Coffee Break: Petra Heeled Ballet Flat
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These “heeled ballet flats” are trending now at Vionic — and one color has almost entirely sold out (leopard print).
The name bugs me — quite a bit, actually — but ah well. A 1.25″ heel is definitely on the low side, but I've always thought anything over an inch qualified as a heel. But hey.
The shoes are $135 at Vionic, available in sizes 5-13. I've pictured them in “grunge grey suede” since that one was on the model; they also come in seven other colors. You can also find them at Nordstrom, Zappos and DSW.
Sales of note for 10/12
- Ann Taylor – Flash Sale: 40% off full-price purchase + 60% off sale styles
- J.Crew – Friends & Family Event, 30% off for loyalty members (ends 10/12)
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off at stores and sitewide, 20% off $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale: Up to 40% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Fall Refresh Event, up to 25% off (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom – 6,200+ new markdowns for women (Also, weirdly, they have the Fall 2026 Chanel collection, which I feel like is a first for them, but it's like a catalog for you to call for an appointment… very strange.)
- Nordstrom Rack – Extra 25% off select denim (ends 10/12) + up to 50% off DV by Dolce Vita and more
- Old Navy – 40% off everything (ends 10/12). Also, the Old Navy x Altuzarra collab is here! All sizes (up to 4X!) of the blazer in the collab is still available.
- Talbots – Friends & Family Event: 30% off your entire purchase
- Theory – End of season sale is on with extra savings (new prices are marked)
With RTR becoming so expensive, I’m more interested in buying formal dresses on sale and swapping them with friends. Anybody seen anything good?
I grabbed this one during their friends and family sale and it’s really gorgeous on. I expect it to be in heavy rotation for winter events for years:
https://tnuck.com/products/geometric-tie-jacquard-sinclair-dress
If you don’t have an immediate need, my best luck has always been in person at Neimans or Saks on the Saturday after thanksgiving. By then, historically, all the summer wedding season dresses are about 75% off.
What exactly is a heeled flat?
This is about the only example of a ‘heeled flat’ I think is reasonable – a very, very slight heel to elevate the shoe off the ground vs. a ‘true’ flat. My mom wears things like this for any dressy events as she can’t manage heeled sandals.
https://mgemi.com/products/the-corinna-flat-sand-satin
I feel that this type of heel diminishes the orthopedic advantages of a flat while adding practically nothing aesthetically.
A slight heel is much more comfortable.
Our feet must be the opposite. For comfort I need zero drop or a substantial heel.
I think we need to bring back the low heel as a concept (and further divide that into .5, .5-1.0, 1.0-1.5, and 1.5-2.0 inches). A totally flat shoe often looks bad and feels bad (for a variety of reasons).
When I took ballet, those were flats. The “flats” that I have that I bought as non-ballet shoes, have a very low but actual heel (as do many men’s shoes, and we don’t call them “heels;” this isn’t Versailles).
I have read (but have not verified) that Alexander the Great made his soldiers march in sandals with a slight heel to avoid foot fatigue. That (to me and my high-arch feet) tracks.
Ever since I learned (thank Kim Kardashian for this) that you can take the bar exam without going to law school, I think maybe I should do this. I have a degree that’s commonly used as pre-law, learn by reading, and test well. I’m no spring chicken, but a late entry won’t matter much if I don’t have student loans
my kids LOVE ‘The Arthur Podcast’ on Spotify, which truthfully isn’t much of a podcast, and ‘Story time with Philip and Mommy,’ which is basically a mom reading stories to her kid. They are shorter, less complex than a long audiobook
shoe inserts to put in casual sneakers for more arch support? and casual sneaker suggestions? i finally found good exercise shoes for my feet, but now i want something to wear with jeans, but i really need arch support.
check your insurance! mine covers one custom shoe orthotic a year and it is amaaaaazing to have something designed for my foot.
Go to Fleet Feet or another running shoe store that scans your foot while you walk (it’s just cameras, no radiation, in 2026). Then buy the SuperFeet or similar brand insole they recommend based on the imaging.