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I have gone through SO many pairs of flats over the years in search of the perfect ones for my flat feet. I knew Jesse and I would be doing a ton of walking on our recent Europe trip, so I scoured the Internet trying to find a pair of flats that were fashionable, comfortable, and easily packable.
Ja-vie Flats
Let me tell you, that is nearly impossible! Any pair that has decent support and sounds comfortable also looks like something my grandma would have worn. Then I discovered Ja-vie! I had literally never heard of these shoes before last month, but they seemed to fit every single one of my requirements. I contacted this up-and-coming company, who graciously sent me a pair to test drive during our travels, in exchange for my honest review.
In my shoe research, I was originally impressed by reading through the “About Us” section of Ja-vie’s website. When I am reading the “About Us” sections of shoe websites, you know I am desperate for a good pair of shoes! In short, the shoes were designed out of necessity by Natalie and her husband, when Natalie’s first pregnancy caused her serious walking pain. They started with a pair of socks that have ultimately morphed in the super-comfortable shoes they sell today. How cool is that?!
Now that you know a little backstory, let me tell you about my experience. Overall, I really love these shoes and would 100% recommend them to everyone. They are comfortable/supportive, versatile, and fashionable. Let me break down each of these areas for you.
Comfortable/Supportive
These flats have several specially designed features to allow for maximum support and comfort. The built-in, sock-like lining allowed for me to immediately hit the ground running, with no “breaking-in” phase and no blisters. This was highly important while traveling, especially since these arrived the day before our trip!
The leather inserts have arch, heel, and ball support. All of my previous flats only had a small arch support, at best. Generally, cute flats have absolutely no support though! Some may find the added support a little hard to get used to, but my feet adjusted quickly. (Think of it like wearing a bra for the first time – maybe a little hard to adjust at first, but you gotta love that extra support!) We even did a little hiking on our trip. Although I wouldn’t recommend the shoes for hiking, I did take the removable inserts from my Ja-vie’s and temporarily transferred them to my tennis shoes for consistent support. It worked very well!
Versatile
I wore these shoes around the airport, walking the Cliffs of Moher, touring tons of castles in Ireland, out to dinner in Paris, to church in Scotland, and soon enough I will wear them to work. Having a waterproof shoe was a must during those rainy days in Ireland. When I wasn’t wearing the shoes, they were easily packable and took up little of that oh-so-valued room in my backpack. (Yes, I packed for a 19-day trip in a backpack…different post yet to come!)
Sporting my Ja-vie’s in our castle hotel.
Fashionable
The pictures speak for themselves. These shoes are adorable! I went with the regular black version that would match all of my outfits, but Ja-vie currently offers 37 different designs. Each time I look, there are more designs available. Here are a few of my favorite styles:
I honestly can’t come up with many negatives related to these shoes. I will say that although the shoes are washable, which is incredibly convenient, the leather insoles cannot be washed. I didn’t have any stinky-feet problems (the venting on the insoles helped with airflow), so this has not been an issue for me yet. The ability to purchase additional insoles would be a great option, one that Ja-vie will be offering next month.
The European sizing can be tricky as well. I am a Size 7 in almost every pair of shoes I own. Since Ja-vie has European sizing, I was not exactly sure whether I needed a Size 37 or 38. I ordered both, and the Size 38 was the perfect fit. The Size 37 was a tad bit snug, and these shoes WILL NOT stretch because of the material from which they are made. The company recommends sizing up if you are a half size or have wide feet. The very limited negative reviews on Amazon are also related to the European sizing. Nonetheless, these shoes sit at 4.5 of 5 stars on Amazon, so you don’t just have to take my word for it!
I hope you all find this information useful! If you would like your own pair of Ja-vie’s, you can find the widest variety on Amazon. They are priced from $49 to $88, depending on size and style.
SPECIAL GIVEAWAY!
We are excited to announce that Ja-Vie is offering a FREE PAIR of shoes to one of our lucky readers. The winner will be able to pick out their favorite style. You can earn up to six entries throughout the contest period of April 14-25. Please click here to enter for your free pair of Ja-vie’s. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on April 26th.
Sorry, this contest has ended. Congratulations to our winner – Paige M.!
Here at Loophole Travel, we want to share products that we travel with and love. Some we’ve purchased on our own. Others have been graciously offered to us, free of charge, by companies that want the unbiased review of travel enthusiasts. This article may contain affiliate links.
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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
