you may love them or hate them, but at the end of the day, birkenstocks are still the most comfortable sandals. i've had a few pairs, and keep coming back to the all-time classic: the T-strap thong style.
sturdy construction? check.
comfy right out of the box? check.
completely fuss-free design? check.
and, last but most importantly, anatomically-correct footbed that makes you forget you're wearing them?
double-check.
i love this photo. Birkenstock vs. Massive Birkin! Birkenstock: 1, Birkin: 0
this is how you wear birks around the city. croc backpack optional.
i love that Birkenstock is still doing what they're really, really good at year after year: making functional, comfortable, and classic sandals. they're not running after trends. they do some cool projects once in a while (remember the 3.1 Philip Lim x Tatami collection? pretty rad.) and the prices reflect the value of the product. try as i might, i can't really get into spending a lot of money on sandals, especially day-to-day, wear-and-tear, throw-'em-in-the-suitcase ones. i also can't quite shake the idea that the price should be commensurate with how much shoe you're getting.
silk tank, american apparel lace tee, current elliott jeans, vintage Coach saddle bag, skagen watch, birkenstock sandals
so, a few tips if you're considering these and are a birks novice:
- make sure you adjust the strap so that the sandal is snug to your foot. if it's loose at all you will get blisters (which is a sign that they're not fitted properly!)
- wear them around the house to lightly break them in and to get used to the footbed
- if the footbed wears out, you can get them re-done by Birkenstock! bonus points that this isn't a one-season throwaway sandal.
because i'm usually a 6.5, i always take a 36 in birks. i love the leather versions (which are a little pricier than the birko-flor ones), and have them in black and white. they also come in a ton of cool colors and patent as well.
do you wear birks? if so, which ones?
oh thanks! the pants are a recent find - cheap and comfy and exactly what i was looking for! and yeah ashley O's style just keeps getting better.
ReplyDeleteI have the same Birkenstock sandals ("gizeh", I believe they're called) in both black and gold. They are the only summer sandals I wear around town. I don't know if it's all part of getting older, but I refuse to walk more than a few blocks in shoes that don't support me, as I used to do in my early-mid twenties. I must be the only girl I know whose heart isn't all aflutter at the thought of new shoes (I'm really more of a handbag and perfume girl). It's so difficult finding cute shoes that don't wreak havoc on your body. Which is why I only own a couple pairs of heels, I guess.
ReplyDeletei think it's just about getting wiser after bad shoe experiences ;)
Deletei'm all for new shoes, but i'm a handbag girl myself too and i end up wearing the same few sandals every season.
Yup. I broke my foot a couple of years ago, and spent enough time on crutches, as well as at the orthopedist's and physical therapist's office to start really, REALLY valuing the health of my feet. I pledged to always buy shoes that will be kind to my body.
DeleteThink I'm going to pick up a pair of gray Gizeh sandals this summer...
Sorry if this ends up posting twice but my comment didn't seem to post; I had written something like:
ReplyDeleteOMG! I just got these in black leather a few weeks ago and I LOVE! As you say, it wasn't until I tightened the straps as tight as they would go over my feet that I felt comfortable in them. They literally go with everything I own and I'm delighted to have one easy summer shoe. Didn't know Birkenstock will repair footbeds, thanks for sharing!
PS. I usually wear a size 6 and the 36 fit me perfectly too.
glad you love yours too :) this is one style i would totally get a few colors in and wear nonstop all summer. maybe a patent version soon...:)
DeleteAaaah! I have the exact same picture of Ashley (the second one) on my blog post about these exact same sandals. Great minds think alike, eh? And yes, at $34,000, the backpack is definitely optional!
ReplyDeleteI'm a Birkenstock loyalist, through and through. I was initially loyal to the Madrids, the one-strap ones, and I thought they were extremely comfortable and they were my go-to shoe in college. But then I tried the Gizeh, and they were even MORE comfortable! They were a much better fit for my soles than the Madrids... I could go on and on about the Gizehs, but I'll stop myself since you pretty much already said everything that makes them such a great shoe.
I own silver ones, but this post and Ashley's picture is making me want to get a black one as well.
hehe - i finally got myself a proper pair of birks after college and have been a convert ever since. i love my black birks - they go with everything and the black leather version has nice thick uppers. :)
DeleteI wear the same style as you, but in the brown bronze colour:)
ReplyDeletethat sounds like it would look awesome with a summer tan!
