Puma Wynne Ballet Flats

A few days after I posted about commuter footwear, one of the pairs of shoes I had my eyes on came back in stock in my size. I don't usually buy items brand new, but this type of shoe is not something I will likely come across on the secondhand shelves, and it's a very worthwhile investment. Being on sale, with free shipping and free returns, I had no excuse to pass them up.

When they arrived, I was pleased to find that they looked just like the photo, and not at all like "orthopedic old lady shoes" as one reviewer had described. The sizing felt just right, and wearing them around the office for the rest of the day, they were comfortable. I decided to keep them, and wore them for real the next day. I did notice a couple things about the fit, however, that I unfortunately hadn't been able to gauge when I wore them inside.

- The inner "bunion" area rubs a bit, and I got a blister/torn skin the first day I wore them. I have been wearing them quite a bit, though, and as I break the shoes in, this issue has gone away.
- The soles, though sneaker-like, can be slippery on wet cement.

I also thought the packaging was noteworthy. Rather than a standard shoebox with a lid, the shoes were in a half box (for structure/protection) inside a narrow cloth bag - like the re-useable bags we use for grocery shopping up here in the Pacific Northwest! A little bonus mini tote for a pair of shoes- or a wine bottle, perhaps?
While I'm not sure that these complete resolve my commuter footwear issues, they have been a drastic improvement over my regular Payless flats.