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Would You Wear Nov 12, 2007 @ 4:00pm

Would You Wear Tory Burch Flats?

by Britt Aboutaleb

We were scoping out cute outfits in the East Village this morning. We envied the plaid coats, the vintage bags, and the dirty blonde hair (dirty like no shampoo, not like color).

But we stopped cold more than once - and not just because of the wind. Too many outfits ended in Tory Burch flats!

A couple of years ago, when we first caught sight of the gold emblem atop a patent leather toe, we did want a pair, even though we had no clue who Tory Burch was. But if we had $200 to spend on a pair of shoes at that point, it would have gone toward the Marc Jacobs ballet flats we STILL think about.

We stopped wanting Tory flats in just a few months, when the shoes popped up everywhere, from London to San Francisco, and on everyone from Oprah to Kate Bosworth - and sooo many moms.

Now there are fake Tory shoes everywhere, from Steve Madden to Strawberries, and it doesn’t take a trained fashionista to spot a gold medal without any “T’s” on the toe.

And here’s our theory:

Tory Burch flats inspire the same feelings as logo designer bags. We scope out cute ensembles because we’re inspired by individual style. And putting a giant logo in the middle of your oufit, screams, “I spent $200 on these shoes so that everyone knows I own Tory Burch!”

On the other hand, they’re really comfortable and they do look pretty cute.

But are they still okay to wear? We can’t do it…

—BRITT ABOUTALEB

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posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 4:08PM

you cant wear the tory burch flats... but the mj stam is ok?

posted by amandabug

Nov 12, 2007 4:13PM

i own a pair of tory silver jelly ballet flats. they hurt like hell. i realize they're plastic since they're see-through jelly flats, so there's no way i'll break them in without breaking my feet first, but please, someone help. i've only worn them once, and i've already tried to stretch them out with a shoestretcher at home.

posted by miss

Nov 12, 2007 4:13PM

my friend has a black leather pair.. and they dye her toes black!

so now when i look at her feet i think 'you paid $200 for a saggy-backed none-shoe that all the girls have your age are wearing.. and permanently-dyed dirty toes!'

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 4:15PM

I wear them just becasue they actually fit my feet. My foot is very small (a 4.5 to a 5) and the stretchy back really helps the shoe stay on. It's so hard to find small shoes, it's ridiculous!

posted by superflippy

Nov 12, 2007 4:18PM

I've never been a fan of ostentatious logos. I'd rather my shoes make the statement "she has a good sense of style" than "she's attempting to be in the know."

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 4:29PM

These shoes are indeed pretty small. I wanted the black captoe on the white shoe. The shoe fit my feet, but the line and shape my foot made looked literally absolutely disgusting because I have wide feet. Seriously really gross. I am still bitter. Also bitter that the beautiful black captoe white Marc by marc mary janes are ridiculously narrow. And I own both marc by marc and mj collection shoes... none of which are that severely narrow. Oh, how I wish higher end shoe lines would fit more like mass market shoes!

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 4:41PM

No. I hate the gold emblem. And the elastic in the back just looks like it gives one terrible blisters.

posted by olyaiscool

Nov 12, 2007 4:55PM

i cannot begin to say how this post hit home. i wanted a pair after i saw 2-3 on other people and thought they were cute. but before i even found $200 for flats, everyone and their mom was wearing them. they are the new "ugg boot". cute and comfortable but you forfeit all uniqueness.

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 4:57PM

I'm with you, Britt... don't do it. These shoes are the footwear equivalent of those awful Coach c-logo bags. No originality.

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 5:07PM

I just really dislike the garish gold emblem. A lot. So to answer your question... no.

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 5:29PM

Way too many girls have these shoes or a version "inspired" by them. They are almost as ubiquitous as the Dourney and Burke (sp?) bags that are white with the multi-colored logo print. All the small town girls have them and don't even know that they are referencing Louis Vuitton ca. 2003.

So no, I would not wear them. And I LOVE ballet flats.

posted by fashionursta

Nov 12, 2007 5:34PM

Absolutely not! Although I love the comfort of a ballet flat, I would rather wear something that others can't identify. Wearing something that screams someone else's name, to me, telegraphs that you don't have individual style. But there are people that need a logo, so I guess there is a place in the market for these. I also think that the giant Tory Burch logo is hideous. Tory Burch is a socialite, and I think that when certain people wear her stuff, they are buying into the lifestyle that she represents. And by the way, what were these flats doing walking around the East Village? To me they are so not downtown style. As Simon Doonan once said about wearing cardigans draped over the shoulders "that should be a felony!"

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 5:42PM

frankly, i am surprised that they are still around on any other target group than soccer moms. i didn't like them from the get-go, and here's why: i don't like socialite designers. i think the only designers that can ge away with big logos are chanel and givenchy. elastics in the back of flats are completely unacceptable, especially when they come with a $200 price tag. and i have to agree with guest 1 on the stam.

posted by Allie

Nov 12, 2007 6:13PM

No, they're never okay. They just scream, "I am a follower!"

