Staple Black Flats: Nicholas Kirkwood Beya Flats

They say that every woman needs a pair of black pumps in her closet. In my closet, it’s equally, if not more, important to have a pair of black flats. Call me boring, but I wear black flats and carry a black purse to work almost every day. It goes with everything, it’s a chic neutral, and honestly sometimes it just comes down to the fact that I can’t be bothered to change out my workhorses for anything else.

Over the years, I’ve gone through my fair share of black flats. Some were cheap, some were decently priced, some gave me blisters, and none of the workhorses lasted more than maybe a year or so. A few months ago, I decided I wanted to invest in a pair of more expensive black flats – a pair that wouldn’t rub my feet raw, and a pair that’s durable enough to last longer than a year.

In the past, I was always hesitant to invest in expensive flats because they get so beaten and bruised in my day to day life, but I realized that that was the wrong mentality to have. If I’m going to invest in a pair of shoes, I should invest in a pair that I’m going to wear every single day so I can get my money’s worth. After much deliberation, I decided to invest in the Nicholas Kirkwood Beya Flats that I’ve had my eye on for years.

First Impressions…

I’m normally a small size 4 in women’s shoes, and I ordered these Beya flats in size 34. Although there wasn’t a large gap anywhere in the shoe, because the leather is so flexible, it didn’t grip my feet AT ALL – neither on the sides nor at the heel. So even though there was no gap, every time I took a step, my heel slipped right out. That being said, the leather was so flexible that I was pretty confident that if I could get the shoe to fit properly, that they wouldn’t rub my feet at all.

The insole of the shoe is not leather, which was a bit of a let down for me. When the insole of the shoe is leather, your feet are less likely to sweat, which helps your shoes last longer. At this price point, this was something I was really hoping to see. Unfortunately, my feet did sweat in these shoes, which exaggerated the fit issue.

Three Months Later…

I went through a lot of trial and error with these flats in the beginning. I tried everything from heel liners, to ball of foot pads, to full length inserts, to shoe fillers, to liner socks. I started to feel discouraged and a little panicked that I had spent so much money on these shoes that I could no longer return because I had already worn them….until I found the winning combo.

The magic combo turned out to be heel liners and liner socks – but specifically ones that have a silicone grip all around the inside (not just at the heel) and under the ball of foot. The heel liners help the shoe fit smaller, and help keep my heel from slipping out. The liner socks also help the shoe fit smaller and help to keep my feet from sweating, with the silicone under the ball of foot keeping my foot from sliding forward, and the silicone all around the inside keeping the socks from slipping off my feet when I walk. It honestly sounds more complicated than it is!

Three months later, I wear these flats most days of the week. The pointed toe and baby heel make me feel chic, elegant, and polished. The leather, as predicted, has not rubbed my feet at all. There isn’t any cushioning in these flats, and after consecutive 9 hour shifts on my feet all day, my heels can be a bit sore, but otherwise no complaints! These are a pair of shoes I can see myself keeping for years and years to come.

What are the workhorses in your closet? Is there anything you’re willing to invest in in your closet? Let me know in the comments down below!

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Thanks for reading!