Valentino Rockstud Block Heel Sandals

Where I got it

I have been wanting a pair of Valentino Rockstud shoes – either pumps or flats or sandals. I recently saved up enough money to go shopping and I was browsing and comparing prices on where to get these shoes for the best price. I stumbled upon Mytheresa.com and these pair of shoes were €560.00 with free shipping to New Zealand (I checked the price again about 2 weeks later and it was €740?!). The total amount charged to my account was NZD$999.96. I ordered this on 1/1/19, the shoes arrived in NZ customs on 4/1/19. I had to pay a duty of $331.10 which makes the total cost of the shoes to be $1,331.06.

Packaging

They are finally in my hands on 8/1/19. It took just 1 week to get to me which I was pretty impressed. The delivery was via FedEx using a normal cardboard box. Inside the box is the yellow My Theresa box. The box is really sturdy and definitely a box that I would keep. The actual red Valentino shoe box is padded and wrapped up with paper with a Thank You sticker on top. It also comes with a whole bunch of documents and pockets for returns, etc.

The Valentino shoe box comes with a little paper envelope with 2 extra studs and another envelope with care information. There is a small cotton drawstring bag for the shoes and the shoes are carefully wrapped and padded with paper to avoid damage and keep its shape.

What I got

Here it is, I have chosen the Valentino Rockstud Block heel Sandals in the shade Poudre in size 36.5. This is an open, round-toe multiple-strap sandal with a t-bar design. It has 2 buckles near the ankle and block heels that are 6.5cm high. The Valentino classic pyramid studs are in a pale gold shade which makes this a really feminine style that is easily paired with jeans for a casual look or a summery dress for a classy fun look.

Sizing

I got size 36.5 and they are true to size I would say. I used to be a size 35.5 or 36, but after pregnancy, my feet grew about half a size. I know from experience I will need to size down a little for pumps and high-heels, but for flats and sandals I can go true to size or even larger. However, my feel would swell a little with a lot of walking so wearing pumps that are half a size smaller can cause a bit of pain towards the end of the day.

Comfort level

I personally have a bit of a wide feet and a little bit of a bunion on my right foot, so sandals like this that are open-toed and free at the widest part would be really comfortable to walk in. My feel are also on the flat side, so that means I don’t have much arch under my feet. Usually, if I wear shoes that does not have support in the arch, I gel tired and painful feel after long walks or stand (4hr+), especially when they are heeled.

These sandals did not give me any of these issues and they straps are really comfortable. They don’t scratch or dig or scrap the back of my heels. It doesn’t have support on the arch, but that didn’t seem to be a big problem as I don’t really wear these for extended hours.

The adjustable straps makes these heels really secure around my ankles and around my toe area so they don’t slip out from the front or slip out from the heels. I can forsee that the insole will move around with wear and that the toe area will eventually get really dirty and filthy, but if correctly taken care of, these can be avoided or taken down to a minimum. Just clean with a soft, damp cloth when it gets dirty and keep them back into their dust bag or a shoe box after use.

The upper is calf leather and the sole and insole are leather and the shoes are made in Italy. There are no treads under the toe of the shoes, but there are under the block heel. I chose the block heel because they are a little bit more casual and not too dressy. Most of my weekends and going outs are with kids so I need to be sure I am don’t trip over while chasing them or carrying them. These block heels are so stable and comfortable to walk in, I had no issues with losing my balance on these shoes.

Tips

I would add some sole grips if you are worried about slipping as these soles are smooth. But once you start wearing these, they will gain some scratches and gain more friction to the ground. Other that sole grips, I don’t think you will need to add any insoles or heel grips to these because they are so comfortable to wear.

Overall

Loving these sandals for summer. I have been wearing these with jeans, summery dresses and trousers and they just jazz up my outfit. They are so comfortable to wear for standing or walking. They are a little loose, but you just need to make sure the buckles are done to the right hole so it’s not too loose on the ankles.

As for the soles on the shoes, it is a little slippery when you first wear them, and I just learned that there are things you can stick on to protect the soles of your shoes and possibly make them less likely to slip. However, you do have to replace them every so often.

I have already got compliments while wearing these and since they are not too dressy, I can wear these to work without looking too over-dressed. I will definitely look for a pointed, closed toe pair of pumps in the future, but I might wait for a bit and maybe ask someone to get them for me overseas?

Follow me on Instagram (@kittiemui) for more outfits I would pair these sandals with!