Coffee Break: Cole Haan Air Bacara Ballet Flats

35 Comments

1. I actually ordered these shoes a while back in black. They are, imho, unfortunately not as cute in person. I was smitten with the pics online, but in real life the sole is very chunky and the whole shoe looks a kind of spacey and awkward. Not the classic but detailed ballet flat it seems at first glance.

2. I have these and love them. A nice basic with a twist, and a great price for a quality shoe. Very easy to walk in — I bought them for a trip to Europe this fall where I knew I’d be doing a lot of walking. I’d say I managed 2-3 miles a day without any issues. I have black, and debating getting another color — the blue is nice. The only thing is they run smallish. I often wear a 6.5 in cole haan, and needed a 7 in these.

3. Thoughts on ballet flats for work? I wore them a few times while I was pregnant and always felt woefully under-dressed.

   1. I wear ballet flats to work every single day (business casual, in-house).

   2. I make a point of not wearing ballet flats more than about once a week because they strike me as a little too casual and also maybe a little bit young, even when worn with otherwise conservative-formal clothes. I’ve never seen an attorney over 30 or 35 wear them, anyway. But I think I would wear them every day if I were pregnant! I’m sure no one is judging you for your footwear when there is an obvious medical reason for it (or at least I sure hope not).

      1. I am an attorney who just turned 36 yesterday, and I am still planning on wearing ballet flats!

   3. I’m wearing them every day now, because this pregnancy is killing my back. They make me feel frumpy with dress pants. I love ballet flats on the weekends with jeans though.

      1. I’m curious about your word choice Emilie. Do you think you *look* frumpy when you wear them with dress pants, or do you just feel frumpy because you’re accustomed to wearing heels?

         1. Both. I’m used to wearing heels with dress pants, so I feel frumpy when I’m 2-3 in shorter. Also, the look (on me) is frumpy. I like it (sometimes) on other people, and I’m not sure what the difference is. Maybe it’s the style of my maternity pants? The big belly doesn’t help. :-) I’m trying to at least wear very cute flats (Me Too is my favorite brand- lots of cute styles and colors) so they make me feel a little better.

   4. I wear Repettos almost every day and never feel under-dressed or little-girly. I care too much about my feet, and have abused them far too much, to wear heels anymore.

   5. I think its fine if they are nice flats. I have a couple of jimmy choo pairs that I wear constantly and that are very professional. I also like tory burch, but I could see how they might be a little too logo-ish for some people. Like anything else, if you buy the cheap flats from the juniors department, it will be obvious and will look unprofessional.

4. Thank you for finally featuring a flat.

5. Adorable. I want them. I believe the light purple was $91 – even better.

6. Very cute, but I’m not sure I’d wear to work. The laces on the back look very “sporty,” and I’m not sure they’d be appropriate for the office.

7. Not appropriate at my work (big law, conservative city). There are some older women who wear loafers, but most everyone wears heels (even if it’s just a low kitten heel).

8. Tried on a pair of Cole Haan flats this weekend (not these), and I found that the heel was loose and the toe too narrow for me. Definitely not worth the expense if they don’t fit … I was really bummed because everyone talks about how amazing they are!

9. Meh. Me, I need some arch support inside or my feet are wicked sore at the end of the day.

10. I also bought these before a trip to Europe. Chose the black over the blue as versatility was critical. I notoriously have foot problems when traveling (blisters mostly) due to extensive walking – however, not only were these incredibly comfortable shoes because of the Nike Air insole, but they never irritated my feet at all in any way. I’d put them not quite on a par with wearing my running shoes for comfort, but they are way more attractive.

    That being said, I agree with SB that they probably aren’t quite as cute in person as you might think (and I love Cole Haan shoes). The balance is somehow not exactly right, so there are times where they just don’t work with an outfit where it seems a black ballet flat should be perfect.

