I started wearing them in 2007 thanks to some promo from my favorite band, lol. I've probably had close to 25 pairs of different styles. I always got a lot of use out of them. But, I hadn't bought a pair since 2014 until this year. I've only wore them once but I did notice a difference in the soles. I'm not sure how they'll hold up.
To answer the ballet flat question: I have a pair (Jutti) and I love mine. They were comfortable from the start. They're older, so I can't say how the newer ones are but they do still sell the Juttis on the website. I like the way they look on my feet. I have flat feet, but they're not necessarily wide and I am "plus sized." I love pairing them with skinny jeans. Hope that helps!