Anyone who knows me (or follows me on social media) knows that I’m a sucker for color. I live by the motto “all the color, all the time.” Because of this, I’m always on the lookout for clothing brands that just get it—and by that, I mean that they don’t only offer neutral or dull, muted colors. While I understand that some people love shopping for basics that can go with everything—I’d much rather reach for vibrant hues, especially when it comes to shoes. Of course, many footwear brands still have a long way to go in terms of wide color offerings, as most times, they offer an array of neutrals with a few seasonal bright hues that often sell out almost immediately.
One brand, however, that prioritizes a rainbow-inspired selection all the time is Beek. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? After all, the hand-made leather sandals are making the rounds on TikTok, with 3 billion views and counting.
After seeing them pop up on my feed more times than I can count, I figured it was time I tried I got my feet in a pair of Beek sandals. And they did not disappoint.
The Beek difference
Spending over $200 for a pair of sandals isn’t something I’d normally recommend, but when it comes to Beek, I have to admit: I understand the markup.
Aside from being cute, they’re hand-crafted with the utmost care and quality. According the brand’s website, each pair takes around 48 hours to make from start to finish using ultra-soft vegetable leather that only gets softer with every wear. Throw in a molded arch, and they really are a treat for feet. Beek also has a give-back program and works with organizations to fight childhood hunger. For every pair of Beek shoes sold, the brand donates roughly five meals through the Childhood Harvest Strategy and Second Harvest Food Bank.
As for the shoes, I tested out the Beek Pelican Leather Platform Sandal ($280) and Beek Sugarbird Slide Sandal ($230)—two of the most popular styles they offer, both of which are sold in women’s sizes 5 to 11. In both cases, the sandal structure is applaudable.
Where the Beek Pelican Leather Platform Sandal features a molded memory foam footbed with a slightly lifted rim for your feet to settle into, the Beek Sugarbird Slide Sandal has memory foam footbeds with sculpted arch support despite being a super thin, flat sandal. Truly, I’ve not seen this level of construction in a flat sandal—it made me do a double-take.
Construction aside, the color selection is wow-worthy. Instead of offering only a couple bright colors juxtaposed against a bevy of neutrals, Beek prioritizes a tropical-colored palette. The Beek Pelican Leather Platform Sandal is sold in 11 colors (five of which are neutral) and the Beek Sugarbird Slide Sandal is offered in 11 shades (four of which are neutral—and one of those is a fun snake print). Best of all, the colors they offer aren’t muted pastels, but are instead vibrant, juicy shades like tangerine, celery, hibiscus, papaya, and fuchsia. Bonus: There’s even a metallic option in each style.
Keep in mind
All in all, I’m a big fan of the style, structure, and colors the Beek sandals offer. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that (in my experience) they do run a bit small. I’m typically a size 10 in sandals, and while the Beek Pelican Leather Platform Sandal fit quite well, I found the Sugarbird Slide to be a touch short in the footbed (I would have been better off with a 10.5, but they don’t offer half sizes).
That said, I only really noticed the size discrepancy in motion. While standing still, my foot looked perfectly fitted, however, mid-stride, I found that my foot slipped around a bit, which I think is due to the shallow nature of the toe straps—I feel like if they came back a bit further toward the mid-foot, that wouldn’t happen. Still, I don’t think this is a mark on the brand so much as it is on that sandal silhouette in general, as I have other sandals that are equally as slim in design that do the same thing.
All this to say: If you’re looking for bright, comfortable sandals that are built to last a lifetime (as opposed to a single summer), Beek is worth considering. If you opt for the Sugarbird style, though, be sure to size up and know that, while comfortable, they’re not the best shoe for walking long stints. The Pelican Leather Platform Sandal, however, will get you wherever you need to go without slipping out of place. And, like Birks, Beek sandals are said to only get more comfortable with wear—what more could you ask for?
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