Have you noticed? Suddenly all toes triangulate. While some of us may be reluctant to move on from ballet slippers and almond-ended pumps, pointy-toes have their, um, good points.
In particular, as All Skinny Jeans All The Time give way to multiple pants styles, the pointed shoe helps with our transition. Still in skinnies? Pointed toes look newer, edgier, a little more adult. Moving to bootcut, flares, or boyfriend? Same effect, perfect proportions.
Skirts and dresses? Again the impact. And pointed toes invite Sturdy Gal flats – by some quirk of human imagination and societal engineering always less formal than heels – to all sorts of dress-rich environments. Like parties. And work.
More good news? Because why not keep it coming. Worried about comfort? I had a pair of pointy-toes that I wore all the way out. Put new soles on them two or three times. Zero foot pain, if correctly sized. Need a little heel? We can do that. Worried about cost? Available at all price points. Let’s take a gander.
1. The pair I used to own. Manolo Blahnik, via Neiman Marcus. $675. 10 years ago they cost a third that, but let’s stay cheerful and exclaim over the enduring design of a classic. Ah, I still remember that soft, quilted leather. One of the best Chanel-influenced pieces ever.
2. Armani’s asymmetry. You loved it in a pump, why not for a navy suede flat? Via Saks. $525.
4. Or how about Coach? Yes I said Coach. Their new design director has my eye. I believe the days of patchwork logos are behind us, let us never mention them again. We shall instead admire the coral Wooster Flat below. $188.
3. By Halogen(R), via Nordstrom. (This is a Nordstrom private label brand) If you’re going for trends, why not pile on? D’Orsay silhouette! Metallics! $80! If our fickle hearts grow tired quickly, we’ll give them to our daughters because they are cute and what’s good for the goose is good for the gosling.
5. From Nine West, Also $80. I used to love Nine West. Maybe time to rediscover? Those green and white stripes slay me. And they have veritable tens of colors and patterns.
6. Finally, Chinese Laundry, from my good friends at Zappos. Teaching the world how to sell online since 1999. Free shipping, free returns, it’s a pleasure. $47.99.
2104. Year of the Horse. Bringing a whole new meaning to “pointe” shoes. Badabing.
54 Responses
I just got my first pair of pointed toe flats ever. D’Orsay faded camo print. Love them. Some really great choices posted, Lisa.
@kathy, Thank you. If you come back, can you tell us if they stay on?
In my experience the ones like the Halogen/ Chinese Laundry models aren’t that easy to walk in. If the heel part isn’t perfect or gets soft then they turn into scuffs. I’ll stick with the traditional style with the tapered toe.
I LOVE pointed flats and have several pairs ranging in prices. :-)
I love a pointy toe flat….
my old stalwarts by Sam Edelman have come in and out of fashion and are back again! Those Nine West shoes have my old school colours but I am not sure that I could bring myself to wear them…I might feel a bit like a court jester.
Love to see you in your flats and skinny jeans.
I’m not overly fond of pointy toes, but those pink sling-backs are adorable. I want some, and would even shell out the $80.
Oh, ack – they’re $188. I’m not sure they’re quite that adorable.
I haz a sad.
@Jan’s Sushi Bar, Well, stalk the sales and coupons. It’s bound to happen…
I love my black patent Vivs from J Crew and am looking for the right pair in a cognac-y colour right now. I do like those Halogens above, although I like a shoe that can really stand up to the sidewalk. . .
Have always loved pointy flats – have a pair in candy apple red patent with buckle by Anne Klein (lots of compliments) and a pair in metallic pewter by Calvin Klein. I am dating myself by admitting that I remember them from high school days! If the fit is right, they are absolutely comfortable. Now you are making me lust after the quilted Chanel pair :)
It’s odd because when I wear pointy shoes – people always point out that I am wearing pointy shoes. No one every exclaims – oh look – round tip shoes…
Nine west seems the most reasonable and rather nice but dont think we have them here.
@couldashouldawoulda, I have found the same to be true. I think people associate them with witches and femme fatales, so they exclaim. Or such is my theory.
One of my comfy faves is Boden’s pointy slingback flats, $108. The silver pair has my eye for spring….
Revenue driving visions of hallux valgus and fallen arches, in which the podiatrists froth at the mouth, pay off the mortgage and open that second location.
:-)
I find myself getting somewhat annoyed when the fashion gods move on to the next thing (or, in this case, the old thing). I am not looking to add to my shoe collection because of fashion changes. I guess I am plain old stodgy. I will say though that my favorite brand for comfortable pointy toes is Steuart Weitzman.
@Susan, They can’t help themselves. They sell an aesthetic, and the thrill of the new.
OOh, I love the coral one. It may match my coral Coach bag. I just happen to have a black suede pair of pointed toe flats with a nice little gold chain across the top in my closet. I think it’s time to get them out again. Thanks Lisa. My husband will be thrilled I’m finally wearing something out of my closet :) I will, of course, give you credit.
Sam
They’re cute, but not with plantar fasciitis…
Reality bites!
Oops, I should read better before commenting. Now I see the coral one isn’t from Coach. Oh well, it’s still gorgeous.
Sam
It is! The coral one is from Coach! Let me look again and see if I can make that clear.
The Armani please, in any color available and this girl would be very happy.
They’re really cute but alas, they have no support.
Those d’Orsay flats are a great warm-weather option, especially in “no-sandals-allowed” workplaces. My love of pointy toed flats has never wavered, and I’m glad I hung onto the leopard calf-hair Stuart Weitzmans from a few years back. Picked up a pair of the mirror metallic Viv flats from J.Crew during their last % off promotion. And yes, the green and white…so fresh!!
