An ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon, in the order recited, at least one base layer comprising a hydrophilic or porous material and a porous top layer capable of either retaining or transporting an ink image, the porous top layer comprising a polymeric binder and thermally-compliant core-shell particles, the particle-to-binder ratio being between about 95:5 and 50:50, and wherein each thermally-compliant core-shell particle has: a) a shell of inorganic colloidal particles, and b) a core of a thermoplastic polymer, the particles having a particle size between about 0.5 .mu.m and about 10 .mu.m, the polymeric core having a softening point of greater than about 50.degree. C., and the weight ratio of the shell of the inorganic colloidal particles to the thermoplastic core being from about 1:5 to about 1:99.