OVERVIEW:
The Tory Burch Caroline flat is beautiful, leather ballet style shoe with an elastic trim. These flats are available in many different color combinations and finishes (glossy patent leather, matte leather, metallic, snake embossed leather). The Caroline flat is pretty much the cousin of the ever so popular Tory Burch Reva flat (click here for the review on the Revas). The Carolines are more comfortable, but also more expensive--retailing at $225 (ouch). You'll also notice the Tory Burch logo emblem is smaller compared to the Revas. The particular pair I have (sand/black, matte leather) has a dual color emblem that is black outlined with gold.
I bought these Caroline flats from Bloomingdales about 1.5 years ago during their friends and family sale. Since then, I've probably worn them about once a week on average during the warmer months (where I am, ~7 months out of the 12). I've included photos below of the flats out of the box as well as their current condition after some wear and tear. I hope you find my review helpful!
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PROs:
- lovely, elegant style
- versatile; easily dressed up or down (pairs well with skinny jeans, work trousers, or even a cute skirt)
- elastic allows for a snug and secure fit so your foot does not slip while walking
- requires minimal break in period (for me personally, just a few days)
- I really love the color combination of the sand/black pair that I ordered.
CONs:
- pricey! (retail $225)
- leather is thin and easily scuffed (the patent leather seems more durable)
- very thin sole (barely any support/padding)
- not comfortable if you'll be walking for hours or for long distances, as you can feel the ground through the thin sole and the logo imprint on the inside of shoe (see photo below) becomes bothersome
My general opinion:
Although I think these flats are gorgeous and chic, I personally do not feel they are worth their full price tag of $225 per pair. I would only recommend these if you're able to get them at a discounted price during a friends & family sale or other promotion. They definitely feel more comfortable than the Reva flats and require far less time to break in.
For the price tag of $225, you can find a better flat with more substantial padding. I find that Vince Camuto makes a lot of cute flats that feel comfortable; you can probably score a pair of Vince Camuto flats from Nordstrom Rack at a discounted price.
More Photos:
Tory Burch Caroline Flats (out of the box)
Caroline Flats in sand/black matte leather (new, out of box)
After over a year of wear and tear; notice the scuffing at the toes.
The bottom of the flats (after over 1 year of wear).
The rest of the flats held up pretty well after over a year of wear.
Flats worn in indoor lighting
The imprint on the inside of the flats become uncomfortable after a bit of walking.
The sand/black Carolines in natural lighting outside.
I have relatively wide feet with no arch (you can notice this especially in my left foot).
What is your personal experience with these flats?
Tell me your favorite ballet style flats in the comments!
