Trying Pointe Shoe from Wish

Pointe shoe makers are artists. Every shoe is hand crafted with layers of material and talent.

Unless you get a knock off (from Wish or Amazon).

We bought a $7 pointe shoe from Wish and compared them to a $140 Gaynor Minden.

Just for funsies.

It was not funsies.

We normally feature our dancers who have 100000x prettier feet but we couldn't morally put these on anyone else. Josephine's ankles were sacrificed for this video. (Oh hello tendonitis. Long time no see).

Here are the quick note reviews of each shoe:

Wish

• Super high profile - no human's foot is actually this tall
• Baggy shiny fabric - can't confirm if it's satin
• Doesn't have that classic new pointe shoe smell (like a new car smell)
• Super hard & no pre-arch - what paste are they using?!
• Platform is tilted backwards in an illogical direction --> causing dancer to grip Achilles tendon & cause irritation 
• Took 3 months from order to arrive

Gaynor Minden

• Beautiful craftsmanship and shape
• Sleek, flexible satin that wraps all around the foot, elongating the line
• Crisp new pointe shoe smell
• Pre arched and movable shank that hugs into the arch and creates support
• Flat and clear platform so dancer knows when she is on top of her box completely

Wish pointe shoes are most likely produced for decoration. Dancers with training will be able to identify and feel immediately that the shoe is not doing anything for them. The shank and platform are actually working against the ankle and foot, now promoting proper placement en pointe. Dancing in the Wish pointe shoes will likely lead to injury, and lack the craftsmanship of pointe shoe makers.

Morale of the story: You can't cut corners. In pointe shoes or life.

Shoutout to Biscuit Batman (@biscuitballerina) for coming to the rescue!