Photo courtesy of – https://www.instagram.com/birdies/
For the longest time, I had been wanting to purchase a pair of Birdies shoes, ever since I saw articles about how comfortable they are. Most of these articles came as a result of these shoes being a firm favourite of Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex; which only further added my need to try them! As a long time fan of her and her fashion, anything Meghan approved had to be worth a try.
The company was founded by two women- Bianca and Marisa, they are entrepreneurs and working mum’s, so I can see why Meghan was a fan! The concept was simple, they wanted to create a functional show they would wear indoors that had the comfort of their slippers, but could be worn when hosting dinner parties or just having guests over in general. It’s so true, as often when people come over, you feel odd wearing heels or dressy shoes, and feel too dressed down just wearing socks or slippers. Then along came Birdies!
A bigger reason for me wanting to try the shoes was also due to the pain I was having of the other flat shoes I owned. Whilst I don’t often wear heels in my day to day life, partly because I am naturally tall and also because after so long in lockdown and wearing slippers, who can even handle heels these days! So a flat shoe is my usual go to choice. However, I know that ballet flats, were you feel as though you might as well be walking directly on the pavement, is just not it for me. Wearing shows like this without any support or some kind of heel was making my feet hurt with every step, and made walking really uncomfortable. Therefore, when I started seeing posts and articles about Birdies shoes feeling like slippers and the ultimate in comfort, I knew I had to give them a try.
They are on the higher end of the price point I would typically spend on shoes, certainly for flat shoes. But maybe that’s what I had been doing wrong thus far. Often it is the case that you get what you pay for, and the flat shoes that I had been wearing were usually £20 or less. So after weeks if not months of heading to the Birdies website, I finally decided to take the plunge and order a pair. I went with the classic black Starling show in velvet. The sizes are US sizes, so if shopping from the UK or elsewhere, just keep an eye on what size you need to choose. I was nervous on the sizing as with any shoe you order online, you just cross your fingers they will be ok.
Thankfully when they arrived, they fit perfectly, and even better they were far more comfortable than I was expecting! Oh the joy when I first tried these heavenly shoes on! It does exactly as described and feels like you are wearing a pair of slippers. As soon as I started wearing the shoes, I had no pain at all. The cushion of the shoe meant that I was no longer feeling the pavement beneath me, and the ever so slight heel on the shoe meant that I was not walking flat footed as it felt like I did in those pesky ballet flats. Are these shoes an investment of sorts? Absolutely. But for me the benefits far outweigh the cost! Birdies shoes is one of the best purchases I have made with no regrets. I honestly want to have a multitude of these shoes in every colour. They go great with lots of outfits and the comfort level means you can wear them all day without issue.
The only critique I could say about the velvet starling shoe, is that when it rains, they do of course absorb the water. Living in the UK, this means that there are times when I haven’t been able to wear them. But to be honest, a lot of my other shoes will also leak through wether its flat shoes or some trainers, I have found myself drying out my socks after a particularly heavy downpour. Birdies were also originally designed as an indoor shoe, as a stylish alternative to slippers or bare feet. So for me, they are perfect at what they were designed for, I just can’t help but wear them everywhere!
I’m most definitely a Birdies customer for life, and I am excited to try some of their other shoes and styles in the future. So if you love a flat shoe, and want the ultimate in comfort, why not give them a try. Yes they are a treat, but aren’t you worth treating? It’s certainly one of the best gifts I’ve given to myself!
Love
