No chopins, please.

June 26, 2012 2:44 PM

My sister badly needs new shoes, but wants a comfortable pair of sneakers or flats that "would not be out of place in the French court."

Her favorite pair to date was a now-discontinued canvas sneaker with a tapestry-like print and robin's egg blue ribbons, much like this. Any ideas, hivemind?

posted by Soliloquy to shopping (20 answers total)

I don't have any specific recommendations, except to say that a sneaker always looks like a sneaker. If what your sister means is that she wants a sneaker (with all the casualness that that implies) that is made in a fancy pattern (like the one pictured) that's great. If she means that she wants a sneaker that could pass for a more formal shoe, such a thing does not exist, although some people obviously fool themselves into thinking they do.
posted by OmieWise at 3:02 PM on June 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

DIY Converse
posted by cyndigo at 3:05 PM on June 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

Cole Haan makes nice shoes that have Nike Air soles. For the most part, they sell many shoes that don't look like sneakers.
posted by deanc at 3:07 PM on June 26, 2012

What is it your sister liked about that pair she likes? The pattern? The colors? The material? The shape of the toe? The proportions of the design itself?

I find sneakers to be subject to extreme levels of individuality.

Re "not out of place in the French court", what? So she wants something that looks like the sneaker equivalent of Marie Antoinette? I don't think this exists.

It's pretty easy to customize a basic, low-profile sneaker. She could easily lace them with ribbons or lace rather than a shoelace, for example.

Keds and other "plimsoll" type sneakers are available in a ton of colors and patterns. Maybe she'd find one she liked?

There are also tons of stylish flats out there that aren't sneakers. Lace-up oxfords and brogues are huge right now, and often look like a slightly more formal version of a sneaker. What about espadrilles, huaraches, or ballet flats?

There's not much out there these days that is directly reminiscent of Ancien Regime France. Shoe technology and fashion has just changed way too much in the intervening 300 years.
posted by Sara C. at 3:18 PM on June 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

Jack Purcell signature prints, like this. (I have a pair in a neat Liberty print, but it doesn't look like it's available now.) Your sister could lace them with a ribbon.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:29 PM on June 26, 2012

What about a pair of floral Doc Martens like this or this (many more on the website)?
posted by (alice) at 3:32 PM on June 26, 2012

The Liberty print is available on eBay, with other patterned sneakers.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:33 PM on June 26, 2012

I meant one of those links to go to this pair, which is canvas.
posted by (alice) at 3:34 PM on June 26, 2012

Dr. Martens has a nice range of retro-looking floral-print shoes, including several which are actually in a tapestry fabric. They also have a new Liberty of London collection this summer.

(On preview, what (alice) said.)
posted by bettafish at 3:34 PM on June 26, 2012

If I were costuming a postmodern story that took place at Versailles, for an all-female cast who were picky about uncomfortable footwear, I'd pick these:

http://www.zappos.com/cole-haan-kody-oxford-white-pine-nappa-sandalwood-stripe-linen?zfcTest=fw:1

http://www.zappos.com/dr-martens-sita-3-tie-brogue-shoe-black-currant?zfcTest=fw:1

http://www.zappos.com/frye-maggie-woven-oxford-cognac?zfcTest=fw:1

http://www.zappos.com/product/7885499/color/11?zfcTest=fw:1

http://www.zappos.com/product/7753653/color/276937?zfcTest=fw:1

http://www.zappos.com/keds-champion-a-line-ankle-wrap-multistripe?zfcTest=fw:1
posted by Sara C. at 3:39 PM on June 26, 2012 [7 favorites]

Seconding Converse! (Seen here at 0:09)
posted by jschu at 4:22 PM on June 26, 2012

Vans Sk8-Hi

Alegria Paloma (not a sneaker, but lots of patterns)

Vans Era
posted by runningwithscissors at 4:31 PM on June 26, 2012

Nine West Femmr

Keely Lace-Up
posted by runningwithscissors at 4:34 PM on June 26, 2012

a particular kind of loafer style is trendy now so I think she could find some pretty easily. the only person I know who is my age and can still pull them off actually is a specialist in french literature during the ancien régime, so there you go.

not expensive: if she wears an 8, there are these: Kimchi Blue Floral Tapestry Loafer

or in several sizes, these slip on loafers

or the "hollis" style - this is a pretty good option in the basic colors and still very inexpensive: here

or if you have an extra $370 you don't need, go for the best - Church's
posted by citron at 7:02 PM on June 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

In case she would like to try something a little closer to the mark: a Louis heel by Miu Miu.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:10 PM on June 26, 2012

How far is your sister willing to go with this? If she wants to really work fancy femme footwear, Prada has a sneaker that's right up her alley (but it is $350!).

These less expensive shoes have lovely, feminine patterns:

Dollhouse Zelda

Not Rated Iris Oxford
posted by misha at 7:22 PM on June 26, 2012

I wanted to mention those loafers citron wrote about, but I could not for the life of me figure out what to call them or how to search for them.

I am a flats girl and swear by anything from Urban Outfitters they call "skimmers" (can be either a ballet flat or a loafer or even a huarache depending on the season). They are shit quality, but they're cute and for $30 you won't care when they start to smell because you wear them without socks.
posted by Sara C. at 8:21 PM on June 26, 2012

Tom's, they make sparkly shoes. I thought I would hate them and I love them!
posted by fifilaru at 11:49 PM on June 26, 2012

The madly over-the-top and decadent aesthetic is pure Irregular choice, but they don't have many flats.
Best:
http://www.irregularchoice.com/shop/womens/product/4259/big-momma.html?offset=305
http://www.irregularchoice.com/shop/womens/product/4246/ethel-and-willy.html?offset=327
http://www.irregularchoice.com/shop/womens/product/4245/john-lemon.html?offset=351
posted by runincircles at 11:58 PM on June 26, 2012

These Vans sneakers, sold online by Urban Outfitters. Buy a wide ribbon separately; lace 'em up with that; tie it in a big bow. Done.
posted by FrauMaschine at 7:19 AM on June 27, 2012