Tie up sandals -- fuss factor? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Tie up sandals -- fuss factor?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am extremely tempted by these Kenneth Cole sandals in red. I tried them on today. They are soft suede with a very stable heel, and enormous fun.

The problem? I'm worried about the fuss factor of the ties. I would have to tie the suede in a bow (because the ties would dangle if I didn't) and the bow seemed as if it would come out. I wondered if I could shorten the ties and seal them off somehow. Which would add to the price of course.

Are you experienced with this style of sandal? Will it turn into a PITA?

In other news, I purchased the much-more practical everyday Camper in metallic. A nice cross-purpose sandal.

Kenneth Cole New York Women's Victoria GLADIATOR Sandal

View Info

Top Pick

2

CAMPER Kobo Strappy Sandal

View Info

Top Pick

13

Shopping

38 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

Traci

Veteran

I think the tie in back would be suuuuuuuper annoying and awkward.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Don't do it. The tie will come undone and drive you bonkers, or else it will just seem like too much work to put on your shoes.

Cute sandals though!

cindysmith

Veteran

I've quit trying tie-up sandals. I love the idea of them, but the reality is a total PITA for me

Christina F.

Veteran

I find that anything that ties in the back kind of bobs up and down, loosening the knot, as I walk. So I'd say these would be too fussy. The silver ones look great and much more practical!

Anonymous

Can they not be wrapped and tied in front? I don't think you'd need to worry about sealing the cut edge off (if you did that) raw edge suede is fine and not going to ravel or fray. I like these - and it's interesting that the Sam Edelman version with the slightly lower heel comes up in the "people recently looked at..." slide show. Did you see those? I like these and would wear them in a hot minute if they weren't so strappy near the toe area.

Anonymous

To add: I am currently wearing the heck out of a pair of suede tie-ups and they are not a PITA at all. I wouldn't wear them shopping if I needed to be trying on clothes or other shoes and consequently taking them off every 5 minutes , but for every day they are great!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting responses.

Lisa, the ties are either too long or not long enough to be tied up in front -- I'd have to alter. They are too long if I wrap them twice and not long enough for a 3x wrap with tie in front.

I have to admit they were soooooo comfy otherwise, though! Amazing. The heel was great.

Sara L.

Veteran

I have tie sandals and they stay tied just fine. I think it depends on the material that the ties are made of. Mine are suede type materials and stay tied just fine.

Diana

Veteran

I have worn this type of sandal in the past and found them *supremely* annoying. Either the ties keep coming loose/slipping down so you're always fussing with them, or they stay put but are so tight they cut off circulation. No happy medium.

The campers are lovely though!

ETA: I can't tell whether the ties are needed to keep the sandal from falling off or whether they are more decorative. If the latter, it might not be quite so annoying... the ones I had, the ties were kind of a continuation of the straps so the whole thing had to be pretty secure or the shoe would start slipping around.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The ties are super soft suede and didn't feel like they would come undone as easily as I had feared before try-on, but they are required. If they came loose you would be tripping all over them.

Another woman bought them just before me. She was taller than I am and had shoulder length silver hair. They looked fantastic on her. I may have been swayed by that...

Anonymous

I would get them.

I think they are very of-the-moment and they seem to make everybody's legs look pretty.

Maybe there's some sort of trick knot you can use to tie them securely.

Anonymous

Suz: where did you try these on?

unfrumped

Veteran

High potential for PITA. some engineering types studied how shoelaces come untied. I do think if depends on the material and shape. I'd worry about the motion factor, though.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Smittie, I tried them at Heel Boy in Kingston (where I live).

The one shoe store in town where I reliably find things. They do have an online presence also. https://heelboy.com

I also got the Campers there. They're great.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, I have a pair of espadrille style that ties up and I don't find them to be much of a PITA. I wrap them around my ankle to the point where I don't need to tie them into a bow -- rather, I tie them in a little double knot so that there's not so much tie flapping around.

