Barefoot Ballet Flats have to be on of the hardest shoes to get right, and this one has some really amazing qualities. Read on to see if it’s right for your feet and if it would be a great addition to your barefoot shoes wardrobe.
Groundies has outdone themselves with the look of this fabric, but we can’t choose shoes based on this alone, so check it out and always feel free to ask questions so you can be sure your minimalist shoes purchase will be a good fit for you.
Disclaimer: I bought these shoes myself and no Groundies links or codes on this page are affiliate. Discounts are limited-time and only for your benefit.
At the time of writing, there is a code that’s available for just a few more days: obsessedwbfs10, which saves you 10% on your purchase at Groundies’ website.
Sections
Technical specifications
- Model: Barefoot Ballerina Bella (Ballet Flat, for us Americans)
- Upper: 100% Cowhide Leather
- Interior: Leather
- Insole: No removable insole
- Sole: TrueSense with 3mm base and 1 mm Profile
- Sizes 36-43
- 6 available colors, with Rose pictured here
Company
Groundies makes cool shoes, full stop. But they never stop. They’re always bringing out new looks and adding to existing ones with tweaks to fit any style. They’re based in Germany, ship worldwide, and absolutely dominate the arena. You can read more on their site about their goals, sustainable practices, materials, and more.
Appearance
The patterning here immediately catches your eye. The others are solid (blue, white, dark brown, taupe, and black) but this Rose color includes a mix of matte and reflective flakes that are beautiful. Note: it’s also available on at least one other model – never know if/when Groundies will add it to more – at the time of writing, so if you want that look but Bella isn’t right, go peek around the site.
The front of the shoes comes back far enough to cover your toes (no toe cleavage) but not so far back that they age you. I think they balanced it well. To be fair, I could be biased because this color is very near my skin tone, versus a dark black or blue, but that’s the impression.
The shoes go with pretty much any style:
Different days, different looks, different lights, and different moods. I could try to match everything up to look perfect here, but I won’t. Every day is different in real life too.
Fit and Sizing
I normally try to do these separately, but in this case they are intimately connected. Groundies has on the Bella product page that it runs bigger, which doesn’t tell you if that’s length, width, volume, or what.
Eliminating one possibility, I can tell you that the interior measurement of my size 43 shoes exactly matches the sizing chart:
That leaves us with width and volume. I find the width to be normal to wide at the toe box and very comfortable with the soft fabric, but as you move further back on the shoe the bigger part is quickly apparent in both the heel and the midfoot, making them a very spacious shoe. More about that, and how it affects sizing, in a moment.
This shoe does not rely on elastic to hold it on, but rather has its own shape held together by the edging that lines the opening. The one medium volume point of the shoe is at the back of the vamp (the part that covers your toes) and where the foot slides under it. This part is snug, but would still likely feel loose for someone with low volume feet.
Moving back the shoes, however, things get noticeably larger. My feet are two different sizes and the larger one (higher in volume, width, and length) was immediately secure throughout, while the smaller foot had some slipping at the heel at first. With wear, the shoe reshaped a bit (not visibly) and the slipping stopped. This does not change the very spacious midfoot of the shoe, where some space is visible between my foot and the instep.
So, if you’re not high volume, can you wear this shoe?
If you’re low volume, probably not. If you’re narrow, I seriously doubt it. If you’re medium volume, I’m going to say:
Maybe
It’s a beautiful shoe that I love, but you will have to compromise length for fit and size down. The material is very soft and you can probably get away with a size down and not impact your toe movement. However, I doubt you can go further than that without restriction. The flexibility and generous toe box give you some leeway, but you need to still make sure you’re not running into the end with each step, which affects your gait and big toe. And you may still need an insole or other helper material to take up some of the space.
How do they feel?
I always try to go with the immediate thought first here, which is: incredibly light. The upper is basically nothing, as far as weight goes. Hold a pair of Groundies Bella, and you can tell most of the substance is the sole. The only point I really notice when wearing them is the back of the vamp where my high volume foot is just a *tad* thicker than the shoe’s allowance. The edging is firm to help the shoe still look like a shoe, even without elastic or laces, and I ever-so-slightly exceed that space. It’s not uncomfortably, but if your feet are extra, extra fluffy there, this might not be the shoe for you.
The shoes are lined in thin leather and feel great on the skin. The stitches are smooth and there are no rough spots or pressure points. It feels like they’ve gone out of their way to not dig with a light, comfortable shoe.
The sole is their original True Sense and is very flexible, with good ground feel.
Cleaning and Care
The leather feels like a suede (not smooth) material and you should choose a protectant with that in mind. Some options are here. Other colorways appear to be a smooth leather, and would use a different product. Either way, protection helps extend the life of your shoes by minimizing penetration of stains or moisture.
Cleaning should be with care using a damp cloth. Do not machine wash or dry.
Purchasing and Returns
Groundies sells their shoes directly from their website and runs frequent sales. They now ship with UPS, which took 11 days to arrive, and you can currently get a discount with the limited-time code (not affiliate): obsessedwbfs10. It should last about another week, but when it’s gone it’s gone and Groundies codes often end early due to excited use.
If you’re in the US, the Bella Flat is on Amazon and on 10/21/21 the ! Sizing is harder to gauge but my 43s are 11.5 Wide and 42s are 10 Wide, so you can gauge downward from there.. It’s worth checking from time to time, though, as they will add new models and discount the old ones without warning.
Final Thoughts
I’m torn here. They’re basically perfect for me, even a little extra. But I know that I’m a small segment of the population with high-volume, wide feet, and wide heels. I’d love for Groundies to keep this model to serve people like me who want and need amazing shoes like this, but also take the best parts of this – the wide toe box, lightness, flexibility, and beautiful material – and make something that fits lower volume people, as well. I’d love everyone who wants a pair of barefoot flats to have something this enjoyable to wear.
Want more reviews?
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