...You may wonder this question considering these shoes don't look much different than any other ballet flats you see at a department store or even target. I have a few pairs that look similar and even have a cute decoration or beads on them.
I heard about Tieks a few years ago and thought the concept was cool; shoes that can be tucked away anywhere, apparently ultra-comfortable, and come in cute colors and, now, in patterns and different textures. But, I never saw the true appeal of ordering from this particular brand. I even got a pair of knock off Tieks for my birthday from a friend {I'm pretty sure they were from Gap and they were fun, light, could be stashed away easily, etc.} yet I still didn't see any reason to get Tieks.
I should rewind and start by saying that I am a teacher. A first grade teacher who is up and active just like the six and seven year olds in my classroom. And even when I do find myself sitting down I've calculated it out that I am standing, walking, or lightly jogging {hah, teacher friends, am I right?} for roughly, on average, 5-6 hours of the day, if not more! That is a heck of a lot of time and killer for my feet, ankles, legs, hips, and back! Ouch!
Just writing that kind of made me cringe. I know that when I do get a chance to sit down during the school day my posture is not that great because it is an exhausted, FINALLY! feeling of relief and I slump into a chair or hunch to type an email quickly.
The dress code is absolutely ridiculous for teachers in that we actually are not allowed to wear tennis shoes! I can't believe it. We are allowed to on Fridays, which is nice, but like today {a Friday} it is too hot so I've opted out of the casual jeans day for a skirt and sandals to save myself from the 30 minute dismissal time in the heat. It really is kind of appalling that teachers are expected to be on their feet, down on the ground, squatting next to children at their desks, etc. but still dress like business men and women working in an office. As my rant is coming to an end, I've discovered an amazing product that I will be getting SO much use out of next school year and for the remaining eight days of this school year {cue tears of joy: 8 days until summer/freedom}!
I have been researching/oogling over the Tieks website for a could of weeks now and finally, last week decided to purchase a pair. The $175 price tag definitely made me hesitate a little, however, knowing nice brands {such as for purses, I go for quality over quantity...Kate Spade, Coach, Dooney & Bourke} I figured they would last, be of the highest quality, and have a good money back guarantee or some type of customer satisfaction guarantee. I was definitely correct! These are quite possibly the nicest pair of shoes I have ever owned.
My first impressions upon opening the package {might I add that my husband got to the package first, opened it, and told me he had to unwrap absolutely everything to even figure out what I had ordered. Luckily he wrapped up everything so nicely I couldn't even tell he had gotten into my package first!} was that every little detail had been taken care of and clearly Tieks has amazing customer service/satisfaction. I opened the priority first class box {
free two day shipping} and found a turquoise blue box waiting for me adorned with a lilac flower wrapping. I almost didn't want to open it, it was that cute! Quickly getting over that fact, I opened the Tieks box and found tissues paper, a black carry case, and a turquoise reusable Tieks bag. And finally, my Tieks! I ordered my first pair of Tieks in "Taupe" because I am a huge fan of the classics and neutrals for shoes so I can wear them with everything. Surprisingly, I am not really a shoe fan, although after stepping into one of my Tieks, I am pretty sure I uttered the phrase "I'm getting them in every color!".
How cute?! Personalized card, beautiful wrapping, and sturdy Tieks box.
I was extremely happy with my color choice. I don't think taupe will show as much dirt as the lighter "cream" color would and it adds a little extra color but can be worn with gray, black, and brown shades. I was a little nervous to order a shoe online {other than picking a color I couldn't see in person} because I have some shoes that are a size 7, most that are a 6 1/2, and a lot of 6's. I just couldn't decide if I should size up or down because truly, I think I'm a 6 1/2. The website says you can comfortably size up or down, but that most people size down. I originally thought to size up to a 7, but after looking at my current shoe collection I saw it mainly comprised of 6 and 6 1/2 sizes. That, to me, made the decision for me to size down to a 6. I am SO glad I made that decision because the size 6 Tieks fit perfectly. Even if they didn't, they have a great free returns/exchanges policy {again,
free shipping...or I like to think it's at least built into the cost of the shoe}.
After I tried them on, I wanted to make sure the fit wasn't only working while I was standing still so I wore them around the house for a while. The free returns/exchanges policy does have a caveat stating that they need to be "like new", so I didn't exactly want to go on a walk outside with them or even to the store just yet. After walking around I could almost instantly understand why people, mainly teachers, fall in love with these shoes! The signature turquoise rubber soles add so much padding and comfort, I could picture myself teaching for hours straight not even feeling any pain in my feet.
After knowing the fit was perfect I ventured outside to take this semi-artsy picture.
I love that Tieks have one signature look with many different patterns, colors, and now textures. They are SO comfortable, built to last, and their customer service, packaging, and prompt delivery will have me saving up for more pairs! Safe to say I'm done wasting my money on $40 pairs of shoes from DSW that hurt my feet no matter how cushiony they seem. It's purchases like this that make me feel like I'm not being thrifty, BUT these shoes will last forever, relieve pain {or help the pain subside, fewer doctor's appointments potentially, fewer medications to take}, and I won't be stocking up on 10 pairs of cheaper shoes, instead investing in one {for now} more expensive shoe for teaching. It helps to outweigh pros and cons before making a big purchase like this, but sometimes spending extra money upfront can actually help you be thrifty later one {i.e., the whole mindset behind Costco shopping}. I did make sure this purchase fit into my budget, so I didn't go crazy this month! If you need budgeting help, consult Pinterest, or better yet one of my previous blog posts:
The Dreaded Budget! Now, go get some Tieks for yourself!
Thanks for reading!
Love,
Thrifty Wife
