Update: The Supportive Summer Sandals Hunt of 2017

I thought it was high time to give you all an update on how the hunt for cute summer sandals with arch support is going so far. In short, this picture from Letter Folk’s IG account pretty much sums it up.

I’ve ordered about $1,000 worth of shoes so far. Two pairs have stuck. Thank goodness for Zappos’ and Amazon’s free return policy.

I tried the Teva options first. I ordered the Teva Capri Wedge from Amazon (which was a bit cheaper than on the Teva site). They were comfortable, but I wasn’t totally sold on the shimmery gold color of the leather. It’s too bad, though, because I LOVE the detail on the heel. Back they went.

Then, my other sister-in-law texted me that Sierra Trading Post had a bunch of the Teva shoes I shared in my original post on SERIOUS sale. And she had a 25% and free shipping code she would send me. SOLD. I ordered four different pairs. These, these, these, and these.

The Arrabelle wedges stuck, and I love them. They provide good support and the style works with just about anything.

I was most disappointed the Avalina Sandals flats weren’t what I was hoping for. They had absolutely no arch support, but did look really cute on. So, three of the four from that order were packed up and sent back.

I’ve since been on the hunt for good flat sandals I can just throw on with jeans during a normal day of running errands, play dates, etc…I’m sad to say I’ve come up short so far. And not for lack of trying.

After the initial disappointment in the Teva flats, I decided to give Birkenstocks one more try. So, I ordered five pair. Arizona, two colors of Mayari, Gizeh, and Yara.

They looked OK. I didn’t love them enough to pay $100 for a pair and I wasn’t sure that, even if I did pay that much, I would actually wear them. I had a long conversation with Seth about this, which ended with him reminding me that my problem was a first world problem if he had even heard one. Touché.

Back to Zappos they went. And I just stopped looking for a while.

Then, THEN I saw a girl a church with the perfect sandals on. Not too bulky, a great color leather, and the foot bed looked almost Birkenstock-ish but with a slimmer profile. I totally stalked her down and got the details. These are them.

Steve Madden no longer makes this style. Foiled again!

Later that week, my sister and I took Eli to Santa Cruz for the day and popped into a surf clothing store downtown. This store has a huge selection of Reef and Rainbow shoes, so I thought I’d check to see if any of the versions I had been eyeing were in stock. And they were. My favorites, the Reef Rover Hi Le, were in stock, but not in my size. They were everything I hoped for – good arch support, cute style, comfy, easy to slip on. As soon as I got home I ordered them off Amazon.

That store also carried a new Toms sandal that look exactly like Swedish Hasbeens. I’ve been eyeing another Swedish clog brand that gets great reviews and is half the price of the Hasbeens. I hadn’t pulled the trigger on them, though, because I was worried the wooden foot bed would too hard for my feet. The Toms clogs have a cushy foot bed. It was like the stars had aligned. I even like the design a bit more than the original Hasbeens. Such a great knockoff. And about $100 cheaper. Still not cheap at $120, but reasonable. My size wasn’t in stock there either.

So, I went home and started looking online. Turns out, Reef no longer makes the Rover Hi Le, but Amazon still carries it. Also, Toms didn’t have the Beatrix clog on their site, but Amazon did. Thank you for being crazy and taking over the world, Jeff Bezos. You make shoe shopping so much easier. Two days later, these babies were on my doorstep.

Unfortunately, the Reef flats don’t work. The elastic strap just felt too tight and the fit was just off. Back they go.

But, the Toms are amazing. I’m keeping them and they will go with everything, forever and ever amen. I swear they make my legs look longer and leaner, which is a miracle because my legs are short and stumpy. Thank you, Toms, for designing great shoes and for making me feel like I make the world a better place by spending money on frivolous things.

Still no slip on flats, but I’m still on the hunt. It will be hot here for another couple months, so I’ve got some time.

Have you had any luck with finding cute, supportive flat sandals? Do tell! I’m desperate!