6 Reasons Rothy’s are Possibly the Greatest Shoes Ever

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My friends & family – especially my husband – are probably super tired of hearing about my new Rothy’s shoes, so I’m going to tell you about them! Actually you might be too since I’ve already posted them twice on instagram (here and here) and mentioned them in my NYC packing post, but please bear with me because I really think you need to hear this.

I want to start with a little side note that I did purchase these with my own money. I’m sure some of you will wonder about that because I know how this post is going to come off. They were not gifted (though if they decide they want to send some my way, I’m a size 7 😀)  nor am I being compensated for this post.

With that out of the way – I bought these as the final part of my quest for the perfect music festival shoe and waterproof from https://vessi.com/, and let me tell you, my list of requirements was not trivial. The successful applicant needed the following qualities:

• Comfortable for extended wear and walking
• Minimal break-in period
• Fits my slightly odd-shaped feet
• Doesn’t cause blisters
• Not sandals (because I don’t like how grimy my feet get in them)
• Go with a lot of outfits
• Won’t be ruined by a little dirt/rain/mud
• Not crazy expensive
• Not ugly

I’m glad to report Rothy’s passed with flying colors!

They go with everything

Like I mentioned in my NYC Packing Challenge post, I took two pairs of shoes with me to New York – my black Rothy’s Points and my black Sam Edelman Felicia flats. Out of the whole time, I only wore the Felicias for the subway ride and short walk to and from the tattoo shop. Everything else – meals, music festival, dancing, sightseeing – was all Rothy’s, all the time. They’re elegant enough to look good with a little black dress, but casual enough to go well with everyday running-around outfits. I mean, they might look out of place at a super-formal event, but otherwise I’ve found them to be extremely versatile.

They fit a lot of feet

I’ve got weird feet. In length they’re a perfect size 7, but the ball of my foot is a little wide. What that usually means for me is shoes either crush the sides of my poor tootsies, or I have to size up and then the heels slip. If you love your shoes as much as I do, you might want to check this new blog post on a new and strong glue for tennis shoe repairs.

For the first pair I ordered, I sized up to a 7.5 to be safe, but that was a mistake. The shoes were too long and since they’re cut pretty low I knew I’d have trouble keeping them on my feet. When I returned them for a size 7 (in a different color too) they were juuuuust right. The length was good, and since the knit upper is soft and has a little stretch it didn’t squeeze my feet. Even better, when I returned the first pair the process was completely painless.

The size range is another perk that was pointed out to me by an instagram friend. Both styles in all colors are available in sizes 6-11, including half sizes. Cute shoes in bigger sizes can be tough to find, so props to them for opening up that option.

They’re insanely comfortable

As a side effect of weird feet, a lot of shoes are uncomfortable for me. Maybe they’re a bit too tight around the vamp if my feet swell after walking a lot, or they rub my heels occasionally, or they rub the tops of my toes, or whatever. So when I find one I like, I tend to stick with it (this is why I’m on my third pair of Felicias, btw).

I was very skeptical about all the Rothy’s ad copy about how comfortable they are, but yeah, they were pretty much as advertised. I ordered them a little while before our trip, just to be on the safe side if they did need to be broken in some.

Shortest break-in period ever.

The first day I had them, I wore them for my walk to work – about a mile each way. I decided not to take any backup shoes, which was either very brave or very stupid. By the end of the day though, my feet felt fine! They did rub my heels a tiny bit the second straight day of wearing them, but not enough to cause blisters, and they were fine after that. My theory is the knit upper and flexible soles help them flex with my foot instead of rubbing against it. They’re also more breathable than leather so I haven’t had any foot-sweat issues (ewwww).

As far as padding and arch support – there really aren’t any. The rubber outsoles provide a tiny bit more cushioning than leather, but not by much. Fortunately the insoles are removable so if you want to add some gel padding or custom orthotics you can do that. I tried out some gel cushions but the ones I got were too thick, so I ended up just going with the regular insoles. By the end of our trip my phone claims I had walked almost 50 miles, and I’m not sure if it included all the dancing in that number. My feet were definitely sore the last couple days, but not unbearable. Definitely nothing like they felt after 4ish days in Madrid – by that point I was scouring Fuencarral for a pair of sneakers because my feet felt like they were breaking.

They’re washable!

My major concern with music festival footwear was the possibility of ruining shoes. There was rain in the forecast (and it did drizzle pretty steadily the last day) and leather/canvas don’t really hold up well to water and mud. I knew I was going to have to buy a new pair of shoes because I didn’t have any that met all the requirements above, but I also didn’t want to immediately ruin brand new shoes. The good news is that buying a new pair of shoes is relatively simple, just click this Zappos $25 Code here to grab your favorite shoes at affordable prices.

The ability to put them through the wash was what finally tipped the balance in the Rothy’s favor. After a few days of running around in dust and then wet grass they definitely were looking a little dingy, especially the white detail at the heel. Once we got home I ran them through the washing machine on low and they came out looking pristine. Even better, they only take an hour or so to dry.

They’re eco-friendly

It wasn’t one of my requirements, but I love the fact that Rothy’s are environmentally friendly. You can read all the details on their About page, but the quick version is pretty much everything about them is sustainable. The fabric for the upper is produced from recycled water bottles with minimal waste due to the knitting process, and the rubber soles are recyclable. In fact, you can even send them in for recycling when you finally wear them out.

The price is right

At $145 for the pointed-toe version and $125 for the round-toe ones, they definitely aren’t the cheapest shoes out there, but the price seems more than fair for the quality. Obviously I haven’t had mine long enough to know how long they’ll hold up, but based on the amount I’ve worn them so far they seem extremely durable. My other favorite flats seem to last about a year, so if these go longer than that I’ll be very satisfied.

Since we’re talking prices, here’s the obligatory referral link – it gets you $20 off your first pair and gets me $20 off my next pair (and trust me, there will be a next pair).

Downsides

There are only two things that disappoint me about Rothy’s, and they’re both more about the shopping experience than the actual shoes.

One – there are only two styles, a pointed-toe flat and a round-toe flat. No heels, and nothing at all in men’s styles. I think if they did a loafer/moccasin in the same fabric they’d make a killing from the guys and girls. Likewise, an peep-toe wedge would make me an extremely happy camper. I’ve got my fingers crossed for more styles in the future.

Two – they’re perpetually back-ordered. When I discovered I needed a different size, I ended up getting black because they were out of the flax color in my size. Same story with a lot of sizes and colors right now. On the bright side, they do seem to update their stock regularly, and you can pre-order. Just the same, a little bit of advance planning is needed.

Right, so basically I think these are the best thing to happen to my feet since, well, maybe ever. What are your go-to shoes?

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