11. These are cute for casual wear, but these are not the kind of flats I would wear in the office. For the office, I prefer a more structured-looking flat with just a small heel or lift, rather than the kind that looks more like a slipper.

12. Can anyone recommend a pair of professional and comfortable flats that can be worn with a suit? I’ve always worn heels but I’ve been having some back problems in the past few months that makes wearing high heels extremely uncomfortable.

    1. Claire, I have two pairs of these in different colors and think they look neat and polished, even with skirt suits: http://www.zappos.com/nine-west-clora-black-patent.

    2. I have these. They’re pretty comfortable and look good with a skirt suit.

       http://www.zappos.com/naturalizer-hold-up

       http://www.naturalizer.com/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?p=EC0218350&pg=3005594

    3. Try the Vera Wang Lavender Label. So comfortable and classic looking.

13. I have a question for those of you who wear lots of these kinds of flats – do you wear them without any kind of sock or footie? Especially in the summer, my feet get pretty stinky without any socks but I hate the look of footies (those mini-socks is the best way I can think to describe it) sticking out!

    1. I ordered summer soles online and they’re great. They have one type that’s an absorbent wool that doesn’t smell at all and another type that is better for heels. If you buy in bulk, they are about $5-6 a pair.

14. is it just me, or does anyone else think that heels are anti-feminist/anti-women? i simply refuse to wear them.

    1. If we were forced to wear them, maybe, but for me, I like the way they make me look and feel. It’s my choice, by far – there are a million options out there I could wear – so I have to say that thought has never crossed my mind!

       Can I ask why you feel this way?

    2. I only wear flats, but I don’t think heels are anti-feminist/anti-women. I just prefer to wear flats.

       1. s-k-s, i agree that we have a choice, but i often get the impression that the only way to look really professional is to wear a heel. this might be a stretch, but i think of heels as modern foot-binding and have something against any shoe that i cant run in (this may be due to witnessing/experiencing several muggings in the city). heels may be comfortable, but i have never found a pair that is as comfortable as a flat shoe.

          1. This isn’t an anti-heel post, but from a safety perspective, flats are better/smarter. Being able to run away from a dangerous situation, or to fire a strong knee strike or kick to an assailant without worrying about balancing on one high heel, is incredibly important, particularly after leaving the office late at night.

             Also, we had a fire drill a few weeks ago, and had to walk down the (highrise) stairs and evacuate the building. I was behind a few of my coworkers on the stairs, all of whom were in stilettos or high-heeled, knee high boots. Given the difficulty they were having navigating the stairs under calm, normal conditions, I can only imagine that the added pressure and stress of a real emergency could seriously affect their ability to exit quickly and safely.

    3. I also feel that heels are rather anti-feminist. We’re told to wear them to be taken seriously, they’re designed to emphasize our bodies’ sex appeal, and they make it difficult to walk or run without having problems. I read a phrase in a fashion article a while back which noted the (thankfully, mostly over) trend of wearing 4+ inch heels, and referred to the style as “a life lived ornamentally.” It’s rather like foot-binding in a way.

       That having been said, I do wear heels as often as not, as I am short as well as having proportionally short legs. I tend to pick other battles. But I definitely can see where you’re coming from, and applaud the decision!

       1. They’re also bad for your feet, knees, and back! Not to mention that I know a few women who have worn high heels for so long that their Achilles tendon has shortened and tightened up and now they are extremely uncomfortable wearing anything but high heels.

    4. I think the idea you need to wear them to look professional is a bit anti-feminist. I buy shoes because I like them and have a good selection of both heels and flats. I’m not going to choose a heel because I think I look less professional with a flat. I mainly wear heels with pants because I’m too lazy to hem pants to a flat length.

15. (and i am 5’1”)

16. I wear ballet shoes to/from work. I have a 15 minute wall from my car (overcobblestone, metal grate and cr*ppy sidewalks) and there is no way I am wrecking my heels or feet. It looks a lot more profrssional than sneakers or flip flops.

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