April 04, 2008

Ruched Flats


Ever since I first saw the ruched up flats over at Tods (above) many many many years ago, I've wanted a pair. Not because I thought it looked especially pretty over other flats, but simply because I thought the ruched up thing is just so cool, even though I know that it is all probably an attention grabbing gimmick, since obviously once you are wearing them no one can see the ruch anyway and they will look like normal flats. But alas, there were so many other items on my "want" list that were even cuter that I never really got around to it.
Recently I finally got a pair of ruched flats. Not exactly the Tods one, but they're ruched and they're even cuter, like the two above from Miu Miu (left) and Botch (right). The other night I happily took it out for a test drive and OUCH they hurt! The two points at the side in the front and at the back. Being a seasoned shoe lover, I've been tortured by pretty but painful shoes enough to have tougher more blister proof feet by now, but after a day, I was walking funny in difference to the pain. They are really good quality shoes too from a brand that I've never had a problem with before! Which brings me to my question, are ruched flats in general a pain to wear or is it just mine ? And if so, WHY do people persist in producing them when really they don't create much aesthetic value unless you are not wearing them?

Mine are patent leather, which I know makes a difference. But physically speaking, the ruch DOES add more pressure points to the feet since the feet has to stretch them out and all to keep their shape.......
And come to think of it, why do brands like Tory Burch (left) and Urban Outfitters (right) produce flats with ruches at the back? They look cuter, but once you wear them and stretch it out, one really can't see it. Do they make the fit of the shoe better or add to the pain by adding another pressure point?

Image Source: Saks, Shopbop and Urban Outfitters

41 Comments:

Blogger M*Shawnte said...

I tried on some shoes like that at nine west. As soon as I put them on, my feet were in pain.

4/05/2008 6:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I bought a pair of Tashkent flats, kind of ruched like that, and wore them maybe twice because they cut in to the back of my heel so badly. There are just as many cute flats that you don't have to suffer mega-blisters!!

4/05/2008 6:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a pair of ruched flats that I always get compliments on! But, they push into the back of my heel and it hurts all day... it doesn't hurt too much though, and I wear them pretty often, my feet are getting a little more used to it each time. I think it's a ruched thing.

4/05/2008 6:53 AM  
Blogger Amy said...

I actually find flats that are ruched in back create a nicer fit! Sometimes the backs of flats give me blisters back there - the ruching closely conforms to my heel, so I don't have any problems! I did choose suede flats though, which are a lot softer.

4/05/2008 7:01 AM  
Blogger Secretista said...

Oye... the ruches irritate the back of my ankle, but I haven't gotten a blister YET.

4/05/2008 7:38 AM  
Blogger alis said...

Actually, I find flats in general unbearably uncomfortable. They give me a burning pain in the balls of my feet. If I'm gonna be in pain I'd rather be in heels :)

4/05/2008 7:52 AM  
Blogger Erin said...

I always figured the ruching was less for esthetic and more for fit (i.e. so your heel doesn't slip up and down against the back of the shoe while walking.) I've never really found ruching attractive just, you know, because it's ruched, so I can't tell you about any personal ruched flat experiences. It might be a matter of the material being too stiff to give your foot any give. It's always disheartening to get a pair of shoes that you're never able to wear because they are so uncomfortable!

4/05/2008 9:13 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I hate this style. its cute to look at but horrible to wear. I bought a pair that completely messed up the back of my feet. I thought it was because the shoe was on the cheaper side so I went and bought another one only for it to do the same. This shoe is impractical (but cute).

To think I nearly bought a pair from Juicy Couture that had heels!

4/05/2008 9:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have the Tod's one and it doesn't hurt at all. It's really comfortable. I think it's because the back isn't ruched, there's a little hard back.

4/05/2008 10:43 AM  
Blogger Françoise said...

Hi! I bought some ruched flats from Christian Dior with the buckle in front. They were $450. I wore them a couple of times only. They hurt me so much in the back of the foot. I gave up on wearing them. They're still in my closet. I wonder if it would make a difference to get that type of shoe in a larger size? Hmmm..

4/05/2008 10:53 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

It's definitely an impractical shoe. You can get much better looking flats that don't hurt your feet rather than these ruching ones... Stick with ruching on the neckline.

4/05/2008 11:06 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I have the ones you show from Urban, and they fit true to size, and are soft so they're not painful. But I have had ruched flats in harder materials that are uncomfortable to wear.

4/05/2008 12:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the ruching is at the heel, it is most likely uncomfortable. It's better if the ruching is at the sides with a straight heel. I think it helps the shoe stay on the foot better, it just hurts to have elastic digging at your achilles (I own two pairs and they both hurt like crazy!). You can also try sizing up so the elastic isn't as tight. I honestly prefer regular non ruched flats though.

4/05/2008 1:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Photos of Clothes:
2sets, 11mb + 19mb, HQ JPG more then 1500px

4/05/2008 2:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

are you kidding me?

this is the most comfortable style of ballet flats for me. the ruching means the shoe can mould to your feet.

i find other styles of flats MUCH more unfortable.

if you know you'll get blisters, put a band aid on each heel horizontally, and you'll avoid any pain.

4/05/2008 3:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have sensitive feet but my ruched flats from ZARA don't hurt that much. It's the typical places I get blisters in. You get used to them after a while, I think.

4/05/2008 3:48 PM  
Blogger Mint said...

About three months ago, I tried on a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs ruched flats, thinking, "These are going to be super comfortable because they are top quality and veeery expensive," but I was sorely (excuse the pun) disappointed. As soon as I took one step forward in them, my feet were in excruciating pain at the toes, the heel, everywhere the ruching was in contact with my foot! The only comfortable part was the cushy inner sole.

