Friday Favorite: My New Red Shoes!

This past weekend you may have seen this photo on Instagram or Facebook. My new shoes came in the mail and I had to take them for a spin!

I'm really good with building a shoe wardrobe for work, but not for the weekend. Come summer, I am often styling everything with silver Birkenstocks, whether it works or not. And while I'm not one to always worry about figure flattery, being short, curvy, with athletic legs and thick ankles, a pair of Birks isn't the most slimming option. And often I have a chipped pedicure I don't want on display. When thinking about our upcoming road trip, I was thinking of what shoes to bring and couldn't decide much more than sneakers and Birks. Roaming around Amazon I came across these shoes.

When I was in high school I used to buy cotton Mary Jane-strap flats in Chinatown that reminded me of these shoes. They were glorified socks, no support or structure and would need to be tossed after a few months. I liked how these were similar but more structured, with a tiny wedge heel and a non-skid sole. And then when I saw reviews claiming they ran wide, I was sold.

I was a 7.5 before having Emerson; after I order an 8 but sometimes I find them a bit too long. However based on the reviews, I ordered a 40. It's a perfect size; if you're an 8 and can sometimes wear an 8.5 I'd go up to a 41. So these aren't the best for larger feet... but they're great for wide feet. From walking on my toes as a kid, the ball of my foot is wide and my feet are thick in regard to height. Straps, whether they're around the ankle or farther down like a Mary Jane, rarely work on me. Not so with these. Super roomy, comfy, but no rubbing on the Achilles.

These are not high quality shoes, but you can't expect such for $18.99. The footbed is a bit scratchy, there's no arch support or a bunch of cushioning, and the sole isn't super durable. I slipped a pair of Footpetals into them for extra comfort and to keep funk at bay since I wear these without socks.

However, these are lightweight shoes that aren't as suffocating on a hot summer day as sneakers, leather shoes, or even canvas tennies. The shape and subtle heel is flattering, and they look super cute with a casual sundress, peeling out of wide-leg linen pants, and I love with girlfriend jeans and denim shorts. While I got them in red, they're also available in blue and green and as usual, if this isn't exactly what you like Amazon will recommend a whole host of other similar shoes!