WALK LIKE A WOMAN WITH SARAH FLINT

Use Promo Code BAJENNIFER50 at checkout for $50off your order of Sarah Flint shoes!

I’ve loved shoes for a very long time. A few blog posts ago, I recalled helping my grandmother during her seasonal shoe migration where the current season’s shoes would be moved from the hallway closet to that of her bedroom, and the outgoing season’s went the opposite direction. But regardless of the season, I always opened up the boxes and tried two pair: army green crocodile block pumps and her gold feathery kitten heel mule slippers. What I wouldn’t give to have those shoes today, even though she was a Size 8 and I’m a 7. 

Whenever anyone asks about my love for shoes, sometimes very expensive shoes, I am reminded of a phone call I once received from my mother while away at college. Keep in mind this was 1994. I’d purchased a pair of shoes from Nordstrom and left the box in my closet at home. They were $98, which seems like a real bargain today (at least for a shoe lover!) But for an unemployed sophomore in college whose mother was working two jobs so I could focus on studying, it didn’t go over very well. “98 dollars for a pair of shoes?!?!?” she sternly asked over the phone. “You are sooooo lucky you aren’t home right now.” Fair point. At my age, I really didn’t need a pair of $100 shoes when most of my friends were wearing much less expensive options, mainly because most shoes inevitably got destroyed at one of the many bars in College Park. We eventually wised up and reserved one pair of shoes as bar shoes. Thankfully I outgrew those types of establishments upon graduating.

Fast forward many years to when I earned my first big promotion and finally had a little bit of cash. Single and sans kids. I spared no expense on shoes. The higher the heel the better. Comfort often didn’t matter as long as they looked good. And until recently, sexiness and/or high style in a shoe often meant sacrificing comfort.

Enter Sarah Flint. Before I get into why I’m having a love affair with Sarah Flint shoes, I need to share everything else I love about this company, this brand, and the woman behind both, Sarah Flint herself. Let’s start with her slogan, “Walk like a woman.” Without considering the background behind her choice of this tagline, it took on its own meaning for me. I’ve always been a girly girl. I’ve always loved fashion and makeup and all things pretty and feminine. And at times in my life, I’ve often felt a need to hide that passion because some believe that attractive women and/or women who take pride in their physical appearance lack substance. Some think attractive women are getting by on their looks and that if a woman was really that intelligent, she wouldn’t feel the need to get all dolled up. Thankfully, times have changed, and more and more women are comfortable expressing their femininity and passion for looking as beautiful on the outside as they feel on the inside. So to me, the phrase, “Walk like a woman” empowers a woman to take that big job, go for that big promotion, and do it while dressing in a beautiful and feminine way and exercising the freedom to express her personal style.

Now onto the shoes. Sarah Flint shoes are designed by a woman, inspired by women, and carefully and expertly crafted to deliver style and comfort. And because they are sold directly to you, the consumer, they’re more affordable because they don’t have the traditional retailer markup.

I don’t think I need to write much about the look and style of these shoes. A picture is worth a thousand words, and they really do speak for themselves. But there is one feature I must point out on her pumps, and that’s the V-shaped Vamp which, in my opinion, shows the perfect amount of toe cleavage for an uber-sexy look. 

Let’s keep it real, though. There are lots of sexy shoes on the market. I could list 10 brands in under 10 seconds. But Sarah takes her interest and love for a shoe one step further (pun intended!) The difference between a comfortable shoe and a painful shoe has everything to do with craftsmanship. And if there is one thing that most people know for certain, it’s that Italians know how to make a shoe! Made in Italy, every shoe is touched by no less than 12 pairs of hands. Not just any hands—the most experienced and knowledgable artisans in the industry. Each of them owns and is an expert in, after years of training, a specific step of the shoe-making process. And they’re made in the same factories as two of my favorite brands, Manolo Blahnik (Carrie Bradshaw fans, rejoice!) and Christian Louboutin. These shoes aren’t coming off a massive and automated assembly line. The artisans are hand-stitching outsoles and hand-placing the smallest of details because shoes are a serious business. Ever been sold a mattress by a mattress salesman? They tell you that you spend half of your life on a mattress so it’s worth investing in a good one. Well the same is true for shoes. Think about how often your feet are in them and how much walking in a good shoe versus a low quality shoe can affect the rest of your body. 

