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Any frequent flier knows a comfortable, multi-purpose travel shoe can feel hard to nail down. Especially a simple black ballet flat that is sleek, stylish, and doesn't sacrifice function for form. In theory, a black ballet flat should be the perfect travel shoe: The color goes with everything, it's a simple enough style to match any outfit, and is relatively comfortable, right? Turns out a black ballet flat you'll want to wear all day is actually quite hard to find.
I've been on the hunt for the perfect black ballet flat for years, especially since traveling for work became a regular part of my life. Cue the two-and-a-half-minute movie montage of me trying nearly every black ballet flat from countless companies and never finding one that was just right. Call me the Goldilocks of ballet flats—they were either too delicate and had no support, or too sturdy and lost the dainty dancer look I was striving for. More often than not, these flats were so thin that I may as well have gone barefoot.
I had nearly given up the search a few months ago until I rediscovered Tory Burch flats. More specifically, The Crystal Snake Ballet Flat from Tory Burch's most recent holiday collection. The luxurious leather is buttery soft and breathable (read: no foot sweat). The cushioned sole makes me feel like I'm walking on a cloud without adding too much bulk to the shoe. (Great news for travelers: All of the Spring/Summer '22 collection ballet flats at Tory Burch have the same cloud-like cushioned sole.) I walked 11 miles in these shoes the first day I wore them, traversing Disney's Magic Kingdom and every country in Epcot's World Showcase, then another 13 miles the next day while roaming around Disney's Hollywood Studios. My feet have never felt better after a full weekend of Disney magic.
Originally priced at $398, The Crystal Snake Ballet Flat, which comes in black or cornbread, is now on sale for $239—not a bad price point for the perfect chic and comfortable travel shoe. Even the stretchy elastic band that loops over the top of the foot is the perfect length, securing your foot so it doesn't pop out of the shoe without digging into your skin. The pair also helps support my weak, titanium-plated ankles, and the added bonus of rocking some Slytherin house pride with the crystal-embellished snake design doesn't hurt either.
Now that my search has ended, I’ll be packing these on future business trips and cross-country jaunts, and wearing them to the office—especially on meeting-packed days when I'm running from floor to floor.
If you didn't move quickly enough on The Crystal Snake Ballet Flat, check out some other comfortable Tory Burch flats below:
