like normal shoes? I'm still a bit iffy about spending the money, but I do want them quite badly...

I lusted after a pair of their leopard print square toed pumps for ages. Ordered them but am disappointed that at that price they are not leather lined....just a fabric sock. Also they are v slippery!

Yes, the sturdy ones have a proper sole.

Leather sole pumps aren't very good for everyday wear. As soon as I get a pair (last ones were pied a tierre (sic?) I take them to my cobbler and her puts on a hard wearing sole for me. Otherwise they're ruined in under a month (especially if it's wet weather).

I'm not sure the OP actually mentioned leather soles, but it's quite correct that these aren't suitable for everyday wear. That doesn't mean the shoes won't last, but you should be prepared for a visit to the cobbler every few months, based on a few hours wear per week.

For support, a ballet shoe isn't really the best style - maybe you should try a brogue instead?

Or, to stick with flats, these should last for ages, a pair of custom flats should be better fitted and so last longer and be more comfy and Repetto really have kept the quality that made them dancers' shoes.

These have been the most fabulous flats, leather outer so soft and comfy so no heel rub, leather lined but with thin rubber sole so really well wearing. They do a mix of colours each season and I now have 8 pairs. French sole to me were a disappointment and I have flats by jimmy choo and others and nothing has been as comfortable as these dune ones

www.dune.co.uk/belmont-d-ballerina-bow-pump-prodbelmontd10black/

www.dune.co.uk/belmont-d-ballerina-bow-pump-prodbelmontd82camel/

www.dune.co.uk/mony-d-quilted-bow-ballerina-prodmonyd24blackwhite/