An update on my Bali Elf flats, 2.5 years later
A couple of years ago, my cheap black flats gave out on me because the faux leather started flaking off.
This was after I'd already extended their life a bit with some shoe goo for the soles.
Apparently this was before skinny jeans happened at my house.
I was shopping for a pair that would last better, and while I was in the midst of researching them, Bali Elf offered to send me a pair of their handmade leather flats. Yay!
The shoes right after I got them.
You can read all about that here.
Since my hope was that they'd have better longevity than my initial pair, I thought an update would be helpful to you guys.
So, 2.5 years in, I'm still very impressed with my flats.
The more I wear them, the more comfy they get, which I find to be true for real leather shoes. Plus, this rather unstructured style is really soft from the get-go, and I have not found that to be true with a lot of cheap flats, which tend to be really hard in the back-of-the-heel area.
The leather is still soft and supple, and it's not showing much in the way of wear at all.
One of my favorite features is the soles of these shoes. They're fairly minimalist, but they're also really grippy! My old flats had kind of a smooth bottom and were consequently rather slippery.
But my Bali Elf flats have a great texture bottom which means that even when it's wet outside, they're not prone to slipping.
These shoes don't have arch support, which is no biggie to me. I have ridiculously high arches, so arch supports never ever reach the bottoms of my feet. You could certainly insert some arch supports if you wanted, though.
I've read about Tieks as a great, high-quality flat, but the Bali Elf flats are $65 less expensive ($110 vs. $175).
And based on my experience with them, it seems like they last just as long as the Tieks.
Plus, the Tieks all have the turquoise stripe up the back plus a turquoise sole, which is a little unappealing to me. I like that my Bali Elf shoes are all neutral-colored.
I haven't had problems with these getting smelly, but I always wear cotton liners with them...you know, the kind that are meant to be invisible with flats?
If I wore them without socks, I definitely would have sweaty feet issues. But I feel like that's the case with any flats I've ever owned.
I wear my flats a few days a week during the fall, winter, and spring, and not much in the summer. Flip flops are my jam in the summer! So if you wear flats every day, yours will probably look more worn in 2.5 years than mine do.
BUT.
Those cheap flats I had? I only wore them occasionally on Sundays, and they still wore out in pretty short order.
That makes me feel like these Bali Elf shoes are worth the price. Plus, if you buy these, you have the satisfaction of supporting a small company that makes quality products by hand, and that's worth something too.
So, I give a really big thumbs up to my Bali Elf shoes and I'd definitely recommend them if you've been wanting something sort of like Tieks but have felt like $175 is just too much to pay.
P.S. I have the Aise flat but Bali Elf also has a bunch of other styles of flats you can choose from. And they come in a variety of colors.
P.P.S. If you're new here, you might be wondering why on earth a frugal person is talking about $100+ shoes. I'm frugal, yes, but I am ALL about saving up and buying something that lasts vs. buying something cheap that won't last. In the long run, that ends up being a frugal and earth-friendly choice.
Bali Elf sent me a complimentary pair of shoes back in 2014, but they did not ask me to do a follow-up and they haven't sponsored my posts in any way. And I don't gain anything if you buy a pair.
What type of liners do you wear? I find most of the ones I've tried so far remain visible, peeking out near the toe area. I like the full "no show" variety but cannot seem to locate them. Thanks.
I'd also like to know what type of sock liners you wear. Mine either show or slip off my foot.
I don't remember the brand of mine; I'm sorry! But I look for ones that don't go far over the foot and that have a grippy strip at the back of the heel. Also, thin fabric is better than thick when it comes to liners. The thick ones I've tried slip right off my foot.
I have some from Pact Organic, which is not only an awesome brand, but also the first pair of "no show" socks that truly don't show, AND don't slip off my feet! I highly recommend them!
Okay, so I checked out their website (which this Type AAA personality finds VERY confusing! Why aren't all the Aise flats listed together??) Anyway.....I'm wondering about fit? Did you find them true to size? I have very narrow feet.
She said in the original post that she measured her feet, sent the measurements to the company and they sent her a size, initially, that were too small. So, it seems as though they run small? Though since they had her measurements, that doesn't make a lot of sense. I want to know the same thing because I hate dealing with return hassles and I'm looking to buy a pair of their wedges.
Oh! More lovely frugal things we in S.A. just can't have. If companies are even prepared to ship to us, the postage is prohibitively expensive, and SO unreliable. First world problem, I know...
Yes, yes, yes Caroline! I feel your pain.
The Woolies leather pumps works a treat, but you have to give them lots of love. I clean them regularly and apply Dubbin. And at R299 a pair it's not bad........Mine's lasted a year and a half thus far, and I wear them almost every day
Thank you for the update. I agree buying a quality product saves you money in the long run. The 2017 price for the Aise flats is $110.00.
I was just going to post the new price. I received Tieks as a Christmas present this year. I am looking forward to wearing them when the weather is not so sloppy in Wisconsin. These shoes intrigue me though. I wear a size 12 so I'm always looking for a good style with a reasonable price, in my size.
She reported the price as $110- I think she was comparing them to the other brand that was $175, so the difference is $65, not that the flats are $65. 🙂
Yup, that's it exactly.
