This post may contain affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, honest and my own.
When I stumbled upon the ever so popular Free People Royale Flat, I was elated. To me, it was the PERFECT bootie/flat.
- A slight, 1 inch heel, because I’m not personally a fan of a flat flat
- A pointed toe, elongating your legs
- Cut out detail, which is so flattering on my little cankles
As with most popular fashion items, inexpensive dupes started rolling in and everyone’s favorite store, Target came out with their version, the Wenda Cut Out Bootie. Target always does such a great job with inexpensive dupes of popular styles in their apparel and accessories, and nowadays fashion trends are hitting the masses earlier than ever thanks to retailers like Target.
At a glance, the Target dupes check all the same boxes, the heel, the stitching on the toe, and the famous cut out detail. But each shoe has it’s pros and cons! So let the battle of the cut out flat begin!
FREE PEOPLE ROYALE FLAT
PROS
Quality. The leather on the Free People Royale Flat is so soft and buttery with subtle distressing. The heel is heavy and sturdy. When comparing the two, the Free People Royale Flat looks much more expensive.
Variety. Since the Royale Flat is the OG, the line has been updated with several different colors, prints, and textures including suede, wicker, and snakeskin.
Sizing. True to size, leather stretched slightly with my wide feet, but they are perfect now!
Comfort. Because the Free People Royale Flat is made from leather, the leather conformed to my feet. Since I have wider feet, this was important because most flats rub and cause my feet to blister. I’ve had none of those issues when I wear these flats.
CONS
$198 retail price. For this price you can buy multiple colors of the Target version.
TARGET WENDA CUT OUT BOOTIE
PROS
$34.99 price point. When the Target Wenda Cut Out Bootie came back in stock on Target.com, you know your girl snatched up a couple colors.
Quality for an inexpensive shoe. I’m always wary of cheap, vegan leather shoes because sometimes they can look CHEAP and I can’t. But these were some of the better inexpensive shoes I’ve purchased. The Ivory colorway especially in my opinion looks the most expensive out of my collection.
CONS
Cheaper materials (obviously). Maybe I’m rough on my shoes, but only after a few wears, the sole on this shoe is worn and lifted slightly from the toe on almost all three of my target shoes. When comparing the quality of leather vs. faux leather, the difference in quality is noticeable.
Colors. Only available in a few different options, however they are the classic black, cognac, grey, and my favorite ivory which may be all you need. They also introduced a suede option as well, which feels a little cheaper than it’s vegan leather counterparts. It’s in my opinion that the quality is slightly different with the ivory pair than the black and cognac. The faux leather feels thinner and so more comfortable on the ivory, and looks a little more expensive.
Sizing. The Target Wenda definitely runs snugger. I would recommend sizing half a size up, especially if you have wide feet like me.
Overall, I think either shoe is a good opinion depending on your budget. I think the Free People Royale Flat is definitely worth the investment, but if you are going to get the Target Wenda, my absolutely favorite in quality is the ivory colorway.
Do you have either the Free People or Target version? What are your thoughts?
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