Pointy toes aren’t usually that appealing to me, but I may have to give them a try – the Halogen pair and the coral look too cute to pass up. But I’m not understanding the horse/pointe joke. Care to explain?
@MJ, The horse allusion was just some extra words. It’s not related to the pointe thing. I’m a pretty bad jokester:).
Love those coral Coach flats! My all time fav pointy flats is a pair of Delman Briska, barely pink. Least fav are a one year old pair of Corso Como black patents, good looking but very uncomfortable.
@Linda @ a design snack, I do like Delman, always have.
Amazed at how many of these I like, as pointy toed flats generally are not “my thing,” for lack of a better term. And the pair from Coach?? Total surprise!!
Those last ones are strangely appealing. I’m not a huge fan of the super pointy toes though, because just as they start to look hip they go out again and then they look REALLY dated really fast. I stick with the happy medium most of the time.
used to luff 9 West here too x
Metallic plus pointed is awakening my desire. I wish pointies were kinder for my foot shape, so will keep trying to find the magic fit.
Those Manolos make me sooo happy…..that I’ve never been a “shoe girl”. Give me a Hermes scarf and/or a Tiffany pin and no worries about scuffs and such. There is nothing sadder than shoes, when they get old, where I am concerned.
love flats. love this post. love the price points. how about animal print in pointy? I’ll have to poke around for it…
@Jb, They are out there.
very pretty bunch.
It is so difficult to find navy shoes these days. The Armani suede pump is just gorgeous! The green and white striped Nine West are sweet. With the toe point, do you think a half size larger?
I have and love these pointy flats – they’re fantastically comfortable and look amazing:
http://www.dsw.com/shoe/bcbg+paris+zuma+flat?prodId=249514
get half a size larger than normal. I have the black patent w/ gold metallic. But the Black & White are calling to me. Especially at $49. More comfortable than expensive shoes, not kidding…
Can someone who has road-tested them please tell me whether d’Orsay flats actually stay on the foot? I can imagine easily stepping out of them if they were even a tiny bit loose.
@Christine, I haven’t had good luck with them, but I have a fast rolling walk and often want to cover distance. If you’re walking from your car to dinner or office and never get them drenched so they don’t lose their shape they probably work better.
Problem with pointy toed flats is that they make your foot look bigger. I remember a saleswoman in Bloomingdale’s telling me she never wore pointy toed flats because “it makes my feet look like a couple of canoes.” Even though I’m a size 7, I haven’t been able to get that image out of my head, so that’s why I go for ballerinas or almond toed flats.
@sisty, I don’t think that’s always the case – depends on the fit of the shoe. But hooray for choice.
I am so excited about the pointy shoes this season. There are some wonderful creative styles around. I feel like indulging. Great selection.
Beautiful selection!I love pointy flats, however my feet don’t agree. Is it possible to review based on comfort?
Yes. My credit card will recover soon from ordering 4 pair of boyfriend jeans and returning 3:). Then I can do the same with shoes. Or else I can go prevail upon the local Nordstrom and try on a phalanx of shoes…
I’m a flats girl all the way! I love the Coach flats – so cute!
What a lovely collection! The coral ones and the navy ones call to me. I’ve got a black suede pair with leather top caps with tiny brass studs. Very useful as they go with lots of outfits, but I’ll always be drawn to coloured (not black) shoes, I think.
Last year during Spring/Summer, I bought a pair of pointy toed sling backs from my favorite women’s clothier BODEN which has a online presence. They were available in a rainbow of shades and were made in Italy totally of leather, even the sole. They were reasonably priced under $100. I bought them in Rose Gold and later in the summer when they were reduced to $46, I bought them in Tangerine. JCrew knocked them off and presented them in their Spring 2014 collection at $225 but the soles aren’t leather. BODEN reintroduced the slingback flat this Spring in fabric featuring polka dots or “spots” as the Brits” refer to them. At the end of last year, I picked up a pair of pointy-toed Mary Janes with a nude toe and Navy heel cup with a navy strap for $27.40. Again all leather. They look great, as you pointed out with skinny jeans. They appeared first on the Paris runways two seasons ago. One sees them on the streets of Paris and London. I find they update my wardrobe of sundresses simply.
Armani rule ! Love them !
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Just got an email from TOMs shoes announcing their first pointy toed flat.
That must make it a trend!
Lovely array! I’m ready to kick off my snow boots and step into any one of these fabulous flats. thanks for the inspiration ~ Susan
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A short while ago you wrote about quilted sweatshirts and I thought, ‘Really?’ and wittered on about knits and T-shirts. A couple of weeks later, after watching The Bridge II, I had a sudden craving for a quilted sweatshirt jacket and nearly bought this:
http://www.atterleyroad.com/tubique-jacket-11.html?_$ja=tsid:42934|prd:Tubique%20jacket|cat:Jackets&gclid=CISuj4_G7rwCFWfLtAod9wEAjw
(sadly now sold out).
A few weeks later, I read this post. ‘Pointy-toed flats, I know, I’ve seen them, but really?’ I thought. ‘Not for me!’ A week later, invited to the job interview of my dreams, I was suddenly searching high and low for pointy-toed flats. I found some in Jaeger (a collaboration with French Sole, in black-and-white geometric brocade; I can’t find them online), which felt just right.
I got the job! And now I’m off in search of a quilted sweatshirt jacket.
Lisa, you are an oracle.
I have ALWAYS loved pointy flats! Especially those with open sides – LOVE this post – thanks for the great picks!
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