Those are really pretty shoes. I'd love to see them work for you!

Gaylene

Veteran

I wouldn't wear those red sandals for day-long walking, but for less intensive occasions, I'd love to have them in my closet. A shoe can be a workhorse without being a distance machine. We are entitled to have fun with fashion, after all.

Maybe think of them as social sandals?

Elle

Veteran

These are seriously cute sandals - love the red and the tie. I have some tie sandals and haven't had a problem with them. I do double knot if I'm going to be walking far.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think the only issue here is the length of the ties. If I could make them into the kind of knot Janet's describing it would be brilliant. The problem is that there is just so much extra suede. But I'm going back to try them again tomorrow. They really are fun and extremely comfortable apart from that one concern.

Thank you all!

By the way, we had a weirdly hot day so I tried out the Campers already for a 1.5 km walk....they did great!

pil

Veteran

I've had my eye on these. Not red, but these are suede, have a block heel and a zipper. Just realized the heels aren't suede though.
http://www.solesociety.com/pasha-paprika.html

JAileen

Veteran

They would annoy me, mainly because we remove shoes in the house, but YMMV. As to the laces staying tied or not, here's info about how to better tie shoelaces:

http://www.npr.org/sections/he.....ome-untied

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I never consider tie ups for myself. That is because I cannot even keep my sleeves pushed up. But you Suz are a much more polished person. And these are gorgeous.

Sisi

Veteran

I had a pair of tie up sandals in the past, and they were a bit annoying, because the knot went undone. A cobblere could put a buckle, but I understand that the fun would be taken away ... Nonetheless, if you love them, I vote get them and enjoy them!

Style Fan

Veteran

They are gorgeous but I would not wear them. I have zero patience for fussy things on my feet. I do love the silver ones.

Adela

The red sandals are gorgeous, and probably you wouldn't wear them for running errands, right? For special occasions they are worth some fuss, IMO. I'm looking forward to see you wearing them :-).
I have a question about the silver Camper sandal, I've had my eye on them for a while, but they don't have that model in the shops around me so I would have to order them online. The front of my feet is wide but the back is narrow-normal, do you think they are worth a try?

viva

Veteran

I think these are seriously gorgeous. I am tempted myself! They are the perfect red and I am in need of a sexy shoe.
I have lace-up sandals (very casual, from two summers ago) -- Find below -- that have a different type of lace, but still... I wear them ALL THE TIME. I probably should retire them but I know I will try to get one more summer out of them. I know Lisap loves hers too. I have balked at wearing this type of shoe for work, but only because I think they are too sexy -- not because of the PITA factor.
If you can make any of these tricks (above) work, I say try. I might try, too.

Sam Edelman Women's Ardella Platform Sandal

View Info

Top Pick

4

Chris987

Veteran

Those are seriously gorgeous sandals! Hope you can find a way to make them work. Having the straps cut shorter and then finished off in some tidy way should be very doable if you have access to a good tailor or cobbler. I just bought my first Kenneth Cole footwear...sneakers...and I'm going to put them on my list of brands to look for. Those silver ones are great too!

ClaraB

I love the sandals and think they would be amazing. I've had some success with ankle ties in the past--but I do have to make sure I don't need to take them off at all through the day. I think you should give them a go, maybe just walking around the house for a while first as a test drive.

RobinF

Veteran

I think suede would stay tied better than a more slippery fabric and I agree with Lisa, you should be able to just cut them shorter and the raw edge would be fine. I say go for it, it sounds like you would love them.

Eliza

Veteran

Good shoe finds, Suz. Love the silver ones. The red ones are beautiful, today, and comfortable. I have not had shoes that tie around the ankle in ages, so I can only guess at the fuss factor. When you try them on again walk for awhile to see what happens; perhaps a shoe maker could help configure the lace with one stable contact point and a decorative bow, rather than a functional one. Good luck!

12