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FOUND! Cute & SUPPORTIVE Ballet Flats!

Yes I’m doing a whole post on this because I have tried eleventy-trillion pairs of shoes in the last few weeks and just about broke the bank to buy a pair of go-to ballet flats that I can wear with my most of my outfits this fall.

If you’ve been following along, I have been suffering from plantar fasciitis for the past year or so. I think my running brought on the condition, but it is definitely exacerbated by the shoes I wear most often — namely flip flops and flimsy ballet flats. Ironically, my feet felt better the days after my half marathon than they have before or since. I got cocky and started wearing ballet flats once my feet started feeling better, only to be immediately spiraled back into the pit of despair. I’m having more trouble with my feet now than ever, and I believe it is due to my daily footwear choices.

With fall weather, I haven’t wanted to wear sandals every day, but I haven’t yet found a pair of go-to ballet flats that seem to fit the bill for fashion and comfort. I swear, my house looks like Zappo’s threw up in here, I have so many of their boxes laying around. I have ordered at least eight pairs of shoes in the past two weeks. Thank goodness for free shipping and free returns!

Even shoes that promise the ultimate comfort fall far short, I have discovered. Like, what is up with that elastic band around the ankle? It looks like a great idea, but it digs into my legs and leaves blisters.

TIEKS Myla Asymmetrical Flat

Plus. I need more than comfort. I need support.

And almost everything that IS supportive looks like Holly Hobby shoes.

Myla Asymmetrical Flat

Why are all orthotics designed as Mary Jane’s or mules???? I mean, they are cute, but they aren’t really gonna cut it with skinny jeans.

I finally scored when I went to The Walking Company and got professionally fitted. I pretty much knew what I wanted; it was just a matter of finding them. When I spotted the Taos Untold ballet flats, I thought they had potential, but the sole still wasn’t soft enough. It wasn’t until the sales associate removed the insole and replaced it with the abeo orthotic that I felt like I could walk for hours in these shoes.

Taos Untold Ballet Flat

This purchase was quite a wallop on the old pocketbook, but I have been so frustrated and uncomfortable lately that I didn’t think twice before handing over my credit card. The biggest decision I had to make was which color to wear home! Expect to see these shoes OFTEN over the next few months. I have to get my money’s worth!!

I won’t tell you that I think everyone should run out and pay $135 for a pair of shoes. But if you are suffering the kind of pain I’ve been having, and having a stylish ballet flat is a priority for you, the Taos Untold ballet flats are worthy of your consideration.

Here’s why I think they’re worth the $$$:

  1. Leather. Orthaheels are very supportive, but they are synthetic. I don’t know about you, but when I’m dropping almost $100 on a pair of shoes, I want material that won’t make my feet sweaty and stinky. That shouldn’t be too much to ask. Plus, the Orthaheels I tried for fall are all rough around the edges and cut into my feet. Fail!!
  2. Support. It is almost impossible to find ballet flats that are cute AND have support. I’m not talking comfort. Lots of flats are comfy if you have no foot issues. But if you do, and I do (and no, I’m not willing to give up running, shush!), there’s not a lot to choose from when it comes to finding something that has support that doesn’t compromise the style quotient.
  3. Comfort. I just made the point that comfort and support are not the same. True. These have both. They elastic gore around the top of the shoe helps it stay on without creating rough edges that dig into my foot. That is hard to find. Most bendable shoes like this have an uncomfortable elasticized heel counter that digs into the foot (at least, it digs into mine!)
  4. Removable Footbed. For many people, the Curves & Pods® removable footbed that comes in the shoe might be great. But it didn’t quite do the trick for me, so I went ahead and shelled out the bucks for a pair of abeo orthotics (only sold at The Walking Company). It is really important to go into the store for these. They have a machine that scans your feet and it can tell if you need neutral, post, or metatarsal orthotics. Supposedly they mold to your feet and have anti-fungal properties, and I am hoping I can use them in some of my other shoes as well — especially my boots! Cuz goodness knows I can’t afford to replace THOSE.
  5. Made in Spain. Maybe it’s no better than shoes made anywhere else, but every time I see “made in China” on a product, I cringe. I just don’t trust their standards. So seeing “made in Spain” on the bottom of my shoes was a little added bonus.

Wanna see them on? I wore them on Wednesday with my plum skinny jeans and charcoal top — both purchases from last year.

charcoal and plum

And today I’m wearing them with my red jeans and black top. It’s actually warmed up here, go figure, so I’m back to short sleeves!

black and red

And here’s a few close-up shots.

Taos Untold Ballet Flat

taos untold

I like that they aren’t super dark black; they’re almost more of a charcoal, which ironically is the same as my handbag, so that works out well. I don’t always like my bags and shoes to match, but these seem to work well together.

So there you have it! My search is over. You’ll be tired of seeing these for Daily Mom Style after a few weeks, I’m sure!

If you have any suggestions for cute, comfy AND supportive flats, let us know in the comments!

