A Madewell Greta Ballet Flats Review After Wearing Them All Over the Place

Thinking of getting the Madewell Greta ballet flats? Here’s my full review after having them for a few months and wearing them all over London!

Get the flats here

At some point last year, I became obsessed with Mary Jane shoes. I think it’s because a lot of brands started making styles that felt sleeker than the super girly ones from my childhood. I waited about a year to see if I really wanted a pair or if it was just a trend, filling a Pinterest board with outfit ideas.

Finally last winter I decided to get a pair! Funnily enough, I made a list of all potential brands and then wound up buying the Madewell Greta ballet flats when I popped into the story on a whim while Christmas shopping. They were just too perfect.

With such a delicate style, I honestly wasn’t expecting them to become a travel shoe or even something I walked more than a few thousand steps in. However, after wearing them into Philly twice and finding them super comfortable, I brought them with me for my month in London and wound up wearing them all over.

The weather had been so sunny and nice, and I hate taking the tube because it feels like a suffocating sauna, so I often found myself walking a mile or two more than I thought. And the whole time? My feet and the flats were fine!

So, I thought I’d do a little review singing their praises because if I found them comfortable as someone with 200+ lbs and wide, flat feet, I’m pretty sure most of you will too!

Get the red style here

A Quick Madewell Greta Review

Sizing

The Gretas come in sizes 5 – 12 and in half sizes from 5H – 10H. While they’re a normal width shoe, I find with the softer leather they’re able to stretch more easily for wider feet.

I will say if your feet tend to swell, you may want to size up.

Other Details

I didn’t realize what a difference it would make but the elastic strap and the MWL Cloudlift Lite padding seriously make these flats. I ordered Repetto Mary Janes, and it’s such stark difference in the sole support and ease of getting them on and off.

As a bonus, according to Madewell, the leather is sourced from a tannery certified by the Leather Working Group.

Longevity

So far my Madewell Greta flats have held up extremely well, but it’s also only been about five months. I really put them to work in London because I wore them almost every day and wound up walking well over 10,000 steps, and they’re still looking and feeling good!

I will say, I probably won’t wear them into the summer because my feet sweat and swell, I can tell it’s messing with the lining. If you live somewhere hot, I’d say you’re better off with a knit fabric like Rothys.

Get the black style here

Pricing & Quality

The original Madewell Greta shoes are only $98 pre-tax, which honestly feels like a steal. I was also considering getting Aeyde Mary Jane flats for very similar reasons (comfort and minimalist style) and they’re like 4x as much!

The studded and braided ones are more, but if I was going to buy I’d only recommend the original leather ones in black, brown, red, and maybe the sand suede ones. They look the sleekest and are infinitely more classic. Everything else kind of looks too trendy for me.

Also – keep an eye on sales too because Madewell is always running one. I got my red pair at 25% off.

You might also find a deal on Zappos, Amazon, or Nordstrom.

How I’ve Styled Them

So far with my Madewell Greta flats, I find I style them in two ways. The first is to lean into the fact that they’re a girlier shoe (even with the sleeker designs) and match with feminine details like flowers and ruffles.

The other way I like to wear them is with something more casual like with jeans and a button-up or plainer shirt. Honestly, I feel like the coolest look is a T-shirt, jeans, flats, and like a low ponytail and some hoop earrings!

Here are some examples:

And there you have it – my Madewell Greta review. If you’re on the fence about getting them, I say go for it! As long as it’s not super humid out, I plan on wearing these until there’s a whole in the bottom. They just make every outfit a little more fun!

Do you have a favorite Mary Jane brand? Let me know below!

For more product reviews:

• Fulton Insoles Review: NEED for Walking All Day
• Printfresh Review: Cute, Sustainable PJ’s Alert!
• Girlfriend Collective Bra Review: Worth It?

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