Let’s begin with one of the biggest complaints women have about many shoes, especially those with pointy toes. The feeling of our toes being smooshed together like sardines in a can. Long term, that leads to corns, bunions, toes crossing over onto their neighbor, and eventually surgery for some. Argh! And does anyone remember the Eddie Murphy movie “Boomerang” where his character couldn’t date a woman with “hammertime feet?” Thankfully, Sarah Flint shoes have a wider toe box, easing foot crowding. 

Ever been standing in a pair of heels and feeling like the balls of your feet were on fire? The Sarah Flint Perfect Pump has an additional 6mm of memory foam at the footbed for extra comfort.

When I take my heels off at night, I often immediately massage the arch of my foot. But after a day in Sarah Flint Perfect Pumps, you can save your strength, because her heels have an extra pad to support the natural arch of the foot. It’s amazing to feel it once you slide your foot into the shoe.

For those of you who put safety first, you’ll be happy to know each shoe has a rubber outsole with a no-slip grip, and stilettos are constructed with a steel rod to improve durability and longevity of the heel. No old Mentos commercials going on here. (I’m really dating myself!)

I live in New York City, and we are fortunate enough to have the very first Sarah Flint pop-up shop! So that means I was able to try on lots of Sarah Flint styles and see their beauty in person. So what are my top picks? That’s kind of like asking a mother which one of her children she loves the most. It’s impossible to choose! But I’ll list a few. Fortunately, Sarah Flint shoes ship for free and returns are free, as well. So if you don’t live in NYC, it’s a no-risk purchase. And when your shoes arrive, from the moment you open the box, it’s abundantly clear just how much TLC went into crafting and packaging your very own Sarah Flint shoes.

So what are my favorites? The short answer is all of them, but I’m going to narrow it down to five for purposes of this post. So here goes…

The Natalie

When Meghan Markle made her public debut with Prince Harry, the world watched…as she held his hand and walked beside him in her Sarah Flint Natalie flats/loafers. And then the shoes sold out in two minutes (I’m not sure that’s the actual time period, but it was quick), and the waitlist was a mile long and several months out. So I gave up. Temporarily. The good news is that these are classic flats that are the epitome of versatility. You can seriously wear them with almost anything. The Natalie comes in several colors, but my favorite is obvious.

The Lana
I’ve also tried the Lana flat in Navy blue. I actually feel these may be even more comfortable for my feet than the Natalie, so they likely will be one of my next acquisitions from this brand.

Perfect Pump 85mm Black Suede
I’m wearing the Perfect Pump 85mm in Black Suede in all of the skirt photos in this post. And I couldn’t love them more. They go with everything from skirts to dresses to trousers to denim. I opted for the medium height so I could wear them more frequently and because I have a pair of higher black patent pumps that I wear when I want a bit more of a lift. But quite frankly, I think the 85mm is a perfectly sexy height that many people who “normally don’t like high heels” would love. This shoe will be an investment that lasts for years. I promise it will never go out of style.

Perfect Pump 100mm Cabernet Suede
What kind of woman and royal family groupie would I be if I didn’t covet the latest shoe worn by Meghan Markle in her perfect leather pencil skirt outfit? My next shoe acquisition will be the Perfect Pump 100mm in Cabernet Suede. This color is perfect when you need a kick (pun intended) to your outfit. I’m not a red pump kind of gal, so this is my cup of tea (there’s the royal wanna-be in me coming out again!) These shoes are on pre-order right now and are scheduled to ship in December. I assure you they’ll sell out because anything that royalty wears always does.

Marina Boot
Nothing says “hip and as sexy” like a knee-high boot. The Marina in Olive is full of style and of course, comfort. I envision wearing them with skirts, dresses, and denim in multiple colors. The perfect new addition to your boot collection.

Visit Sarah Flint to browse their entire selection of amazing shoes, boots, and even handbags. I have found they run true to size. And there are exciting new product launches to come, as Sarah and her team are in Italy as you read. Use PROMO CODE BAJENNIFER50 at checkout at Sarah Flint for $50 off your first order. You’re completely welcome! For those of you wish to shop the entire look, click here to be directed to the “Shop My Looks” page of this website.

xoxo,
Jennifer