DeleteCoincidentally, I posted a photo of myself wearing my Birks in Bordeaux -- and made a similar argument about their wearability and suitability for travel. I LOVE my Gizehs and have two pairs. Used to wear the way-too-hippie double-strap with ankle strap back in the day. Had them for something like 12 years, during which I had them re-soled. . . .
ReplyDeleteyep - i have yet to wear out a pair of birks, actually. i prefer the slide thong style because it's so simple and doesn't look so granola. :)
DeleteI really like these sandals, and have considered buying them on several occasions, but they look so TERRIBLE on my feet. I wish that I could pull them off. :)
ReplyDeleteaww, maybe you could try some different colors?
DeleteDid you try the narrow fit? The regular birks run a little wide imo, and the narrow look a lot sleeker on my feet.
DeleteI once hated Birks, but the 3.1 thing made me question it. I've been converted. Good, functional shoes - and high quality ones where quality seems to be dipping on my favorite brands these days - is a keeper.
ReplyDeleteexactly! which ones do you have?
DeleteOh and I should have prefaced that comment by saying that, in Cambodia, several MJ sandals, several Devotte sandals, and an old DVF sandal have all fallen apart! That's shameful really. These shoes were not cheap - all at least $200-$300 retail. It's so disappointing to see so many of my pieces not stand up to these conditions. I'm not running a marathon in them or anything, just doing some major walking.
ReplyDeletevery very disappointing. :P and yet not surprising, as i've heard quite a few similar stories from other folks.
DeleteI had the black gizeh birkenstocks for the longest time until I lost it/left it during vacation. & they were so comfortable. I need a new replacement pair! BTW, love that lace shirt you're wearing. I just had to look it up on AA's site because I've never seen it before and realized I have, but you pull it off wayyy better than those AA models.
ReplyDeletethanks Caroline! AA has some great items if you pick carefully :)
Deletei'm a devotee of the gizeh as well. i have the black leather ones which are harder and harder to find. i've had mine a couple of years now, and they are definitely my go-to for long city walks. i mostly wear them with jeans but i also like to wear them with some dresses to tone down the look. in terms of quality and price, they can't be beat!
ReplyDeleteyeah i've linked to the leather version - the quality is really top notch. just wore mine out yesterday :)
DeleteYou wear them so well. I've always wanted a pair but my big feet look ridiculous in them, so yeah, I'm vain, and I shall be content to admire them on others and sacrifice comfort in this case...
ReplyDeletehave you experimented with different colors? and birks do come in narrow sizes too - i recommend that you give them another chance!
Deletei might finally get a pair of these...i actually prefer the mephisto helen style over birkenstocks (i've had several other styles and i think mephisto is more supportive), but i think the birkenstocks are slightly more stylish ;) if i do ANY walking at all, i'm wearing supportive sandals. life's too short...
ReplyDeletemy vote is for the birks :) and yeah, there's nothing worse than wearing a flimsy, terribly uncomfortable pair of sandals and you're stuck with blisters for the rest of the day.
DeleteLoving the trousers on top. Birkenstocks really carry them off.
ReplyDeletethanks P! :)
DeleteI've been meaning to buy a pair of Birkenstocks for some time- they seem so comfortable, and when worn the right way don't come off as geriatric. My favorite sandals are my Saltwaters though. Not quite on the level of Birks, but extremely comfy and perfect for long walks.
ReplyDeletebirks are the most comfy for long walks, though saltwaters are cute as hell and comfy too. might do a post on that soon!
DeleteBirks are on my summer footwear wish-list!
ReplyDeleteI tried a model on for the first time at the end of last summer and they made such an impression on me. Everything you mentioned about the shoes is accurate.
Now I'm just having doubts on which model to get, I was leaning towards the basic strap sandals (Madrid I think).
And side note, I love the way you styled yours with the lace top and Current Elliott jeans. Very cool!
thanks Aissa! i love the gizehs just because i think they're the most elegant design in the birks lineup. let me know which one you end up getting!
DeleteLove your "foundations" posts!
ReplyDeleteI once ordered the Mayari style sandals but they were so huge (I wear a 7.5-8 and ordered the recommended size 39) that I had to return them. Since my size wasn't available I never reordered but these are really cute...I may need to try out a pair of Birks again. Btw, really digging your jeans, I saw these online and on the model they looked too short for my liking but on us average height gals the length is perfect!
haha yeah, one of the perks of not being model-height is that ankle jeans are just long enough on me :D
Deletehear hear! and thanks for the sweet comment! :)
ReplyDelete