Here is my honest Tieks shoes review and why I returned mine.

Yep. You read that right. I returned my Tieks. I know, I know. That’s sacrilege to those of you belonging to the cult of Tiek, but hear me out. 

And no, for those of you who know me well, I didn’t return them just because they are flats. I knew they were flats when I bought them. Actually, Tieks have been on my wish list for a really long time. I just couldn’t bear to hand over the money (they start at $175 a pair) for a pair of flats. The biggest struggle in deciding to purchase a pair was that I couldn’t find anyone I knew that actually had them. My cousin bought a pair for my aunt for Mother’s Day, but she never wears them. So, that doesn’t count. Sorry Kim!

Every other Tieks shoes review I had seen was so positive. I had heard SO many great things about these shoes online – comfortable, portable, most amazing shoes ever… If there’s one truth in this world, it’s that I love doing research before I buy anything. Actually, I love doing research on anything. That’s why it’s my job! I know if there are sales, promo codes, discounts, sales tax, how many and what stores carry the item. Tieks were no different. I checked out their website over and over, read reviews, and searched both Instagram and Pinterest for the who, what, and wear of Tieks. If I was going to spend that much money on a pair of flats, I was going to make sure I got the right pair.

After my final round of Instagram stalking, I decided I wanted to go with blush Tieks. Ballerina Pink, to be exact. The black seemed to be a bit too “harsh” and “clunky” in pictures. I had the blush Tieks in my tote, ready to go, but I still couldn’t bring myself to hit “checkout”.

Then, one day I was out of town for work and saw a real life girl wearing an actual pair of Tieks – right in front of my very own eyes! I had to be “that girl” and stop and fangirl over her and her shoes, and obviously her fabulous life choices. Then, two other girls joined the conversation, confirming they were the best shoes they had ever worn in their lives and that they each had multiple pairs. I was sold and immediately ordered a pair that night.

I had read the shoes would arrive in a cute little box with a travel bag, and they didn’t let me down. They even sent a handwritten note wishing my shoes and me the best of luck. Which I thought was extra adorable.

Now here’s where the disappointment started creeping in. The shoes come folded up inside the box. I know they are supposed to fold and that is one of the main perks of the shoes, but due to being shipped like this and spending most of their young lives curled up in their box, the leather came pre-creased and wrinkled.

Maybe in a textured print or patent leather, this wouldn’t have been as big of a deal, but in the matte Ballerina Pink leather, it just made them look old and worn and they hadn’t even been on my feet yet.

Once on, my disappointment just continued to grow. All I could see were the wrinkles around my arches, the wrinkles and “slouching” on the heel, and my toes. Especially my big toe. There it was, just staring at me. The outline of my big toe. It seemed imminent that after a couple of wears, my big toe would be imprinted in the beautiful leather for posterity.

Then, the final nail in the coffin… When I stood up and walked toward the mirror, my brand new little Ballerina Pink Tieks (not sure how much more ladylike they could get) made farting noises with each step (not so ladylike)!

So, that was that. They had to go back. And hopefully this Tieks shoes review helps you understand why I made my decision. Overall, everyone has preferences. Especially when it comes to shoes. So even though this was my experience with Tieks, that doesn’t mean it will be yours too. They may even be your most favorite shoes ever. And that’s ok!

I think most of the problems could have been solved had I bought one of the patterned pairs, or maybe even the patents (maybe, just maybe). But with the even higher price tag for the patterned prints, I just couldn’t justify it. (No matter how beautiful the Romantic Blush or Rose Gold Glam look.) Plus, I definitely could not walk around the office with my shoes making inappropriate noises all day.

XOXO,
Tiffany

 

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