Hum{BOLD} Living: Tieks - First Impressions, are they really that important?

As you know, from my last post that I've jumped on the bandwagon and have purchased my first (and I hope not my last) pair of Tieks!

First, and most important, please note that I am in no way being paid, or influenced, by the Tieks company to write this review. I have been interested in getting a pair of Tieks for a while now (roughly 6 months or more).

So, what pushed me to finally take the plunge?

If you know me, you know that I will wear a pair of shoes regularly, until they break. You also know that I am a high school teacher, so I'm on my feet all day. I really need a shoe that's dressy, matches all the things I wear, is cute, and is comfortable. Unlike others, I do not have have issues with my feet (wide, narrow, etc.); I just have tired and achy feet at the end of a long day of walking around and making sure my kiddos are doing what they are supposed to be doing!

I've tried a couple of different shoes - Crocs (didn't like them - they really dried my feet out), Toms (loved but not dressy enough), and my current shoes, New Direction sandals, which are comfortable, but need something that is closed toed, and a little more professional looking. I've had others recommend some other brands to me, but they're about the same as these, and I've been wanting to try these anyway, so here we are :)

Please don't think that I just impulsively bought these shoes! The hefty price tag of $175 was a HUGE pill for me to swallow. If you know me, you know that I really HATE paying full price for anything, so it was a big deal for me to buy these.

So all in all, I'm just looking for a comfortable shoe that will withstand the wear and tear that they will get each day in my classroom.

So, what's my first impression?

As first impressions go, I LOVED getting my adorable turquoise box in the mail! Now, it won't come as the adorable box, it will come inside a white shipping box, but it's still really exciting to pick up from the post office!

Not only do you get the adorable, signature, elastic flower "headband" on the outside of the box, you'll find a small informational brochure and another signature item, a personalized handwritten note thanking you for your purchase! You'll also find a small black bag (for your shoes) and a turquoise bag (for your heels - which is not necessary for me, so it could turn into a gym bag, or be added to my bag collection).

After I was done being just blown away at the packaging, it was time to try the Tieks on, which I guess is the whole point of this thing isn't it?

The first time I put them on, I LOVED them! You obviously can see the quality of these shoes by looking at them, but you can feel it too! There's quite a bit of cushioning in these "flat" shoes! You can see in the picture below that they are bendy.. this is the design of the shoe. They are meant to bend in half to make them easier to compact and carry around in your purse.

After doing a little more research on how they are really supposed to fit, I've decided that I want to try a smaller size. Tieks are only sold in whole sizes, so they recommend that if you're between sizes, go down. I usually wear a size 7 1/2, however, if I ever go to a whole size, I always go up. 7's are always way too small. So, I went with the 8. At first, they fit great. However, after a few wears, and a little research, I decided to try the 7's. Per the website and blogs I've read, Tieks are supposed to be a little tight, but the Italian leather is supposed to stretch out as they are worn in. My Tieks fit like a normal pair of shoes, so I'm a little worried that they aren't fitting the way they are supposed to.

Things to note:

They are comfortable! Yes, I'm going down a size, but remember, it wasn't because they are uncomfortable, I just want to ensure that I have the pair of shoes that fit me. Because they are handmade, each shoe will fit a little differently, and you want to ensure that the shoe you own, fits you perfectly!
They are high quality! Just looking at them, you can see that they're sturdy and well put together. Even wearing them you can feel it! Seriously, when you get yours, you'll know what I'm talking about!
There was a squeaky noise. It sounds like when your shoes are wet and your walking on tile floor, but the noise is coming from the inside of your shoe. I read on this blog that it's the friction from the new leather rubbing on your foot, if your shoe is too big. Once I get my 7's I'll let you know if the squeaky noise is still there! However, the blog did say that the noise goes away.
There's a little bit of a big toe indention. I'm not sure about you, but I always have an issue with my big toe sticking out and making a slight indention (and rubbing) with ballet flats. There was defiantly an indention with the 8's; you can see it slightly in the picture above. I'm absolutely expecting it with the 7's.

So, what about the customer service?

The customer service is AWESOME! The website is so easy to use and find what you need. When I ordered my Tieks, I instantly received an email confirmation, as well as a Facebook message confirming my order. They also contacted me on Facebook when my order was completed and my Tieks were shipped out.

Their exchange and return policy is also AMAZING! As long as you don't wear your Tieks outside, you can return your shoes for a refund, or exchange them, at no cost (unless you want a more expensive pair) to you. Because I am wanting to try the 7's, all I had to do was sign in to my Tieks account, fill out the short Exchange form, and whala, my 7's are on their way! I will have a 2 week time period of wearing them around to see which pair I want to keep, and then send the pair I don't want back in the prepaid shipping box they send with the new pair.

As sad as I am that this isn't a complete first impression review, I hope you've learned a little more about the Tieks company so you can be more informed.

Stay tuned for my second review! In the meantime, if you have specific questions, please leave them in the comments below and I'll try to address them on my next blog!