It’s been a long while, but I happened to walk by the Everlane store in San Francisco the other day, so I popped in and tried on some shoes for fun. Here’s my impressions of four pairs of sandals.
A few relevant facts about my feet for those who are new here: I’m a size 6.5. My feet are wide-ish and flat. Also, I have low tolerance for uncomfortable shoes and need arch support. So, I’m pretty picky. Most Everlane shoes have not worked for me, though there’s been a few winners, namely the now discontinued Form Crossover Sandals (reviewed here).
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The Day Crossover Sandal
Day Crossover Sandal – $78
The Day Crossover Sandal in light taupe, now with a squarer toe. Please excuse my deteriorating nail polish!
This sandal is an update to the original Day Crossover Sandal, which I first reviewed in 2019, but with a more square toe. It’s also $10 less than the first iteration.
Where It’s Made: Dois Irmãos, Brazil
What I Liked: Like the rounded toe version, this sandal is lightweight. The leather on the upper is super soft and the outsole is rubbery, not slippery. Also, the color offerings are great: a bunch of wearable neutrals: black, cream, and light taupe. A tasteful snakeskin and golden brown are currently on sale. (Note that the snakeskin seems like yet another iteration because it has the original heel, but the newer square toe, and it’s made in a different factory.)
What Was Meh: The footbed, while flexible, is thin and flat without arch support. Though this updated version sports a thicker sole with the slightest of wedges, it’s still thin. I personally like to be further from the ground. I also prefer the rounded toe over the square toe, but that’s just me and my dislike of ’90s style.
The 2019 (top) and 2021 (bottom) versions of the Day Crossover Sandal
Fit: I tried on the 6.5 and it seemed true to size, though snug in the toes. As someone with wide feet, I’d be inclined to size up to a 7. In any case, the soft leather straps seem like they’d stretch to accommodate. Everlane also says that this shoe is wider than the original.
The Fisherman Sandal
Fisherman Sandal – $98
The Day Fisherman Sandal comes in black, cream, and caramel brown.
These interwoven sandals feature an adjustable ankle strap and buckle. I can’t tell if they’re cute or not.
Where It’s Made: Thai Binh, Vietnam
What I Liked: The materials on the Fisherman Sandal are thoughtful: gold-rated leather, bio-based EVA, and recycled materials. What does gold-rated leather mean, though? This is a designation from the Leather Working Group, which audits the environmental performance of leather production, including traceability and chemical management. This is the only shoe out of the three leather ones in this post that uses gold-rated leather. Also, the 1″ heel is the minimum distance I need from the ground.
What Was Meh: Though the footbed has some cushioning, the whole thing felt a bit stiff to me. They probably require some breaking in. Also, in the time I’ve taken to write this, I’ve decided that they’re not cute, at least on me. I feel like they make my wide feet look even wider. People also complain that they’re squeaky.
Fit: This sandal only comes in whole sizes. I tried on a size 7 and it was too long for 6.5-sized me. If you’re a half size like me, size down.
The Leather Platform Sandal
Leather Platform Sandal – $98
The Leather Platform Sandal comes in white, black, and golden brown (on sale)
Where It’s Made: Thai Binh, Vietnam
What I Liked: Some platform shoes feel too clunky and unwieldy, but the Leather Platform Sandal‘s 1.75″ height is manageable. Gives you height, but is easily walkable. The bio-based EVA midsole is lighter compared to other platforms. Plus it gives these sandals a nice cushiony bounce in each step. The outsole is made of recycled and natural leather, so it has some grip.
What Was Meh: Would love to see arch support on these. It’s the only thing keeping me from ordering them.
Fit: While these also come only in whole sizes, the fact that they’re adjustable in two areas helps give them a better fit. The straps across the top of the foot and at the back around the heel both have adjustable Velcro closures. The strap across the toes is not adjustable.
The ReNew Sport Sandal
ReNew Sport Sandal – $75. I forgot to take a photo in the store, so this stock photo will have to do.
These black ReNew Sport Sandal are full price at $75, but white, red, and multicolor are on sale.
The ReNew Sport Sandal seems to take heavy inspiration from Tevas, but have a more minimalist, stylish look.
Where It’s Made: Thai Binh, Vietnam
What I Liked: Out of all the footbeds, this one seemed to have a modicum of support for the arch. (Though I would not call it arch support per se. The other shoes just didn’t have any at all.) This footbed felt more comfortable than the others, shape-wise. It’s called ReNew because it’s made of recycled materials including the rubber outsole and polyester upper. Everything is recycled except for the hardware.
What Was Meh: They’re branded with an “E” at the side. This is not a dealbreaker, but I prefer no branding.
Fit: These felt true to size to me and my wide feet. But other reviewers say to size down by half a size. Like the Leather Platform Sandal, the ReNew Sport Sandal is adjustable in two spots. You’re probably wondering how they compare to Tevas. I haven’t tried any, so I can’t really say. But from photos, it appears that Teva sandals have better arch support.
After more than a year of sheltering in place, I was glad to step foot inside a clothing store again. Nothing replaces in-person browsing for me. This means I can finally start up my Fitting Room Review series again. (Unless the Delta variant forces us to lock down again. If you have access to the vaccine, please get your shot!) Even if I don’t buy anything, I do enjoy trying things on. Hope this review was helpful.
Wondering how other Everlane items fit? You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here.
