Brand: Birkenstock
Season: Fall/Winter 2021
Buy: Online at Birkenstock's website
Price: $160 - $190
Editor's Notes: Birkenstock is taking notes from UGG.
The clog specialist is moving into fall with shearing slip-ons that are like a fluffy hug for your feet.
Two toe-baring styles, the Arizona and the Daytona, are updated with teddy bear-like uppers and insoles that will keep your digits toasty. A platform EVA outsole adds a touch of height to both silhouettes.
Similarly, the Boston clog is elevated with a big buckle, chunky sole, and fluffed-up exterior. To offset the shoes' increased height, all three models are built with cushy Papillio footbeds.
The fuzzy shoes are certainly fit for indoor wear, though I'm not entirely sure how successful Birkenstock will be in its quest to push open-toed sandals for winter.
It might be onto something, though, considering that this month has seen temperatures climb above 70° F — sandal-friendly climate for late October. Plus, winterized sandals aren't so unheard of.
Even more appealing, soft teddy shearling sandals are an appealing hybrid of two of the pandemic's favorite shoes: the Birkenstock clog and the UGG boot.
The two silhouettes have seen a boom in interest over the past year-and-a-half, thanks to our preference for comfortable, WFH-friendly footwear.
Both Birkenstock and UGG have capitalized on their newfound trendiness with a slew of designer collaborations with the likes of Proenza Schouler, Stüssy, and Telfar.
The parallels between the two brands make a Birk-UGG collab seem like a no-brainer. At the moment, there's no indication that the two would team up — but if they did, they'd undoubtedly create the world's comfiest shoe.
