I must not be in the know since I've been holed up with the baby ~ but as soon as I re-entered back in to the working world, everyone has been talking about Tieks by Gavrieli! I have to stand for most of my working day and am an avid flats wearer so was definitely intrigued by these shoes!
Tieks \
\, noun. The most versatile designer flats in the world. Made of the finest Italian leathers and designed to fold and fit in a purse. Wearable all day, every day.
Tieks is an online only bou-tiek so it makes ordering a little bit difficult since you can't try or even see before you buy. The sizes come in whole sizes only so if you're in-between, you're advised to order up. According to their website, they run true to size. One of the hardest parts about ordering Tieks (besides the price ~ ranges $165-$295!) is deciding which color to go with!!
I decided to go with Ballerina Pink and Metallic Pewter since they're a fairly neutral color.
Ordering: It's a pretty simple process going through their website!
Shipping: The website says 2-4 day shipping (especially since we're both on the West Coast). However, my order took about 2 weeks to arrive. I had to contact them to ask where my package was and was told there was a delay with their shipping department.
Packaging: I'm a sucker for beautiful packing and Tieks brings it up a notch with their "Tiffany-Blue" like boxes. The flower is perfect for my little one to wear as a headband! I've heard that many people get a handwritten note with their order but I did not. I did order several pairs for my coworkers as well so maybe I lost out on that extra personal touch because of my large order.
Customer Service: They're also known for their customer service and when corresponding with them, it really felt like I was conversing with a friend since their emails are also filled with emoticons! Nice touch! When my package arrived, I was missing one item and they were able to resolve it in a reasonable amount of time.
1st Impressions: I tried on the ballerina pink shoes first and was definitely impressed by the quality. The leather was buttery soft and the soles were nice and thick and looks like they'll last! They were fairly comfortable when I tried them on with no major pinching or rubbing. I did notice that the leather is pretty thin in that you can see where your toes are in the shoe. If you look closely at the picture above, you can tell where my toes are! Not a huge fan of that look but it's definitely more obvious with the lighter color flats. I do like the fact that there is little to no toe cleavage!
1st Day: I was not so smart when it came to wearing my Tieks for the first day . . . I was rushing to get dressed for work in the morning and thought since my Tieks were pretty comfy when I tried them on at home, I'll go ahead and wear them to work! I put on my metallic pewter pair and instantly noticed that this pair did not feel like my pink pair! The pewter pair had thicker leather (you can't see your toes as visibly in the shoe) so it wasn't as soft. The backs also pinched a little but I ignored it and thought I'd be able to stretch them out during the day.
Unfortunately they didn't quite stretch out that fast and although they did dig in to my feet a little, they did not leave blisters. I was still able to walk in them (which can't be said for other flats sometimes!) but they did leave my feet feeling tired at the end of the day. Also, is there a secret to refolding the flats? I guess you'll probably want to wipe down the soles prior or else you'd be touching the bottom of your shoes!
Lesson learned that all Tieks are not made equal! Some may need more of a breaking in time than others but hopefully once they are broken in, they'll be more comfortable!
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