I was recently doing some online shopping for footwear. This is one of the things that I've found myself doing quite frequently during the lockdown. During this time I came across a website that talks about barefoot shoes.
The last interaction that I had with these sorts of shoes was when they were worth available in the form of the ones that had a separation between the toes. those were a no-go for me. I've imagined myself wearing them when exercising, and that's was not a pretty figure.
Surprisingly, when I encountered them, this time, they were not what I expected. They look just like you would expect from any other shoes. If I had not been told by the text on the website I would not have been able to tell that they were barefoot shoes. There is some style to them. They are available in all sorts of designs for all sorts of uses.
Some of the brands that I have been looking at
I have found that unlike I had expected there are various brands that are making these shoes. My favorite ones include Vivobarefoot, Be Lenka, and Groundies. The ones that are liked are the Vivobarefoot Winter Shoes. This is mainly because they have various shoes that you can choose from boots to sports shoes and a variety of colors too!
Even better is the fact that these shoes are shipped worldwide! How cool is that? Most of these brands are out of Europe. They have been leading the charge when it comes to this market. Some US brands have minimalist shoes that are not quite barefoot. Maybe over time, they will also have additional lines to add to it.
Things that can improve
One of the things that I wish the brands could do better with is the addition of more feminine lines of shoes. This is not to say that there aren’t any. Most of the shoes that they currently have are uni-sex. I would like to see more designs that are created for women.
Some obvious limitations need to be overcome. The first one of these is that going barefoot means that the heels we are used to having on ladies’ shoes are not available.
Maybe the next step would be to see how creative designers can create a new type of shoe that captures femininity. I am not sure what those would look like, and fortunately, that job is not going to be left to me.
Seeing as I am not a designer. The clear one that is lacking are shoes that I could wear with a dress or a skirt when I go out. If I am going out on the town with my friends, or when I am going to an event that requires dress up.
Conclusion
I am yet to purchase a pair, but will certainly update you all when I do. The one thing that I am looking forward to experiencing is how different they are from cushioned shoes. What I do know is that care should be taken when transitioning from regular shoes to these.