You see them on women’s feet everywhere: the black leather ballet flats with the large round metal double T gold logo on the toe. Yes, I’m talking about the ubiquitous Tory Burch “Reva” flats, except now they’re available in a host of colors and fabrics, from lime green leather to giraffe print haircalf. When Tory Burch launched her shoe line for fall 2006, it consisted of seven different styles. The next year, Ms. Burch’s expanded her shoe line to over twenty styles. (Michelle Baran, Tory’s Flat Phenom After Huge Sales of Tory Burch’s Reva Flat, The Designer Expands Her Footware Business, Footwear News, April 30, 2007.) In their first year on the market, more than 300,000 pairs of Reva flats were sold. (Clifford Pugh, Spring Chic: Oprah, Lance, Socialites and Teens Alike Join the Celebration of Fashion’s New “It Girl,” The Houston Chronicle, March 25, 2007.) So what’s the big deal with Tory Burch flats? How and why did they become the “must-have” shoe of the moment and why are women still buying them? After watching the umpteenth woman walk by in these seemingly omnipresent flats, I decided to check them out for myself.
My first observation about the Reva when I tried a pair on was how incredibly comfortable the shoe is. Every woman should own a pair of comfortable yet stylish shoes. And the Reva flat is indeed a comfortable shoe-so comfortable, in fact, that it has supplanted sneakers for me as the walking shoe of choice. It bears mention here that not all flats are comfortable. In fact, because many ballet flats lack any cushioning in the soles, they are often quite uncomfortable. The Reva, in contrast, is made with a flexible rubber sole that provides cushioning and support for your feet, which is crucial if you spend a lot of time walking on (cement) sidewalks.
The other great aspect of the Reva is its “go anywhere quality.” The Reva ballet flat is the ultimate versatile shoe. It is formal and stylish enough to be worn to work, but can also double as casual weekend gear. The Reva gives a finished look to shorts or short skirts and turns a casual outfit of capri pants and a tee-shirt into a ladylike ensemble à la Audrey Hepburn. The Reva automatically dresses up any outfit, but still somehow retains enough of its casual character to be worn to picnics or on shopping trips to the grocery store without looking like you’re trying too hard. And with all the colors and different textures the Reva now comes in, there is truly a pair for every outfit.
Now that I own a pair of Revas, I can definitively say that I finally understand the obsession: at last I have a comfortable shoe that is stylish, versatile and chic and can be worn to equally great effect with either my work or my weekend clothes. Who couldn’t help but love a shoe like that? Still, it would be better, perhaps, if not quite so many people shared the Reva obsession. If you purchase a pair of Revas, you do run the risk of looking like a follower of the fashion herd and I must admit that I wince a bit internally every day when I see the gold double T logo coming towards me the umpteenth pair of Reva clad feet. But this concern has diminished over time for me. I love my pair of Revas-they are comfortable and I think they look cute-so what should I care if other people wear them too? Plus, since the Reva is available in so many different colors and textures, if you are really concerned about looking like everyone else, you can simply avoid the black nappa leather (the most popular style) and opt for the patent leather, quilted, haircalf, snake skin, or brightly colored styles instead.
If you are considering buying a pair of Revas, there are some quirks with the fit that you should take into consideration when selecting your size. When I first tried on the Reva, I felt that the metal logo on the toe pressed down on my toes uncomfortably. This problem was solved when I tried on a pair one size up from my normal size. However, because of the elasticized back on the Reva flat, the shoe tends to stretch with wear. Consequently, it is better for the shoe to be on the tight side when you first purchase it. Chances are it will feel just right after walking around in it for a few days.
