Last Updated on 26.01.2023
Do you know that metallic sneakers are still a rare gem in the barefoot world? How about having a silver pair? They are shiny and chick and you have to admit that also a little sharp and futuristic too. But who would resist them.
If you haven’t heard about bLIFESTYLE yet, let me tell you something about them. This is a new German brand which just launched their first collection for kids and adults shoes this Autumn. But they have knowledge and experience how to make good and quality barefoot shoes with all barefoot characteristics.
Their shoes are produced in the EU and they use quality materials for the production of their shoes. Which means natural, sustainable and high-quality materials, like using organic cotton, vegetable tanned bio leather and water-based glues.
I got this bLIFESTYLE sneakers pretty late in Autumn and I started them to test immediately. I didn’t want the snow to stop me from testing. I tested them outside as long as it was possible and then I washed them and wore them inside instead of slippers to test enough for you.
Disclaimer: I was sent these shoes as a gift to review, but as always, all opinions expressed here are my own and I don’t receive any compensation if you choose to buy some for yourself.
1. General
- Brand: bLIFESTYLE
- Model: groundSTYLE Nappa
- Colour: Silver
- Tested on: woman, medium-wide feet, 26.3 cm long and 10 cm wide (10.3 cm between metatarsal heads), low instep, skinny ankles with narrow heel, fin-shaped foot – see my how to measure guide and foot type
|Made in EU|Adults|Leather|Ship to selected EU countries|
2. Material characteristics
2.1 Upper
This unisex bLIFESTYLE groundSTYLE sneakers are available in two different colours – White and Silver. Shoes are made from bio, chrome-free smooth leather and using water-based glues.
I chose this beautiful metallic silver colour.
According to bLIFESTYLE you can expect that ‘bioleather may have certain characteristics such as insect bites, scratches or slight color differences, but I haven’t noticed anything like that on my pair.
The shoelaces are in contrasting grey colour. Eyelets are in silver colour, except the top two eyelets which are black.
Collar is padded for added comfort.
The outsole is glued and stitched to the upper and is dark grey colour. At the side of the sole there is bLIFESTYLE “B” logo on it.
2.2 Lining
Shoes are lined with smooth chrome-free leather which is very pleasant to touch. At the heel part suede leather is used.
Thin insole is removable and it is also made from smooth leather.
2.3 Sole
The sole is around 4.5 mm thick and on the sole you have this lovely footprint design. The ground feels good in them. For even more intense feeling you can remove the insole.
The flexibility of the sole is good and I can easily roll them with one hand.
The sole is also flexible in the longitudinal direction, only in the toebox area I feel resistance, as the upper part of the shoe is made of thicker leather and strongly holds its shape.
Also check my video for the close-up and to see how they look on my feet.
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3. Sizing information
3.1 Length
bLIFESTYLE groundSTYLE sneakers are unisex model and they are available in sizes 37-47.
I checked the internal length with Plus12 measure and shoes are true to size (size 41 measured with Plus12 is 274 mm).
In most of the brands I wear size 42, but in bLIFESTYLE I wear size 41 with internal length 27,4 cm. My feet are 26,3 cm long, which means 11 mm space for me inside the shoe. This is the space I prefer and it is also recommended by different studies.
See my post How much space do we need in shoes if you want to know more about that.
3.2. Toebox shape & width
bLIFESTYLE sneakers have very good toebox shape. They don’t taper at all and the big toe can be in a perfectly straight position. I love that they didn’t make any compromises here.
I also like the space above the toes. There’s plenty of room in the shoe all the way to the end of the shoe, but an even slightly softer upper would be a good added bonus to them.
Shoes have a milder slope towards the little toe which work well for my foot shape with the longest second toe, but they will work well also for feet with the longest first toe with milder slope towards the little toe.
More about different foot types you can read in my post What is my Foot Type?
How wide are they?
In their size charts you can find the internal widths of the shoes. When I saw them, I was afraid that size 41 with only 9,5 cm of internal length would be too narrow for my 10 cm wide feet, but this is not the case.
They are similar in width to my Ibiza Groundies, which I reviewed here, except that the leather here is thicker and cannot spread as much to the side as the Groundies shoes can. The toebox part is more spacious, but there is less space at the ball of the foot than in Groundies shoes.
The widths in their size charts are actually the widths of the insole and inside the shoe there is more space than that.
For me the width is ok if I wear them with thin socks or barefeet, but with thicker socks I would need just slightly more space for my pinky toe. But I usually wear my sneakers on bare feet, so this is not a problem for me.
Overall, the best fit in them will get those with medium wide feet.
3.3. Fit around the instep, heel and ankle
Over the instep they fit really well to shallow and medium height instep and I can make them perfectly secure on feet.
I only noticed one thing which I found a little bit unusual at the beginning. The heel part is curved more than my heel is and my heel couldn’t fill the heel part completely.
When I got them it also felt like my feet were pushed slightly forward because of the heel shape, but the top collar adapted to my feet over time and now they feel good.
4. Comfort
I didn’t feel any discomfort while wearing them. The leather in the groundSTYLE model is slightly thicker and therefore more compact, so it holds its shape better and it doesn’t crease so fast.
A little softer leather would add a little more of a feeling of lightness, but we would lose the nice smooth and shiny look of the leather.
5. How and when to wear them?
Shoes in metallic colours can be more special to wear. Silver can be quite special with its cold look and this colour will work the best when you pair it with basic colours such as white, black or navy colour.
I love wearing my pair with black jeans and white T-shirt. Or pairing them with grey jeans, white tee and black leather jacket.
6. Price & where to buy
bLIFESTYLE groundSTYLE sneakers can be bought at their official website, but you can also find bLIFESTYLE shoes at different retailers. A lot of them can be found on my list here.
The price for the groundSTYLE Nappa silver model is 135 €.
Until the end of December all their shoes are 25% off.
7. Shipping info
bLIFESTYLE ship to selected EU countries and shipping costs are calculated during checkout. They are available by different retailers too, so if your country is not on the list, check the retailers.
8. To sum up
I’m pleasantly surprised with this brand. I love that they produce their shoes in the EU and they use quality materials. And even though I was afraid that they would be too narrow for me, they are actually wide enough for my feet. The toebox is fantastic and the colour is stunning.
bLIFESTYLE groundSTYLE Nappa Silver sneakers are awesome shoes in metallic colour and I’m looking forward to seeing what bLIFESTYLE will bring us in the future.
