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Bye-Bye, Blisters! These Mary Jane Flats Are Comfy and Sophisticated

Born flats
Nordstrom

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Flats are supposed to be the comfortable alternative to high heels and wedges, right? They still dress our outfits up, but they don’t have a heel contorting our foot’s natural shape and making us worry every time we come across a cobblestone street, a step or sometimes even seemingly solid ground. We turn to flats to leave that discomfort in the dust (or the closet). So why are so many of them so uncomfortable?

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The new Curlew Mary Jane Ballet Flat from Born is a flat that gives back. It gives us comfort, flexibility and a boost of cuteness! With the flexible leather upper, we no longer have to worry about layering bandages on the back of our heels to avoid blisters and cuts. We don’t have to worry about our toes feeling squished and cramped up in a rigid casing. We don’t have to worry about feeling every rock and twig we step on digging into our soles. We also don’t have to worry about our flats slipping and sliding off because they don’t fit quite right. Shall we go on?

Born Flats Black
Nordstrom

See it: Get the Born Curlew Mary Jane Ballet Flat for $95 from Nordstrom!

Let’s get back to our last point about flats slipping off with every step. This ballet flat has a Mary Jane strap, which is both stylish and functional. It’s an adjustable, buckle-closure strap, so we can adjust the length for a customized fit that will keep our shoes on our feet.

While we love what’s going on with the outside of this flat, we need to talk about the inside, too. The soft leather lining creates a perfect home for bare feet, though tights are invited to the party anytime. There’s also a well-cushioned footbed, graciously offering us arch support and an extremely cushy base with cloud-like comfort. This, combined with the sturdy rubber sole, makes the simple act of walking around feel like a dream. The sole also has summery flowers engraved on its bottom side! A charming, hidden surprise.

These flats were made with Born’s signature Opanka construction technique, which is a traditional hand-stitching process that joins the upper, insole and sole together. This ensures that our shoes are durable, resilient and ready to take on the world with us!

These ballet flats are available in four colors, so we’re bound to find one (or more) that fits us both in size and style. For a classic black flat look, we can choose Black Leather, which is a washed black with silver buckle hardware. The sole is black too, so it won’t distract from the look we’re going for, or the dress code we’re trying to suit. Black also just looks good with everything.

Grey Leather is a cool grey that almost looks blue in certain lighting. It’s the color of a majestic dolphin, or a ferocious shark, depending on what kind of vibe we’re trying to put out. The leather has a distressed look that adds visual interest, along with the golden buckle hardware and neutral tan sole. This shade is great for everyday wear as it will match almost anything we pair it with!

Born Flats Tan
Nordstrom

Tan Leather is a dark tan with hints of golden brown dispersed subtly around the upper. This shade also has golden hardware and a tan sole, avoiding a distracting contrast. Pair these shoes with a brown or beige bag and the rest of the outfit is just minor details!

Red Leather is the brightest of the shades, but it’s no neon, fire-engine red. It’s a muted berry with a wash of cherry, making it a sweet, rather than shocking, red. This shade also has the golden hardware and tan sole, which keeps it on a casual level. We still recommend dressing these flats up, though, to create an alluring alternative to our less comfortable, hate-to-love shoes.

Dressing these flats up doesn’t have to be a whole process. We’ll make it easy as one, two, three. One: these leggings that have a special touch. Two: this designer leather jacket that’s unlike any others we’ve seen. Three: this fabulous, silky camisole that we never want to take off. Outfit complete! If we need something more casual, jeans and a tee are fail-proof options. Feel free to swap out anything and everything, depending on the day and occasion. Except the shoes, of course. We’re keeping those on.

Born has been crafting comfort footwear for 20 years, endlessly finding ways to turn comfort into enviable, artful class. We won’t find these shoes in our grandma’s closet, but if she tried them on, she might attempt to steal them out of ours. That’s how comfortable they are — and that’s why we need them now!

See it: Get the Born Curlew Mary Jane Ballet Flat for $95 from Nordstrom! Not your style? Check out other Mary Jane shoes from Nordstrom here!

Check out more of our picks and deals here!

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