Join The Conversation

22 Responses

  1. You are so right; it’s so difficult to find flats that are supportive and stylish. I’ve had great luck with the new croc flats and when I love a flat, but not how it feels, I get it in a half size larger and put in a Dr. Scholls for her insert. I do have one pair of orthaheels and they feel like walking on air. I wish I had the money to buy a few more pair!

  2. Glad to see this post; I’ll file it away for my next payday. I have plantar faciitis, too, and from the sound of it, yours resides in the heal as does mine. Your post mentioning the strassburg sock was really helpful; so far, it’s been the best thing I’ve tried and I sleep in it every night. Is yours still helping?

    1. I still wear it. I thought it was the main reason my PF cleared up at the time of the race, but now it’s not doing so well. Frustrated. 🙁 I tightened it up last night. I’ll try wearing it tighter for a while and see how it does.

  3. Thank you, thank you! I have been reading your blog and following your feet issue. I not only have your problem in both feet, but have Morton’s Neuroma and a bunion that has frozen a big toe. Doctor has advised NOT to see a surgeon as long as I am not in pain as the recover for the frozen toe can be a doozey. I don’t fun, but do classes in Zumba. I was planning to go to Footsolutions that was recommended, but found out ours just closed. My son recommended the Walking Store. Now with your experience I know where I am headed! Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. They have a ton of styles, and if you don’t have such a specific style in mind (as I did) you will definitely find something that works! I was impressed with the knowledge of the staff.

  4. Those are very cute!! Ugh I hate plantar fascitis. Mine’s come back recently and yep, it’s Ye Olde Tevas or tennis shoes with inserts for this girl. (You should definitely recommend the Teva Makena flats to your readers for a slightly more affordable great shoe!

  5. They are very cute and look good on you — and how versatile! They look supportive and sturdy. And a pair of shoes like that can easily be worth 3 other pairs. When you think of it that way, they really can be a good price. Just don’t wear them OUT 🙂 There’s nothing so awful as foot pain — the entire body is incapacitated. Glad you found these!

  6. Did you ever try the Softwalk Napa flats at the Walking Store? I thought I saw you pin those and thought they were so cute!

  7. Oh man, they look so cute on you! I’ve been looking for cute shoes for foot problems for over a year as well. I’m afraid that I need a sturdy sole instead of a soft sole because I have a joint that doesn’t bend well, so all that I get to consider are super ugly or clogs that look kind of weird on the end of skinny jeans. 🙁

    My mom and I have bunion issues as well, so maybe I could get these Taos Untold for her. Do you feel like the side by the joint of your big toe is flexible/would it make room for a bigger joint?

    1. Actually no, I would say these area quite narrow. 🙁 I used to have bunions, so I know what that’s like. I’m not sure these would be great with that. Although they are definitely stretchy and that elastic band is comfortable, so they might stretch around it.

  8. I just found this post, I’ve been looking for a supportive flat (planter fascitis for me also). I was wondering how the shoes are holding up? I’m heading to Africa for a year and need to make sure I’ve got some good shoes that I can use for casual as well as for when I dress up a bit. I’ve got casual shoes and sandals covered and I figured that these might fit the bill for dressy casual shoe. I saw they have red…love red!

    1. Hi Jodi. They are great but not as supportive as an Orthaheel or one of those brands. I think it depends on how severe your PF is and how much walking you would do in them. I like them better with the Abeo insert that I also bought at the walking co.

  9. So glad I came across this article! I have chondromalacia and it is so hard to find cute shoes that provide the support my knees need; I’m barely 25 years old, so I’m definitely not ready to settle for granny orthos yet, ha. Thank you 🙂

  10. I ALSO just found your blog while I was searching for supportive flats to wear – I was just diagnosed with plantar fasciitis about a month ago. I bought a cute pair of Birkenstocks and they have helped my pain a TON. But I still need to find some cute flats that I can actually wear to work 🙂 Thanks for this post! I’ll look for these shoes in my area! FYI – these are the Birkenstocks I purchased: https://www.zappos.com/birkenstock-gizeh-birko-flor-golden-brown-birko-flor~2

    1. Those are cute! I tried them on at Nordstrom one day last spring. I couldn’t quite get excited about them, but I always think they’re cute on other people. Maybe next summer… 🙂

  11. I have plantar fasciatis and have tried everything. I am in retailing so I go to a lot of trade shows every year and walk on the hard hard cement floors. In fact, it was at a trade show several years ago when I got the plantar fasciatis. I was being stupid that day and thought I’d wear cute shoes instead of my trade walking show shoes. I like Earthies Bindi and Vionics Minna. My favorite shoe of the moment is the Vionics ballet flat called Minna Ballet Flats. It has good arch support and I add my Walking Company Abeo orthotic on top of that. My heel doesn’t come out of the back when walking so it’s pretty deep and can hold the added orthotic. For work everyday, I don’t need to use the orthotic, although it makes the shoe that much more comfy.
    Good luck everyone!

  12. The Taos Untold are no longer available.  Any suggestion for a brown comfortable flat?  I love the elastic on these to hold my foot in place.  I can’t find anything like them.  😩

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