Outfit | Sydney Brown Vegan Clogs

Black Crane long quilt dress in Forest* | size small, made in LA
Sydney Brown vegan clogs | made in LA

Honestly, I thought I’d just take a few quick pictures of my new birthday shoes (these were a gift from my father for my birthday – we ordered them when I was in Florida recently and Sydney Brown was offering 40% off…), but it turns out that closeups of my feet are NOT pretty.  So here you have the whole outfit, although I didn’t intend to photograph “myself.”  Viola –  reality….on a not very good hair day LOL.

About the shoes: These clogs are faux leather (although, you would NEVER be able to tell), with a cork covered recycled fiber insole, and a sustainably harvested North American alder wood platform with a natural rubber sole.  I originally ordered a size 38 which according to their site corresponds to a size 8, but a CS rep contacted me to advise me to size up to a 39, and I did.  SO GLAD I did, because the 38 wouldn’t have fit at all.  As it is, the 39 is quite snug, and I’m still wearing them around the house to break them in a bit more, but I can tell the size will be fine.

They’re really beautiful, and honestly, you’d never in a million years know they’re not leather; they look better than some leather shoes I’ve seen out there.  They took about 3 weeks to arrive, which was hard, because I was antsy waiting for them, but it was sort of awesome (and serendipitous) that they arrived just on my birthday!

I’m very excited about them, and thank my father for his generosity in getting these for me for my birthday, it was a wonderful gift, and perfect in so many ways.  I am looking for ways to add more leather-free items to my wardrobe, but shoes have always been such a challenge.  No more. Obviously, these are prohibitively expensive for many people, but she does offer frequent, significant discounts if you wait for them.  Or, if you stick to less is more, this would be a great pair of shoes to carry you through multiple seasons, assuming you live in a moderate climate…

More about Sydney Brown:

Taking a holistic approach to design, Sydney Brown espouses respect for the environment and the wearer without compromising on style. Handmade by artisans in her Los Angeles atelier, the consciously constructed shoes are free of animal products and use eco-friendly materials such as coconut insoles, recycled and sustainable uppers, and reclaimed wooden soles, aiming to create every pair of shoes with a ‘cradle to cradle’ life cycle.

*I got my Black Crane dress via Garmentory (if you use my link, you’ll get $20 to shop, and so will I), but it’s sold out there. Val got one at Maker’s Making recently, they say the have some in store, although only in “coffee” online. I have a black, size medium available in the shop.  Otherwise, this dress seems to be selling out everywhere, as I knew it would.  That’s Black Crane for you…