foundations: the chic guide to wearing Birkenstocks

in light of the the comfy-chic movement, 2013 was The Year of the Birks. love them or hate them – they're longtime wardrobe foundations in my book.

here are my tips on how to choose and wear birks in a minimalist chic way.

1. the shoe – you can't go wrong with the classic arizonas (also here and here) or gizehs. both offer the most stylish simplicity and functional comfort of the entire birkenstock lineup.
2. the color– choose black or white. think modern, monochrome, vintage Kate, Celine-esque.


3. the material – i prefer the leather or patent leather birks over the synthetic (birko-flor, birkubuc) versions. black suede birks are much easier to style than taupe/brown versions, which tend to look a lot more 'granola'. it's all about sleek/clean lines here.

4. the styling– neutrals, monochrome and clean lines work best. i'm really into wearing mine with black on black on black, but a flowing, feminine dress would also provide a nice counterpoint.

6. the sizing– birks run large and wide, so size down and go with the 'N'/narrow width if your foot is a narrow-regular width. i wear a 6.5 US/37 EU, so my birkenstock size is always a 36 N (even though the birk size chart states the 36 = 5/5.5).

i hope this is helpful if you're just getting into birks. from a wardrobe longevity (and foot health) perspective, they're the epitome of reasonably priced, ergonomic, well-made sandals that will last for years. (P.S.: if you do end up wearing out the soles, an authorized birkenstocks repair shop can replace them with brand new footbed/soles.)

what's your stance on birks? do you have a favorite pair / how do you wear them?