To Birkenstock or not to Birkenstock?

[sheeeshh]

I owned a pair many a few years ago at uni and recall them being super comfy. Considering another pair now.

Are they still accepted or will I be wearing the foot equivalent of the M&S pink dress?

Go for it :)

What does it matter? They are comfortable. A couple of years ago I mentioned to DD that Birks appeared that to be back in fashion. She said they'd never gone out of fashion in our house. True

I had the same dilemma but braved a trip to Primark and got a pair of Birkenstock-alikes for £5. Cheaper way of working out whether you're still a fan!

Birkenstocks are great and apparently worn by the young and hip at Coachella: evidence here, apparently.

Mine are gold, single bar. I luffs thems

I never got on with Birkenstocks, I kept getting my soft heel bit caught on the hard sole.

No. Just no. 😀

If no, why not?!

I don't even know why I think they're uncool

Some of the sandals in that link are MINGING

Don't buy the primark ones. Not if you're going for comfort.

My first birks (aah, fond memories) came from a charity shop. I'd had fake birks before, but these were the genuine article. And the comfort.

Just buy them, sheeeshh. Ignore the nay-sayers.

FWIW, I think the anti-birk brigade tend to think of them as jesus sandals - the type of shoes worn by your aging hippy drama teacher. Not that I have a problem with aging-hippy-teacher types. But you know what I mean.

Birks are legendary sandals. Seriously, they're for the summer-is-here-I-need-something-sensible-yet-sensible. Jesus definitely would have worn them after wearing converses or stan james in the winter.

you can dress them up (nail polish), or dress them down (no nail polish), wear them with socks, have lots, have funky ones, have serious ones,

they last ages a lifetime, and are probably good enough to be chucked on the compost when they finally do go

but all the time, they are looking after your back and soles.

I love mine. Really comfortable. I don't care what people think.

I love love love mine. I couldn't give a flying f* what anyone thinks of that. I can walk miles in them. And they last forever.

I love mine, but I can see why people don't. They go make my already wide bunions feet look even wider.
I also love my Art sandals, possibly even more than my birks. They are like Birkenstock soles but very lightweight and have straps at the ankle/ across the foot.

They aren't delicate, but if anyone can show me a pair of comfortable sandals that my poor poor feet won't cry in that Also look even partly feminine or delicate I will give them a medal and a million pounds

I love mine. I have a black and a white pair and I'm the summer they are pretty much all I wear. I will confess to being completely unstylish though so I don't care whether they are in fashion (still wouldn't be caught dead in that M&S dress though...)

I adore mine and am so pleased I could break them out of the shoe trunk yesterday and today, I'm tempted to get the sheepskin lined ones for winter and wear them with socks. I concur with a PP that young trendy bloggers etc wear them and brands like Celine had their own version in their catwalk show a few years back. And they are so comfy who cares what people think, I also love my ugg boots and continue to wear them despite one girl at uni commenting to my friend I was so brave to come to lectures in my pyjamas (I wasn't actually wearing pyjamas just leggings uggs and an enormous cashmere jumper so I feel her bitchiness was unjustified)

You are me!

I was thinking of buying a pair coz I've back issues and need more support on the 3 school runs I do a day than my havianas can give me. And I'm not ready to give in completely and buy fit flops yet!

I bought the primary ones the other day and they are so comfy, I can only imagine the real deal are even better. Got silver to make me feel a bit cool.

BUT I wore them today for the first time and I did feel very nerdy. Not that I'm cool anyway but they are sooooooo ugly and defo made me feel like I'd given up caring! I'm debating now whether to try the fit flop surfer flip flops which I tried on. Super comfy and more support than normal flip flops but not huge and clunky looking

Fit flops are so much less trendy than birkinstocks!! My 70 year old MIL wears fit flops (no offence to 70 year olds, she is particularly frumpy...).

Which ones did you get btw? I have the toe-post ones and they are a bit prettier than the two strap ones.

Love my toe post ones. Don't care about style, they are so comfortable!

Oooooh, interesting mix of replies. Thank you all

I definitely prefer the single bar ones; the ones with two straps are not me at all.

There are some really snazzy ones on the website and I'm slowly leaning towards the matt black one strap style. I live in black skinnies so thinking they would go quite well.

And as for Fit Flops...absolutely the fugliest footwear on earth. Sorry

I love mine. Current pair have 3 thin straps in a fab coppery/metallic brown and a leopard print sole
Soooooo comfy!

I have 3 pairs! I don't dig the two strap ones and have just gone for the toe post ones for the first time...they are a nice shimmery white colour...hoping I get on with the toe post.

I bought my first pair this weekend! 3 straps. Pure black. Am pretty pleased

I always get the ones with a heel strap. There are usually a few in the lineup every year. Now, heel strap Birkenstocks, you can practically run a marathon in them!