- I’ve bought the same pair of Soludos espadrilles ($99) five times. It’s my hands-down favorite summer shoe.
- Soludos espadrilles are amazingly comfortable and not too expensive.
- Soludos makes espadrilles for women and men in tons of fun designs to fit your personality, from lemons to flamingos to daisies. I’m partial to the leather platforms.
- For a limited time, you can save up to 30% on select styles during Soludos’ summer sale.
John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4 is one of the biggest airport terminals in the US, so naturally, I decided to break in a new pair of shoes the morning of a flight out of the said terminal.
This was an incredibly risky move since there’s often a lot of walking to get to your gate (read: high blister potential for someone like me in new shoes). The walking is all worth it if it takes you past one of the terminal’s two Shake Shacks, but we were already running late and weren’t even sure we had the time to spare in line for breakfast sandwiches.
I shouldn't have worried since 1.) We got lucky with a short security line and had time for Shake Shack, and 2.) As it turns out, Soludos makes some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn right out of their box, specifically the $99 leather platform smoking slipper espadrilles that I've now bought five times.
Soludos was founded 10 years ago in 2010 by travelers, for travelers on the principle that "you shouldn't have to sacrifice price, quality, or comfort for style."
I couldn't agree more.
The company's espadrilles are basically really comfortable, slip-on travel shoes that go with everything. My go-to pair is a super-classic, solid-color leather style, though the company makes its best-selling smoking slipper in tons of fun, hand-embroidered canvas designs - from lemons and strawberries, to flamingos and daisies, to messages we can all get behind (that also give back 10% to the ACLU with each purchase): equality and feminist. There's even an option to customize a pair for $95.
The leather platform smoking slipper I have features a 1.2-inch platform sole made from an eco-friendly natural fiber called jute and a thin layer of rubber beneath the jute for durability; a soft, tan leather upper; and traditional blanket stitches that have enough give to mold to your foot. I love the platform sole since I'm only 5-foot-3 and will take all the height I can get from my shoes, plus the jute is very breathable! Soludos says the first few wears should feel a little snug (and they have in my experience), but the espadrilles stretch for a custom-like fit that's all-day-long, for-miles-on-end comfortable. I've never gotten blisters from wearing them.
That's, in a nutshell, why I keep buying them.
I wear mine at least four to five times a week in the summer, and I typically get one-and-a-half summers out of a pair. That's pretty great for $99 shoes.
My only complaint is that jute espadrilles are not water-friendly. The thin layer of rubber on the sole of the shoes adds some protection in light rain, but you'll want to avoid wearing them in heavy downpours or through puddles because water will absorb into the jute. I tell you this as someone who's accidentally waterlogged a pair of her espadrilles and had to buy a replacement.
Pro shopping tip: Though I will and have bought the espadrilles for full price, I always search off-price retail sites like Nordstrom Rack and 6pm for past-season styles to see if they're carrying my size. I've scored pairs for as much as 70% off this way.
If my glowing review of these espadrilles hasn't convinced you to give the company a try, maybe Soludos' sustainability efforts will win you over.
As a company, Soludos is also striving to be as earth-friendly as it can be. In April 2019, Soludos announced that it is committed to removing single-use plastic from its supply chain by 2020, being a carbon-neutral company by 2021, using chrome-free leathers by 2021, and using at least 50% upcycled yarn by 2021 in all its cotton footwear.
Soludos may have started with espadrilles, and still be best known for that shoe style, but the company now also makes sneakers, sandals, bags, boots, heels, and more. In March 2020, Soludos debuted its first clothing collection.
My feet and I are excited to see where the next 10 years take the company. In the meantime, I'll continue recommending Soludos espadrilles to everyone I know.