The Flats I Reach for Instead of Sneakers—Meet My Rothy’s Must-Haves
Luckily, Nordstrom has me covered.


Read my writing for any amount of time and you’ll see I love a trendy sneaker (or five) and keep several affordable pairs in my everyday rotation. However, there’s another underrated hero style in my collection that I've been quietly wearing just as often—if not more—since I got them: the Rothy’s Mary Jane ballet flat. The $159 style is on sale for less than $100 during Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale, so there's never been a better time to trust my judgment and buy them ASAP.
The massive sale event, which started on July 12 and runs through August 3, features thousands of pairs of discounted shoes, including plenty of sneakers. Still, the Rothy’s Mary Jane is one recommendation I wholeheartedly endorse. I see them as a must-buy if you love comfortable, under-$100 shoes that will last and stay trendy through any season.
My journey to falling in love with Rothy’s shoes began in the Marie Claire office in 2021, when Digital Director Jenny Hollander spent a good part of our weekly meeting telling me how much she loved her pointed-toe pair. Her claims (that they were comfortable enough for 14-hour wear, didn’t cause blisters, and were endlessly versatile) stuck with me for years. Still, it wasn’t until I put my preferred style to the test that I realized she was right—and that the Mary Janes would quickly become my go-to ballet flat, requiring no fuss.
These flats are my throw-on-and-go pair.
Let this be your reminder to grab a pair of machine-washable flats during the big sale. The best styles are selling quickly, so shop now while you can. Or, keep scrolling to explore other equally cute and comfortable options from the same brand that are also on sale. If you're looking to upgrade your entire routine during the Nordstrom sale, be sure to check out our guides for the best vacation-ready outfits, travel essentials, luxe beauty devices, Beauty Director-approved finds, and more.
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Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviews the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.
In her near decade of experience, Julia has both written for several top outlets in the E-Commerce space and worked at major fashion labels. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and worked as the Trending Fashion and News Writer STYLECASTER. You can find her across the internet at @JuliaMarzovilla. In real life, you can find her creating shopping guides for her friends, cooking or baking in her too-small kitchen, or buying tickets for the next time Harry Styles is in town.
Julia has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Journalism from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City, her hometown.