Oooooh, this is good to know! My SIL got some Tieks and while I'm sure they're great shoes, the teal bottoms aren't my thing, especially for the price. With my birthday coming up I might need to put these Bali flats on the list. I'm sick of buying new flats every year.
After all, being frugal isn't about NOT spending money--it's about spending money on quality things to save money and reduce waste over time. 🙂
Do you generally scuff the toes of your shoes? If so, have you noticed less scuffing with these flats. I would hate to invest in a $100 pair of flats and then scuff up the toes in the first month of use...
I don't think I'm especially prone to toe scuffing, although if I recall correctly, the toes of my old flats were a little bit scuffed.
I think real leather holds up better to scuffing, though, than the faux stuff.
But I am not a scuffing expert! (is there such a thing???)
Has anyone bought these and subjected them to heavy use? I wear flats every single day in the summer, and most days in the spring and fall, so I'm wondering how they hold up to that. I usually go through 2-3 pairs of flats per year, so if these only last me a year with heavy use the price isn't worth it.
Generally, knowledgeable shoe people recommend letting shoes rest at least a couple of days between wearings to improve longevity. It gives the leather time to relax, and sweat/odor airs out.
I'm definitely in the Buy It For Life mindset (bonus points if said products are made in America.) Buying a durable product is usually more economical and the best part (for me) is that it saves me from worrying about stuff frequently.
Also, ever since I made a resolution to repair more often I've had a lot more items break and I've decided that I just hate when things break.
To put it differently, FG is proposing this as a case of avoiding "penny wise, pound foolish." For a more amusing description, follow this link to a quote from a book by Terry Pratchett. This idea has become known as Vimes' Theory of Boots.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/72745-the-reason-that-the-rich-were-so-rich-vimes-reasoned
Thanks for this update! I hesitate to pay more than $50 for any pair of shoes and tend to buy cheap pairs, or I just ask for them for Christmas (thanks Mom!). I trend toward buying cheap shoes that wear out quickly and end up leaving me with foot pain. My husband has been working hard to instill in me the desire to buy for quality, not just price. I totally understand that but its hard to part with the money. Especially for shoes since I wear the hell out of my shoes. I love that these shoes held up so well and they certainly will go on my short list for flats!
WOW there are some fabulous prices under the sale tab at their website. No shoes in my size but somebody might be able to find their size and score!
Have you had to do a lot to keep them looking so nice? Polish, seal, etc?
Nope, I haven't done a thing!
I had completely forgotten that you were "testing" these! Thanks for the review! I'm always on the prowl for a good pair of flats!
That's so funny, I was just thinking this morning, as I put on a twenty-two year old oxford cloth blouse in great shape, that I don't mind paying for quality if it's truly quality. Granted, one has to be able to save up for the quality items, and for some people, saving up for an expensive item is completely impossible-- I know it has been for me at times in the past. The old adage, "It takes money to make (and save) money" comes to mind. But whether it is obtained new or used, I always look for the highest quality I can find these days -- which isn't always the most expensive, either.
Those shoes are cute as can be, and the only question I have is, do you know if the soles can be replaced? One of my beefs with newer shoes is that with so many, the soles are simply not replaceable -- I've asked several cobblers about repairing shoes in the past and get the same responses.
This post right here, this is why I appreciate and support your blog!
Didn't Lisey end up with a pair too? Have hers held up as well?
She did, but darn it, she hit a growth spurt right after that and barely wore them.
Luckily there are two more girls coming down the pike here, and Sonia is just about ready to fit into them!
Is the bow in the first picture removable or are those different?
Those are actually my old flats!
I think I will try the shoe goo idea on some second-hand Reiker mary jane sandals I have! I thought they were a bargain at $20, for a good brand and very comfortable even with long days of standing at work, but soon afterward I noticed that the sole was peeling apart from the upper. It's also possible that I didn't check them carefully enough, and this is why they were at the resale store...
I have such a hard time with shoes and have endured foot pain my whole life. I had bunion surgery years ago and learned a lot of stuff from Katy Bowman about preventing and treating it, which has certainly helped - but I have such a difficult time finding shoes that don't hurt!
I only wear minimalist flats, no heel of any kind. They have to be very flexible and wide enough so my toes don't feel pinched (this is what causes bunions, in part).
I bought a pair of Tieks knockoffs, they're Gap and super cute - and they would be comfy but the toe part doesn't have enough room and they literally make my toenails hurt. I feel as if someone is stepping on my toes all day. Sigh.
Do you think these shoes would leave more room for my poor aching toes? I will buy them if yes.
I adore BaliElf worth every penny and the customer service is amazing!!! So worth it!
Can you fit a custom orthotic in them? (Not anything clunky but a full-length insert)
Yes, I think that should work.
ELFs are the best. They don't need a break in period because the leather is truly supple. They are well designed. No slipping on a wet floor. I have a dress shoe pair for work and a sandal for running around at home. I normally purchase Mephistos which are serious money. Then again it is not often as I still use my first pair purchased 20 years ago. Day or night, I always feel grounded in the ELF shoe. It's almost so close to being barefoot and free.
Thank you for this! I'm considering buying a pair. I TOTALLY agree with you that it's actually more frugal (and sustainable!) to buy better-quality things that will last longer than a bunch of cheap stuff. Thanks for stressing this point.