Around two years ago, I set out to find a pair of mary-jane flats that I could walk many, many blocks in. Basically, I wanted to find the mary-jane equivalent of sneakers. The hunt started with a pair that had a promising square toe and an adjustable buckle, which were undeniably nice looking but also undeniably tore up my feet upon the first wear. First, I ordered this blister balm, thinking I could apply it prophylactically and continue wearing the shoes. Then I thought, That’s dumb! Better to find a lower-maintenance pair to begin with. And so I Googled “orthopedic mary janes” and landed on Söfft’s Elsey Flats.
The Elsey flats are not technically orthopedic, but they are spiritually orthopedic. The shoes have an extremely cushioned footbed, a reasonable one-inch heel (which reads more as “support” and less as “heel”), and a toe box that’s wide enough to not pinch my toes even after wearing them for a day into a night. I was skeptical about buying shoes from Söfft — not because I was concerned about comfort or quality (the brand, which has been around since 1927, has a reputation for both), but because Söfft generally makes kind of homely shoes. They’re the shoes you buy after your podiatrist urges you to take better care of your feet, not because you want to look put together. But when the patent Elseys arrived, I was relieved to find that they looked almost sporty and reminded me of tap-dancing shoes in a good way. Better yet, they were sturdy, but not clunky. They’re reminiscent of something you might find at an old-lady shoe store in Rome.
In the time that I’ve had the Elseys, I’ve worn them for a day of walking around the Met and then strolling 60 blocks downtown to ABC Home. I’ve worn them while dancing at the Russian Samovar. I’ve worn them in Cape Cod and Montreal, to a ballet performance at Lincoln Center, and to a Knicks game at MSG. I’ve worn them on a plane to San Francisco, then up and down lots of hills there, and am pretty sure I fell asleep wearing them on the plane home. They are simply the most comfortable shoes I own, which is a happy coincidence given that they’re also the pair that get the most compliments. People have asked if they’re Miu Miu.
They work as well with a pleated skirt and tights as they do with denim cutoffs. Last winter, I wore them with red socks and a pair of brown velvet jeans at least once a week for the whole season and didn’t get sick of the combination. Since buying the Söfft mary janes, I’ve accumulated several more flats — which I’ve included below — but it’s the Söfft’s I put on day after day. I’m wearing them as I write this, and will be packing them for this weekend upstate.
Other flats I own
I was originally sent these after interviewing Nicky Hilton for a What I Can’t Live Without a few years ago. At first, I felt a little silly wearing flats from a Nicky Hilton collab, but I have to say these are also supremely comfortable, almost on the level of the Söffts. I wore my original pair down to the ground (and still wear them) and bought another pair in red recently. The little bow that’s embroidered in the leather is very charming.
These are the original square-toed mary janes I bought, and while they tore up my feet at first, they did get a lot better. They don’t have the support of the Sofft pair, but they’ve also garnered a lot of compliments, including from a stylish Instagram friend of mine who bought a pair in white and then told me her friend bought a pair, too.
I bought my first pair of Margaux flats at the brand’s sample sale last year and have been impressed with how cushy they are despite their delicate appearance. More recently, the brand sent me its Demi Jane style, which has a narrower and lower silhouette than the Söfft pair but is also very comfortable for walking. If the Söfft pair feel a little like tap shoes, these are more like classic ballerina flats.
The exact pair of rhinestone-covered mesh flats that I have from Zara aren’t available online anymore, but these are pretty close. I bought mine randomly at the Zara in midtown as a treat after a dentist appointment. They’ve turned out to be surprisingly versatile — I like wearing them with jeans or a shirt dress — and despite their low price tag they have held up really well, with just a few rhinestone casualties.
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