My Collection: Ballet Flats of an Unknown Brand

Despite my silent grumbling about there being way too many pairs of ballet flats for sale on eBay, I've purchased quite a few.  The majority aren't very worn at all but every once in a while I come across a pair that's trashed and abused enough for my liking.  This pair walks the fine line between the two and something compelled me to bid.  Maybe it was the leopard print?

As far as ballet flats go, these are holding their shape quite well.  Most have quarters that are collapsing but these are completely intact, at least from a distance.  One major sign of wear is the fact that the insoles are missing, with the layer of cushioning that once resided below them pulling double duty.  Since the white foam is fairly dirty, it's obvious these shoes were worn without the insoles for a while, instead of having had them removed for the sake of making them look more worn.

 

 

There's nothing much to see on the outsoles.  They're fairly worn but nothing that renders the shoes unwearable.  Considering how the wear on the outsoles is in line with the wear exhibited elsewhere on the flats, it's likely these spent some time outdoors.

With the help of my camera's flash, it's easy to see toe prints inside the shoes.  I'm going to assume these were worn barefoot and in hot weather, which makes sense because I'm pretty sure I bought these from a seller in Florida.

The lining in the quarter of the right show is separating at the topline.  I'm not sure of why this isn't also happening on the left shoe, although it ties in nicely with my theory that right shoes generally take more abuse than their left counterparts.  Even if the wearer is left handed and that somehow indicates what foot takes on more of the body's weight, the right foot is the one that has to operate the accelerator and brake pedals, meaning the right shoe gets forced to do a lot more bending and flexing and moving around.

 



The most significant trashing and abuse on these flats can be seen on the backs of the uppers.  The material appears to be joined by another wide strip of the same stuff, and for some reason everything is coming apart.  I can't think of a reason why this is happening.  Even if the wearer crushed down the quarters to use the shoes as mules (which I'm almost sure she didn't, judging by the wear that's visible), it wouldn't cause this to happen.  Ideas?