Birkenstocks??

[Tessticklesyourfancy]

I need some comfy casual sandals for work but I can't make my mind up on the Burkenstock thing. To be honest I've never tried a pair on and I'm not struck on shopping other than Internet. The ones I've seen that look ok are the Madrid style although they remind me of Scholls. They also make me think of very large footed German/ Scandinavian tourist shoes. See I'm talking myself out of them already
Are they any good? Im size 5 and have widish feet.

[peripateticparents]

I'm size 4 with wide feet. I love my Birkenstocks and live in them when it's warm.

Madrid don't suit me tho because of 'where' my feet are wide (below the toes)

[EsmesBees]

I live in them over the summer and walk for miles in my Madrids. But you need a good while to break them in and they are never going to be things of beauty.

[MardAsSnails]

First few wears you'll hate them. They then become so part of your feet that you'll hate properly flat shoes or ballet pump sort of things.

I live in mine. Only ever madrids though because the others seem too tight on the top of my foot. Personal preference though

[Lidlfix]

Why not try the Relax style that TKMaxx stock that way it's not an expensive mistake if you don't take to them. If you are worried about looking wide of foot in Madrids - they are similar but the leather or Paton panel sits inside the footbed rather than over it slimming giving a more slimming appearance.

[Tessticklesyourfancy]

Thanks for the replies. I'm usually it ballet pumps now or leather hard soled flip flops I can't imagine not liking ballets I loathe breaking in new shoes, misspent youth of squeezing wide feet into narrow pointy contraptions of pain, leaving blisters and blood.and corns
Once I hit 40 I decided enough was enough
Euphemia, I'll have a look at your recommendations, thanks, I'd not heard of them before.

[Only1scoop]

Love my Birks live in them in summer.

Have a few pairs but only like the flip flop one bar type the others looks a bit old.

Dd has a tiny pair also. Loves them.

[LifeIsGoodish]

When I've had a day on my feet, and they're tired and achy, and I come home and change into my Madrids, it's as if my feet sigh "aaaahhhhh...". It's even better than going barefoot.

My current pair are silver with a broken spectrum

[Only1scoop]

Love madrids and that style

I find they come up quite big

[blueskyinmarch]

I can’t keep the Madrid’s on my feet. I love the Arizona style but can see they may not be deemed stylish. My DD who is a trendy 18 yo has been known to borrow my black ones though. They can’t be too bad!

[maisybobbins]

Love Birks but now a convert to Toms. Look more stylish and super comfy.

[HappyGirlNow]

I have the Birkenstock Relax 100s in black and in white and love them.. Wore them to walk loads from the start and no rubbing at all and very comfy..

[LBOCS2]

What is the difference between the relax and the Madrid? They look very similar.

I love my Birkenstocks, I wear them every day in the summer. I currently have three pairs on the go...!

Toms look nice but they're really not good for wider feet. I don't even have particularly wide feet and I couldn't fit them into the Toms I tried on.

[HappyGirlNow]

They do. Not sure sorry.

[Absolutelynothingelse]

I love my Madrid Birkenstocks, I personally wouldn't wear any of the other styles although I might be tempted by the gizeh platforms.

[LostQueen]

I love my birkenstocks! I have the Madrids, the Arizonas and the Mayaris. All super comfy but the Mayari's win for me :)

[leedy]

Live in Birkenstock Gizehs in the summer. They're incredibly comfy and have great arch support.

[Lululooselips]

The 'relax' Birkenstocks have a different insole, it's a bit softer and it's not as moulded which means your toes are scrunching to keep the shoe on.

They do Birkenstocks with a soft footbed which still has better shape than the relax style.

Sarenza has a sale on atm, QVC sell Birkenstocks so you can wear them and send them back if they don't suit your feet.
Price wise best I've found is foot shopping.com it's in Germany but they ship for free.

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

I love them, but only the Madrid style as my feet are wide as anything so toe posts are vile on me.

Here's my feet in them. Look how stumpy my toes are! I'm a size 4-4.5 but Birkies are the only shoe I can get in that size because of the width.

[SwedishEdith]

I've got the 2 strap Arizonas this year after 4 or 5 years of the Madrids - finding I don't my scrunch toes in them - but the Madrids were the Relax style so that maybe why?

I like how they look but I would't wear them for work - too casual for me but incredibly comfortable. I can't wear ballet shoes though - too flat for me.

[FlopIsMyParentingGuru]

I have wide feet and find the mayari style best and good at staying on my feet

[maddiesparks]

I have the Arizonas, just recently got a new pair after my old pair finally looked too tatty after 14 years! So you definitely get good wear out of them. I find them very comfortable and don't think they are frumpy at all. Agree on sizing down though, certainly just by half a size. Have seen much uglier sandals than Birkenstocks on style and beauty recently.

[SwedishEdith]

maybe = may be

[Tessticklesyourfancy]

I'm looking at the different styles, thanks. The ones that have a strap further up the foot like mayari aren't that good for me, my feet are quite high, not sure that's the right way to describe them but they are so I find things like that uncomfortable. I know that style can be adjusted but they'd drive me mad.