Big Star Suede Sneakers with Caramel Sole

Low suede sneakers on a caramel-brown sole

These are low suede sneakers from Big Star with a shape you know from old gym shoes: a rounded toe, a stitched panel across the front and a flat sole in caramel brown.

The maker says the upper is suede and the sole is a low platform. Inside sits an insole the brand calls HI-POLY SYSTEM. You can choose beige, brown or black, in sizes 36 to 41.

At a glance

The piece: Big Star, sold through Step In Style

The wholesaler lists these shoes under Step In Style, and its description names Big Star as the brand. The photos back that up: there is a small Big Star logo patch on the tongue and another on the side.

All three colours stand on the same caramel-brown sole. On the beige pair that gives a tone-on-tone look, on the black pair a clear contrast. In our colour menu the beige is called "Taupe"; in the photos it is a sand-to-camel shade.

Who they're for

For you if you want one pair of sneakers that goes with trousers, jeans and skirts and does not shout. There is no big logo and no bright colour, only suede and a warm sole.

They are also a fair choice if you walk a lot. The maker describes the insole as cushioning and moisture-absorbing. We pass that on as the maker's claim; we have not tested it.

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

• Suede upper (maker's data)
• Low platform sole (maker's data), in caramel brown with lettering on the side (photos)
• Rounded toe (maker's data)
• HI-POLY SYSTEM insole (maker's data)
• Lace-up front with tonal laces (photos)
• Stitched panels at the toe and along the sides (photos)
• Small Big Star logo patch on the tongue (photos)

The maker does not list what the lining and the sole are made of, and gives no sole height.

Materials and build: suede, says the maker

The maker's description says the upper is real suede. We repeat that as the maker's statement. We have not had the material checked ourselves, so if this point decides your purchase, look at the label inside the shoe when it arrives; you have 14 days to return it.

In the photos the surface has the soft nap you expect from suede, with tonal stitching that follows the panels. The sole looks like one moulded piece.

Size and fit: go by insole length

The maker gives the insole length per size. It goes up by half a centimetre each time: 23.5 cm in size 36, 24.5 cm in 38, 25.5 cm in 40. One exception: for the black pair the table says 26.5 cm in size 41, where beige and brown say 26 cm.

Take the insole out of a sneaker that fits you and measure it. That gives you a better answer than your usual size number.

Size chart (cm)

Source: the maker's size table, insole length in cm. For the black pair the maker lists 26.5 cm in size 41.

Styling: let the sole pick your palette

In the photos they are worn with cropped white jeans and with sand-coloured trousers. Both show the ankle, which suits a low sneaker.

The caramel sole likes warm colours: camel, cream, olive, chocolate brown. The black pair is the odd one out and looks good under dark jeans or a black midi skirt, where the sole becomes the accent. With the beige pair, try going one colour head to toe.

Occasions

The supplier suggests them for everyday activities. Think of the commute, a day of errands, a weekend in a city you explore on foot, or an office where sneakers are fine.

Care: suede and water are not friends

The maker's data has no care instructions. If the box or the shoe carries a care symbol, follow that first.

General habits for suede: brush dry dirt off with a suede brush, let wet shoes dry at room temperature and keep them away from a heater. We can't tell you how this pair reacts to rain, because the supplier does not say.

The wow detail: the caramel sole

It is the sole that makes these look like something from a sports hall decades ago. The warm brown runs all the way round, a little higher than on a plain plimsoll, and it is the same on every colour. Under black suede it glows.

Fashion that gives back

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. The causes are matched to 11 of the 17 SDGs, the global goals set by the United Nations, and you decide where your share goes.

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 shoes are unworn and in their original box. 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 sneakers, flats and boots are in our women's shoes collection.