Yummy Greta Flora
Shoe Diva Contributor: bastet
It was a seven month quest, but I finally got myself squared away with a pair of low heeled, (non-boring) neutral shoes.
These are from Greta Flora via Diva-Boutique and I wish I’d had them for Tangofest.
I love them. They are very well made. The materials are soft and not too stiff (unlike I find Comme Il Faut texture leathers). Greta Flora does half sizes on request though these are a regular size 36. Kathleen was able to give flower placement and color options as she adds them herself upon purchase. The lining is excellent and the heel is lined in soft suede. The padding is average and about the only thing I could wish for a little more of (as usual).
These are a silvery taupe lizard texture suede with light cream accent and flower on the heel (my choice of placement). The heel measures a comfortable 2.5″ up the back (the 5.5cm heel).
Overall, I am very pleased and happy to recommend Greta Flora. Sizing runs similar to Comme Il Faut or Neotango for those who are concerned. Maybe just a hair wider in cut to similar band sandals for CiF, but similar in footbed length (size 36 is 9.25″ insole length). CiF size 36 band sandals often bind my toes unless it is suede or velvet, but these were very nice in cut- not binding at all.
Yay for Greta and Flora!
Next step…a colorful pair of low heels!
***Update: I just wore these out to a milonga last night and despite the fact that they have less padding than I would like, this is the first time in quite literally years, that I have come home and NOT felt the need to ice my feet (though I did it anyway).****
I love your shoes! They look so romantic and much better on your legs then just on picture.
Comment by
Anastasia — October 23, 2009 @ 1:46 am
They look lovely on! Go perfectly with your nail colour!
thanks for the info as have wanted to try Gretaflora and your feedback is helpful.
How do you find the stability of the heel compared with CIF – I know they are lower but they do look set back quite a lot, more like a kitten heel rather than a curved stiletto?
And is the padding roughly the same as CIF? I have found that recent CIF productions have less padding than they did a couple of years ago.
Comment by
Light Sleeper — October 24, 2009 @ 5:39 am
it’s like the heels in the post I made a month or so ago (the purple and black shoes). It’s 5.5cm and curves under the heel, if that is what you are asking. It doesn’t drop straight down the back of the heel like a “Luz” heel, and I would like them a lot less if they did drop straight down the back. Hope that makes sense. I would say heel placement is just slightly in back of center heel, overall for the shape.
They aren’t rock solid like CiF heels. It wobbles a little if I push on it, but I have found that as I go along in my dancing, that is nice to have, but doesn’t seem to affect my dancing. It could have to do with them being handmade heels rather than the acrylic preformed ones. I don’t have any handmade heels that are completely rock solid. But both of my acrylic heel shoes (One Jorge Nel and one CiF) don’t wobble a bit when pushed on.
Padding I can only say is average to me. I haven’t tried on CiF in a couple of years, but it is similar to the padding in the pair I have from 3 years ago, which for me is not much.
One brand I want to look at seriously is Nueva Epoca, which does pad their shoes from heel to toe liek Tara does (or it did last year).
Comment by
bastet — October 24, 2009 @ 11:58 am
Let me go back and clarify about the heel.
The heels on these are set more under the shoe, towards the center of the heel of your foot, rather than towards the heel cage the way the very high heel CIF are set.
I think this makes for a more comfortable low heel. Low heels I have tried on with the heel set towards the heel cage area just don’t feel “right” to me.
Comment by
bastet — October 24, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
Thanks for the clarification. I could possibly cope with the slight wobble but not sure if it would suit me to have the heel so far under the shoe. Band sandals are best for my feet but if they’re a bit wider than CIF hmmmmmm. CIF are fine on me and I’ve got medium/broad feet.. maybe fit varies on size.
At least Diva Boutique has no probs with returns. The taupe is lovely but wouldn’t go with my wardrobe. Only other option aside from a red/black combo (which I dislike, black with any other colour, yes, red on it’s own, yes, black and red together – nooooo!) is pewter/black which are less boring than plain black but still quite subdued (which is nice for a change for me)
Hmmmm *mulls over*
Comment by
Light Sleeper — October 27, 2009 @ 2:08 am
She also has some higher heels that are more colorful (including metallic blue and purple), and lack of color choices in low heels is always a serious pet peeve of mine (that and lack of open toe low heel choices).
I didn’t realize how much I really needed the very open toe til I had worn these a couple of times. It makes a big difference for me and so the sacrifice of color choice for now isn’t as much of an issue. Open toe now has priority for me.
They don’t feel wobbley while on the feet, but if you take them off and set them on a counter and give them a little puch with your finger, you’ll find they aren’t quite as rock solid as CIF heels given that same little push. As I said, I don’t currently have any pairs of non-acrylic heels that don’t wobble just a bit before coming to a standstill if I give them a little push.
Comment by
bastet — October 27, 2009 @ 7:36 am
With you on the pet peeve. The only higher heels in the bright colours (also in wide open toe – like you – nothing else for me now!) I like are the shades of blue strappy number but 3.4 is high for me and I would be reluctant to even try a 3″ heel in anything other than CIF. In fact, I think I’ll wait until Kathleen gets some new 3″ CIF bands in. Could kick myself as there was a gorgeous plain gold leather pair over at Maleva that were in the SALE but I was trying to be good at the time *sigh*
The pewter/black versions of your pretties are my favourite but if I’m getting pewter, I’d prefer plain pewter so can wear them with paler colours. Anyway, I assume they will re-stock with newer models at some point.
Another pet peeve – the nice 2 or 2.5″ louis heel CIFs that are in stock at Diva – none of them are bands! Maybe we should give CIF some feedback!
Comment by
Light Sleeper — October 27, 2009 @ 8:00 am
Well- I will say that all the flower model shoes also come without flower. The do have contrast trim (except for the purple ones, which are all purple) and the flower is an extra component so she could let people choose flower or no flower and maybe color choices.
CIF- yeah- it’d be nice if they did something besides a peep toe in the 6.5cm heel, but I doubt they care. That has been my overall impression.
At least GretaFlora cares and so now I will be spending my hard earned cash on their shoes instead.
Comment by
bastet — October 27, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
Ooooh, B, those are fab! Once I resume my shoe-buying antics, that pair with a higher heel is on my list.
I’m so glad you’ve been able to find a great brand that makes low-heeled shoes!
PS. I can’t believe you’re selling your pony print CiFs… those are famous on this site!
Comment by
Sabrina — November 20, 2009 @ 8:23 pm
yep- the pony shoes be sold. they have plenty of dancing left in them, and I just couldn’t stand to see them sitting any more.
I think I am like you, I need open toe (very open) and those just bothered my toe joint too much. There’s plenty of other people that a peep toe will work for, just not me, so off they go!
I’ll probably attempt to find a pair of open toe CiF to try out at some point…see if that helps at all. Maybe a sling back would help too.
Comment by
bastet — November 20, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
you should definitely give Greta Flora a try when you can- the taupe pair has the nicest, most comfortable cut…I am getting a special red and orange pair made for me.
Comment by
bastet — November 20, 2009 @ 9:19 pm