Hello and happy Monday! Today’s Monday’s Finding brings what I believe is the perfect solution to ouchie feet brought on by a night of sporting a pair of great heels. When I received the request to review a pair of Chinelas (a free pair was provided to me by Chinelas and I have not received monetary compensation for this review), I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. It took me a few days to mull it over, but as someone who’s spent a lot of time on my feet in my career as an event and wedding planner who has chronic edema in my feet and ankles in addition to arthritis, I figured I’d be a good candidate to give them a try.
“Chinelas by Michelle (Spanish for folding shoe)…are a range of foldable footwear designed to be worn after kickin’ it up in high heels, so they are compact and small enough to go into your handbag. Each pair of Chinelas comes in it’s own matching bag. Pull open the drawstring and inside has a zipper pocket that you can keep your ID, lipgloss, keys etc. Once you take out your Chinelas to wear, you can stick your high heels inside the bag to carry home easily.”
“They are unique because they are the only shoes that actually folds outwards so you can put them straight into your back jeans pocket or handbag. Chinelas offers a clever, patented design that also solves the problem that once shoes are worn, they WILL be dirty and smelly. So, the best way to fold them is with the soles TOGETHER. The soles are also designed in such a way that they are thin and lightweight but also elevated from the ground so you don’t feel sharp protrusions like you would with thinner soles.”
When my box arrived from Australia, I was eager to see what these shoes and their bag looked like. I was pleasantly surprised. The packaging was top notch and the drawstring bag was definitely something I wouldn’t mind carrying around after a night on the town. The shoes look like a cute pair of satin ballet flats with criss cross elastic on the top to keep the shoe in place. My first thought when I saw that elastic was that it was going to be murder on the top of my feet when they decided to balloon up. Then, I saw the sole of the shoe and was amazed by the great quality and aesthetically friendly look of the shoe.
So, this past weekend, I decided it was time to put my silver satin Chinelas to the test. If these cute little flats could hold up to present shopping, a birthday BBQ for my son’s best buddy, as well as clothes and fabric shopping, then I’d recommend them to you all. Well, wouldn’t you know it, these shoes held up to all of the walking and standing around in my 8 hour experiment. When walking through parking lots, I didn’t fell the heat of the pavement or the bits of rock and debris under my feet like with other similarly intended shoes. The elastic? Well, that wasn’t even an issue. My feet were pretty swollen that day and the elastic never cut in to my skin. The feel was comfortable and the sole definitely made a huge difference in the durability and comfort of the shoe. My arthritic knees and ankles were thankful too as the sole absorbs impact that other “disposable” flats do not. I was also happy that I’d found a greener alternative to throw away flats as the Chinelas are designed for long-term wear.
I was pleasantly impressed by my pair of Chinelas and can in good conscience recommend these shoes to you. Heck, I’m planning on getting a purple pair for myself to keep on hand at my own wedding next year! I’m also thinking of getting my bridesmaids a pair: Chinelas has a special bridesmaid’s deal of 5 pairs for $120 (a 15% savings) to make purchasing for your maids a cinch. Chinelas start at $25 a pair.
Chinelas by Michelle have been featured at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2012, BlogHer 2012, and are designed in Sydney, Australia by Michelle Chung.” Take a look at these great shoes in the slide show below and visit Chinelas’ shop to get your own pair. All pics and products are the property of Chinelas. Please respect all copyright, trade, and patent laws that pertain to Chinelas.
Belle Memorie 