Clark's Artisan Swan in Brown Metallic Review...Feeling Flats

FlashBack Friday!

Let me begin by pointing out that Clarks is a HUGE shoe brand with a huge variety of styles, lines and comfort levels. Clarks made their mark in the comfort shoe world with basic styles like the Sunbeat sandal for women and the Natureveldt for men. Of course, as brands grow, they want to expand their product offerings and Clark's developed their Artisan line. Clarks Artisans aim at striking both the fashion and comfort chords at the same time and distributing them through independently owned and/or high-end retailers.

My Clarks Swan's are my second pair from the Artisan line and they are a charming pair of round-toed flats with sweet leather pleats at the toe. My first pair were the Annissa's which I have already raved about. The Swan's get about a “B-” in my book. I tend to be anti-flats because they tend to be “just that”—flat. They miss the “A” mark because of the lack of arch support and have a rather average comfort level. As flats go, however, the Swan does have excellent cushioning and grown up qualities that other flats on the the market just don't offer. The leather is a rich metallic brown, the linings are very smooth and the shaping is graceful enough to wear with skirts and dress slacks. If you are looking to ditch heels at the office you may want to consider a pair of current Clarks flats to feel a little more comfy and still have that professional polish. I like the Tori Anne in Black Printed Leather from their Indigo Collection for office wear.

I am pleased to have these shoes in my collection and wear them when the occasion calls for a bit of an “on trend” look. Even though the Swan is no longer made, you can certainly get your feet into some Clarks at your favorite local shoe store or check them out online at: clarksusa.com, zappos.com and onlineshoes.com

Fitting Notes:

U.S.sizing. Should you actually come across a pair of the Clark's Artisan Swan take care not to buy them too small. We gals have a tendency to buy flats on the small side in order to keep them on since there is no adjust-ability in this kind of footwear. You run the risk of having some squished and unhappy toes. Try to but them in the length you usually wear and simply pass on them if they don't fit in your usual size. The Swan's as well as most flats do not have removable footbeds and shallow heel cups making them unfriendly to those with orthotics.