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Sustainable Baddie is a platform for imperfect sustainable fashion + living. 🌎
A few months ago, my algorithm showed me shoes that revived my style sensibilities. Their government name is Vibram FiveFingers, but real ones refer to them as toe shoes. I was drawn to toe shoes because they seemed like the closest way to being barefoot while still actually wearing shoes. While Vibram FiveFingers are marketed for barefoot outdoor sports, my connection with them was partly spiritual and partly rooted in vanity; sometimes freaky fashion girls who like to walk around barefoot find friends in unexpected places.
Vibram also invented the first rubber lug soles. Originally intended for mountaineering boots, these soles eventually replaced leather soles with steel cleats as the most popular choice for mountain climbing footwear—and have since expanded to all kinds of sole collaborations. FiveFingers were initially marketed as a barefoot running shoe designed to lower the risk of ankle sprains. While I didn’t buy them with running in mind, it's worth noting that these claims aren’t fully proven. In fact, in 2014, Vibram faced a lawsuit over these assertions, as a study found that barefoot or FiveFingers running can actually increase injury risk if not gradually introduced. But for people like me—who rarely move faster than a trot—they’re generally safe.
As a company, Vibram invests in ethical production, renewable energy and materials, waste reduction, and both employee and consumer education. They also promote shoe repair, asking customers to repair their shoes instead of discarding them and featuring a Find Shoe Repair directory on their site. I personally noticed that my local cobbler repairs shoes with Vibram soles, so if you plan to purchase a pair, I recommend looking for similar services near you.
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I purchased the KSO Women’s because I like the simplicity of the design and figured black goes with everything, but if I were to ever purchase again (spoiler alert: I would) I’d want something with a little more personality, like the ballet-inspired pair shown above.
Doing a week-long challenge puts into perspective how little or how much we ever actually have going on. Here’s how mine went:
What You Need to Know:
You feel everything. They really are just socks with a little extra padding on the sole of your foot—so you will feel everything your little feetsies run over. It can be uncomfy when walking over gravel or cobblestone, but on the flip side, walking on a dirt path or grass also feels so much more satisfying (and wearing them will probably motivate you to walk on these terrains more).
Protect your hems. If, like me, you’re wearing FiveFingers for the fashion of it, and are of average or shorter height, be prepared to have your clothes dragging on the ground. I accidentally tore a hole in two pairs of sweatpants because they were too close to the ground, so make sure your hem is not dragging or it will get damaged!
Beware of puddles. I walked over wet grass and immediately felt the water seep into my shoe. Though they dried pretty quickly, beware of puddles and rainy days.
Size up. I first ordered my usual size, which fit way too small. The general consensus in the toe shoe community is to go one size up.
A true closet staple. Honestly, I’ve yet to come up with an outfit that wouldn’t pair well with my toe shoes. And if you disagree, you’re just a hater, sorry! The girls who get it, get it…
They’re conversation starters. People will be curious to know what possessed you to casually wear toe shoes. They may compliment you or they may stare at your feet in disgust.
Day 1 — 10,000 Steps
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On the first day of my week-long date with toe shoes, I decided to hit the ground running and walk my 10,000 steps in the park near my house, which wasn’t the best idea, considering the path is asphalt and it was the first time I really pushed my bare feet to that limit. By the time I got home, my ankles and toes hurt and needed rest, but they were fine by the next day. The sweatpants I wore were a bit oversized on me and I tore a hole in them after dragging them on the floor for about five miles.
Day 2 — WFH at My Local Coffee Shop
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Day two was a lot slower. I headed to a coffee shop to work for the day and styled my toe shoes with this Nöl Collective jersey and a preloved Simone Rocha dress. I love their subtlety; they neutralize an outfit somehow. At this point, my toes were still getting used to the feeling of the ground—the concrete sidewalks felt very abrasive at first.
Day 3 — Serving Cunt… That’s It
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As I said, one of the biggest motivating factors behind this purchase was the aesthetics. So I took this day to play dress up and meditate on the point of shoes and the anatomy of my feet.