Everlane debuted their Modern Point shoe a few years ago, but Nordstrom is currently carrying Everlane in its Pop-In@Nordstrom shop through November 12, so I thought it would be a good time to review them.
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These flats are like a classic loafer, but with the twist of a slim pointy toe. They have a three-quarter inch stacked heel. Sleek and chic, they seem like the perfect pair of flats for an office. They say, Hello, I am industriously working. Unless you are sitting on the floor like this:
Priced at $155, the Modern Point comes in eight colorways (some of them two toned), and in a regular leather version and a suede version. Made in Brescia, Italy, the regular leather ones are smooth on the sides but feature textured pebbled leather on top. They’re constructed out of all Italian leather and seem well made, if a bit stiff. The suede ones are a bit softer.
Modern Point – $155
I visited the Everlane Fit Lab in San Francisco to try these shoes on. The Fit Lab carries a small number of products. (I was told it was about 15% of their total offerings.) Shoes were scattered about, but only as display items. Luckily for me, I have a common shoe size and was able to find a display shoe in my size.
Before I continue with this review, let me share some caveats about me and my feet to give you context. My feet are flat, a little bit wide, and they are very, very picky. I have a hard time finding shoes that feel comfortable. Everlane shoes run narrow in my experience, so that’s already a strike against them for me. This shoe is no exception; Everlane advises ordering the Modern Point in a half size up. (Though if you have narrow feet, I’d order your normal size.)
I’m usually a 6.5 and tried on a 7. The width of the 7s actually worked for me for the most part, though they did pinch in the toes. But they didn’t feel as narrow to me as the Everlane Street Shoe (review here). The bigger problem was that I kept slipping out of the heel, which was surprising because many people have complained in reviews that the heel felt narrow to them.
Slipping out of a shoe at the heel is not an uncommon problem for me — and usually it’s an easy fix with a heel grip. But I have to say: these flats didn’t seem very comfortable. The synthetic sole is stiff and the interior lacks padding. The soles don’t flex much when you walk and there didn’t seem to be much shock absorption; I could really feel how hard the ground was. I just got the feeling that my feet would fatigue quickly in them.
Many people report that these shoes need a break-in period and that the leather softens over time. While that may be true, it doesn’t seem like the footbed would change that much since it isn’t made with much cushioning to begin with. Another drawback is that the soles are slippery. If you do get these, be sure to add some anti-skid pads to the soles for grip.
People seem to love these shoes (they get good reviews overall on the Everlane site), so perhaps it’s just me and my difficult feet. I do love the look of them and am bummed they don’t work for me. They’re practical and stylish.
If they had fit comfortably, I could imagine getting a lot of wear out of them. I wish Everlane made these with more cushioning. If that were the case, I might have given them a chance to see if they would stretch in the toes with repeated wears. I’m curious to hear from others who have worn this shoe for awhile if they become more comfortable over time.
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