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| Jessica Simpson Mandalaye Elastic Ballet Flats in Natural |
I keep a pair of flats near me at all times, as my tolerance for uncomfortable shoes ebbed. Two of my favorite emergency flats are the Kimchi Blue Elastic Cross-Strap Flats (see on me here) and the Jessica Simpson Mandalaye Elastic Ballet Flats (on sale in five colors) reviewed in this post. The former is more affordable than the latter, but is similarly comfortable—if less generously-cushioned.
What’s uniquely great (to say nothing of how comfortable they are) about these two styles are the elastic ankle straps, which keep the shoes securely on the feet. I personally find that elastic straps are an improvement upon the lace-up styles, which on me require constant adjustments, and buckle closures, which are more inflexible and start to chafe my ankles after some time.
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| Jessica Simpson Mandalaye Elastic Ballet Flats in Black |
Fit-wise, the Mandalaye Ballet Flat runs slightly narrow (though will stretch with wear). I am between sizes, took the larger of two, and find that to be a fine fit. Some online reviewers think the shoes require a short break-in period, but for me they were comfortable out of the box.
The shoe’s square toe box imitates that of pointe shoes, and is a polarizing look. Compared to pointed-toe shoes, this design can have a truncating effect on bulkier legs.
Read more reviews and buy the shoes from Macy’s (on sale in five colors), Dillard’s, Nordstrom, Zappos, and Amazon.