I wondered if I was the only one to undergo such a horrific experience, but I am SO glad to finally find out that it's really a mass occurrence. The unbelievable thing is that these awfully uncomfortable shoes keep getting made, as was said in this post. Perhaps it's more comfortable with tights?

4/05/2008 4:05 PM  
Blogger Alysia said...

I've never bought a pair of rouched flats because the only time I tried on a pair (the Tory Burch ones with the rouching at the back) I thought they looked heinous, like a pouchey balloon bubble at the back of my foot.

4/05/2008 8:17 PM  
Blogger Carolina Lange said...

They are very cute, but it is so hard to find a confortable pair!

4/05/2008 9:09 PM  
Blogger Vera said...

I'm just not a big fan of those, they always look too sloppy to me.

4/05/2008 9:21 PM  
Blogger AR said...

they hurt becuase the back has to be so hard and stiff in order to stay on your foot. i have a pair & they gave me really bad blisters on my heel. But i got some Heavenly Heelz foot petals (footpetals.com) and stuck them to the heel and they were perfectly comfortable after that. you can get them at Arden B too. they really are a lifesaver.

4/05/2008 11:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have one pair that are super comfortable, but since it didn't come in half sizes it's a little big...they're the only flats I have that I can really wear.

I have another ruched pair that hurt like crazy...I'm not too sure why and I've only worn them once.

4/06/2008 12:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some ruched flats at the back can be very plainful. I have a pair though made from a very soft leather that I love. I find they stay on my feet very well. I have awkward shaped feet so my heels tend to slide out of shoes quite frequently, but not with these.

Although, I have tried on other ruched flats and sometimes I find the fit of them to be extremely odd.

4/06/2008 2:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I own a pair of Tory Burch flats and yeah they were rather painful the first day I wore them for more than 3-4 hours. But after that, the shoes were well worn in and now they don't hurt at all. I think the ruching is helpful in keeping my heel in place, I never find my heel slipping out of the shoe when I'm on my tip-toes for instance.

My recommendation if you get a pair of ruched flats... get a quality pair made of soft leather, like Tory Burch nappa leather flats. I think Nine West flats aren't of the best quality (I know, I own 2 pairs of NW). Even after wearing my NW flats for a several months, they STILL hurt my feet!

4/06/2008 2:23 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have many pairs from Tod's and swears by them. I think with shoes in general, it's important to feel that instant comfort. I don't believe in breaking shoes in. I like Tods' and fortunate for me the brand just works for me. I love Chanel flats as well, but my mom can't wear them. So it all depends....

4/06/2008 3:50 AM  
Blogger Hannah said...

Super trendy and ultra comfy they are a win-win!

xoxo,
a fashion loving - music blogger

4/06/2008 9:43 AM  
Blogger Thumbelina Fashionista said...

I think they were made for travel, since they can be folded up (somewhat) in a bag. However, I agree with you and many others: they are uncomfortable. Any shoe that curves like that is NOT offering your feet enough sole support.

4/07/2008 2:31 AM  
Blogger Samantha said...

I have a pair of SATIN ruched flats that I bought for junior prom, and they chafed my heels like crazy, and I ended up wearing stilettos most of the night instead of my flats. It might have been slightly incorrect sizing, but I would've expected satin to be less painful.

4/07/2008 2:08 PM  
Blogger The Dreamer said...

I just realised, maybe people think ruched flats are pretty because they bear the closest resemblance to real ballerina shoes, even more so than ballet flats.

But otherwise, I agree it's cute but pointless and painful!

4/07/2008 7:44 PM  
Blogger Renata said...

i've recently purchased a pair and they do hurt, but only for the first two or three times. i didn't give up on mine and they became one of the most comfortable shoes ever!

4/07/2008 11:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a pair of ruched flats that I recently bought and they are seriously the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. That said, the soles are quite thin so they're not great for walking for a really long time, but for say, a night out with a few taxi rides or a day of university, they're perfect! I think they're so good though, because I do not use leather goods (and leather is a lot harder = ouchier, I would assume) so they're a man-made, softer material. Also, there is an elasticated edge that goes around the foot. It sounds really ugly but they are gorgeous Chanel-esque silver and black two-tone flats.

So my advice is that the model of shoe probably just isn't suitable to leather!

4/10/2008 6:52 AM  
Blogger TINA said...

i love ruches flats - they are so comfortable!
i agree with you about the tory burch and urban outfitters flats...i seriously do not get why they have the ruching at the back. and if the leather isn't really soft, it can be really irritating, too.
i made the mistake of buying a pair of lfats with ruching at the back last year, and after a while, the ruching that was digging into my achilles tendon would start to drive me crazy. it really is very uncomfotable.

4/14/2008 9:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a pair of ruched flats from nine west and i LOVE them. Since I have a narrow heel, the ruching makes it easier to wear flats because the sides don't chafe. After having to miss most of the huge ballet flat craze because of my narrow heels, I'm glad that ruched flats have finally gotten to be more popularly produced. If you don't have narrow heels, however, i can see how they would be very painful.

4/15/2008 9:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

if it feels good, buy it!
it it feels bad, don't buy it!

That's how simple life is ☺

or suffer in silence!! jke!

5/03/2008 6:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have some ruched patent leaher flats I got a Marshells and when I first tried them one they felt o.k., but now the ruched back irritates my ankle so bad that I had to cut little slits in them, just so when I walk the back of my ankle doesn't hurt. I probably shouldn't bought them in the first place. Then I saw some at SYMS that looked just like mine, but way better and didn't have that annoying ruched back lining, so I think I might just get those, if their still available.

8/26/2008 2:20 AM  
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