Birkenstock Arizona Sandals… They’re Back (My Review)

Birkenstock Sandals. They’ve always been around, I suppose. I remember them from when I was a kid… I saw them everywhere in the summer (I remember my nanny had a pair she wore constantly!!). And then something happened, and they vanished (only to be seen on the down-to-earth, chic, I-don’t-care-what’s-in ladies). But now they’re back. J. Crew’s advertising them hard… maybe somebody owns stock or something. Something like 4/10 of their lookbook outfits feature them! That’s quite a few.

So, I’m admittedly in need of some new sandals. My Abercrombie Kids sandals have a hole in the bottom now (despite their young age of 4 years), and my Adidas sandals are well over 10 years old and show it. Who wouldn’t want a classic (albeit slightly clunky looking) pair of comfy blister-free walking sandals? I wear my Birkenstock clogs to work nearly every day I wear scrubs and find them crazy comfy, so I decided to give the popular Arizona sandal a go. These things come in all colors and leathers, making it almost impossible to pick a pair. J. Crew focuses on white, navy, silver or a neutral brown in a patent leather. None of these were overly appealing to me. If you really want options, head over to Zappos or Nordstrom for orange, pink, purple, green… or any combination of leather and neutral (browns, tans or blacks) that you could ever want. I ended up grabbing a beige pair in regular leather. Here are my thoughts:

• Sizing: Make sure you get the right size and don’t get them too small! I’m a tts 6 and have to get a 37 for the proper fit.
• Fit: These come in different widths. The regular version is pretty wide and could accommodate a wider foot. On me they look slightly bulkier than I’d prefer. If you’re narrow or regular width, go with narrow.
• Comfort: To be honest, I thought I’d find these more comfortable. The buckle area closer to my toes starts to rub on the outside top of my foot after only a short time. I don’t know if they need to be broken in? Maybe I just have really sensitive feet post-winter.
• Price: Gah, are these expensive! $130 for a pair of sandals is a lot to ask. I suppose if they last for years like my other Birkenstocks they would make up for that.
• Look: These look ok. They’re not sleek and beautiful by any means, but they’re functional for every day wear, and work with my dressed-down look that I do too often now-a-days. Sincerely Jules is quite adorable in hers…

Overall, I’d recommend giving these a go if you like their nature-chic look. Most people find these crazy comfy and don’t have any issues (like I’m having with the rubbing). Get them from a place that has a nice return policy if you have sensitive feet like I do!