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 6:35PM

as much as i agree with everyone else that i would rather wear something others cant identify, no one i know owns these shoes besides me so basically im the only one who can identify them in my town. hahah

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 6:48PM

i wouldn't wear them, just because everyone else is wearing them (especially the knock-offs) and i hate wearing what everyone else is wearing.

also, i really don't think they're that cute.

posted by stacy

Nov 12, 2007 7:05PM

I'll absolutely buy Tory Burch flats because true ballet flats have actually become hard to find. I found a vintage pair of black mary jane flats in 2003 and wore them to death and it was before they were really cool so everyone kept asking me if I was a dancer....

Now it's really hard to find a ballet flat that has the scrunching in the back to hold it on your foot without any crazy embellishments/patterns. Basically the reva flat and sue london flats are the only great options. Gap occasionally has one, as does Martin & Osa and Penny Loves Kenny.

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 7:37PM

I am so glad u posted it. I HATE those shoes. Infact i was talking to my friends about it. People who buy and wear those shoes are the same ones who buy the LV monogrammed bag that is not that expensive. The small clutch that doesn't cost much but yet u can say u own LV. People without taste. Or rather people who live in UWS or midtown. Girls who wear mock turtle neck with no sleeves ( another pet peeve). they think buying tory burch flats is like buying into style but little do they know the whole idea was ripped from roger vivier ( i'd rather starve myself and get vivier any time). The girls who buy these flats are the same girls who are like this: straight blown out hair ( but really fried hair) fake tans, wifebeater seven boot cut jeans and a LV or gucci monogrammed clutch ( not the good one) under their arms and too much lip gloss and hang out in meat packing district. Uggh those shoes are horrible.

posted by britt

Nov 12, 2007 8:33PM

ok so the stam in question isn't actually mine -- it's faran's. but i'm going to defend it anyway, because the stam doesn't have giant gold "MJ's" stamped upon it and isn't designed by a socialite -- and because in 20 years it'll be awesome to hand down an original marc jacobs stam bag to your daughter or grandaughter or whomever -- and because it's sort of like the balenciaga bag that i was so sick of seeing for awhile but now wish i had in my closet.

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 8:54PM

Stacy...
I don't know if you have an Off Saks or whatever the outlet is called near you, but they sell saks brand ballet flats with the scrunching in the back that are super comfy. They come in solid colors and the leather is really nice too. So if you're still looking for the perfect ballet flat I'd check that out.

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 9:49PM

here's my issue - i got my pair when NO ONE had them 2 years ago...now i have to completely forfeit my shoes? :(

posted by guest

Nov 12, 2007 10:17PM

Can Tory please make something without that giant "cross" logo that I can wear to temple?

posted by Lindsaysue12

Nov 12, 2007 10:56PM

I'll never wear them. To me, the scream *suburban-mom-who-shops-at-nordies-and-needs-to-justify-her-.:*wealth*:.

posted by arcane

Nov 12, 2007 11:49PM

^exactly.

also, i just don't think they're very attractive. and that scrunching in the back is insane.

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 12:56AM

NO. Repetto, Repetto, Repetto.

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 12:57AM

i'd wear it, but get it on sale. Vogue says its marked down to $60+ on 7th on sale.

but there are other great alternatives for flats. How much are a pair of Repettos or Maloles?

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 12:58AM

Despite being a copy, I think the Jeffrey Campbell fleur de lis flats are so much nicer, especially with the snake skin:
http://www.lorisshoes.com/fashiontrends/uploaded_images/jeffcampbell3-709647.jpg

I bought this color:
http://www.lorisshoes.com/assets/images/LDS03302.jpg

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 1:13AM

honestly!!! what is with you people and moms?!?! just because you have a baby does not mean that you forfeit all sense of style. it just means you have a baby. so i have a baby. i still read british and italian vogue and i would still rather chew my own toe nails off than wear these shoes. lay off the moms!!!

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 2:24AM

UGHHH when my sister came home with a pair of these last year i wanted to smack her! they are so ridiculously hideous. that ostentatious gold toe-bling with the gaudy cross makes me feel queasy

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 3:13AM

I've had the black with the silver logo for about a year now. I didn't want to buy into the whole craze, I don't own logo anything, but forsome reason I was drawn to them. I guess because I wear mostly solid colors like red, black and grey and these shoes added a little something to the outfit. Since so many people have them now I thought about getting rid of them, but I couldn't do it. I actually like the shoes. They are well broken into and look great with all my basics.

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 8:55AM

i own them in silver python - theyre the most uncomfortable shoes in my closet, don't buy them.

posted by guest

Nov 13, 2007 10:18PM

i got the reva flats in black patent leather with the black logo. i thought they were pretty comfortable when i tried them on in the store and they didnt make me feet look that big (they are wide and i wear a 9). i thought this was perfect but now that i have worn them a couple times they hurt and i guess i still need to break them in but i got screwed because i didn't want the gold logo so my logo is a cheap material that will definitely rip sooner or later which makes me so mad i paid $200 for them!

posted by guest

Dec 31, 2008 11:11PM

tory burch revas are hands down the most comfortable shoe i've ever worn. i couldn't care less about the logo. when i find a comfortable pair of flats, i run with it. i have three pairs, but i got a decent deal on all of them. they're perfect for teaching.