Cow-Print Suede Barefoot Sneakers with Thin Flexible Sole

Cow-print suede barefoot sneakers with a 1.5 cm sole

These are cow-print suede barefoot sneakers: a low lace-up shoe with a wide, rounded toe and a sole that is only 1.5 cm thick. The suede is beige with irregular dark patches, and the laces are cream.

According to the maker the upper is suede leather and the footbed is leather. The upper is 6.5 cm high, so the shoe ends under the ankle.

At a glance

The piece: model 215169

The wholesaler lists this shoe as model 215169 under the name Step in style. The supplier describes it as barefoot footwear with a thin, flexible sole that lets the foot move freely, and calls it light.

The supplier's text goes further and makes claims about what barefoot shoes do for your body. We leave those out, because we cannot check them. What we can show you is the shape: the toe box is wide and round, with no taper towards the front, and the sole is flat from heel to toe.

The supplier calls the colour brown. In the photos the base is a warm beige and the patches are very dark, close to navy or black, with a brown sole underneath. Only one pair is left at the wholesaler at the time of writing, so check the size buttons.

Who these sneakers are for

For you if you already like flat shoes with room for your toes, or if you are curious about them. A thin sole means you feel more of the ground. Some people love that and some do not.

The print is the other half of the story. If your shoes are usually white or black, this is a friendly way to wear a pattern, because beige and dark blue go with most of a wardrobe.

Closer look: what the maker's data and the photos show

• Upper in suede leather (maker's data)
• Footbed in leather (maker's data)
• Thin, flexible sole, 1.5 cm high (maker's data)
• Wide, rounded toe (photos)
• Cream flat laces through six pairs of eyelets (photos)
• Beige suede with dark cow-print patches (photos)
• Brown sole that wraps slightly up the edge (photos)
• Upper 6.5 cm high, below the ankle (maker's data and photos)

The sole material is not in the maker's data.

Materials and build: suede outside, leather inside

The maker states suede leather for the upper and leather for the footbed. We repeat that statement and have not tested the materials ourselves.

Suede has a soft, brushed surface, and a print on it looks slightly blurred at the edges, which you can see in the close-up photo. Suede and rain are not friends. A spray made for suede before the first wear is a common precaution.

Size and fit: uneven steps in the table

The maker's table gives the insole length: 23.5 cm for size 36, 24 cm for 37, 24.5 cm for 38, then 25.5 cm for 39, 26 cm for 40 and 27 cm for 41. The jumps are not even, so do not assume your usual number.

Measure your foot standing, add a little room for your toes and compare with the table. With barefoot shoes people often want some space in front of the toes, since the foot spreads on a flat sole.

Size chart (insole length in cm)

Source: the maker's size table. The steps are uneven (a full centimetre between 38 and 39, and between 40 and 41), so measure before you choose.

Styling: show the ankle

In the photos they are worn with cropped white trousers and a fine ankle chain. That works because the shoe is low and the print needs a calm background.

Try them with straight jeans rolled once, a light summer dress or wide beige trousers. Dark blue picks up the patches, cream picks up the laces.

When to wear them

The supplier names everyday activities and walks. We would add errands, a city trip and the office on a relaxed day.

For long walks on hard ground, remember how thin the sole is and build up slowly if you are new to this kind of shoe.

Care: what we know and what we don't

The maker's data has no care instructions. If there is a leaflet in the box, follow it.

For suede shoes in general: brush them dry with a suede brush, keep them away from heavy rain and let them dry at room temperature if they do get wet.

The wow detail: the print

Barefoot shoes are usually plain, often a bit serious. These have big dark patches scattered over beige suede, no two alike, so the left shoe and the right shoe are not mirror images. It makes a very sensible shoe look cheerful.

Fashion that gives back

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. We matched the causes to 11 of the 17 SDGs, the United Nations goals, so you can see what your share supports before you pick.

Our promise

Ships from the maker's wholesale partner in Poland, inside the EU, with tracking. The wholesaler lists up to 3 days to prepare an order; within the EU delivery usually takes 2–7 business days after dispatch. Delivery is free within the EU on orders from €69; below that it costs €4.95 in the Netherlands and €6.95 elsewhere in the EU.

You have 14 days after delivery to ask for a return, as long as the pair is unworn and still has its tags. Our promise is plain: if what arrives does not match what this page says, send it back within 14 days and we refund you.

More styles are in our women's sneakers collection.