Shapen – Brand Review

By Katja
24.05.2022

Last Updated on 26.01.2023

Celebrating an anniversary, a birthday, invited to a wedding? Or just need dressier shoes for work? Now that’s no longer a problem. With its wide range of barefoot shoes for special occasions, Shapen has made sure that you always look fabulous while enjoying all the luxury that barefoot shoes offer.

The Slovakian brand of more stylish barefoot shoes Shapen was founded by Mia, who started toying with the idea of launching her own brand of barefoot shoes back in 2016. Namely, most of the barefoot footwear on the market at the time was only suitable for sporting activities.

Mia wanted to bring barefoot footwear to the business world with her brand Shapen. With her wonderful sense of aesthetics, she has designed many designs over the years that make barefoot shoes look no less stylish than if you were wearing conventional shoes.

Their first model was the Tulip ballet flat, which was quickly followed by Ivy and Fleur. In the following years, Shapen added many more sandal and ballet flats models in two different widths. All of their shoes are named by plants.

I have followed the Shapen brand since its very early days and it is great to see the company grow so successfully. In this review you will be able to find reviews for all their models that I have tried so far.

Disclaimer: I got the shoes as a gift for the review, and I bought the black handbag myself. As always, all opinions expressed here are my own. I am also affiliated with Shapen, which means I may receive a small commission if you use my discount code BOSENOGICE5 when you buy their shoes (at no extra cost to you).

♥ 5% discount on Shapen with my affiliate code BOSENOGICE5♥

BUY HERE

Table of Contents

1. General information

1.1 General

Brand: Shapen
Sizes: 36-43
Tested on: woman, medium-wide feet, 26.3 cm long and 10 cm wide, low instep, skinny ankles with narrow heel, fin-shaped foot (see my how to measure guide and foot type)

1.2 Sole

The Shapen sole is made of rubber and is 3 mm thick. It is thin and firm, but all shoes can be rolled into a roll. It requires a little more force to bend lengthways, but some sole colours are more flexible than others (the sole of my Fleur model is the softest).

Both closed shoes and sandals have an added leather insole or footbed (sandals), under which 2 mm thick foam is inserted to add a minimal feeling of softness and cushioning. The foam is a good counterbalance to the thin and firmer sole.

1.3 Length

Women’s models are available in sizes 36-43, but the internal widths and lengths of each model vary. I recommend that you always check the measurements given on their website for each individual model before purchasing.

For most Shapen models I wear a size 41 (foot length 26.3 cm), for some models I need a size 42 – see the individual model descriptions for details. Please note that open sandals require less space in front of the toes than closed shoes.

See post How much space do we need in shoes if you want to know more about that.

1.4 Toebox shape & width

The toebox shape of the Shapen shoes has a gentler slope towards the pinky toe, so it fits many different foot shapes. The line at the big toe stays straight all the way to the end in the closed shoe and does not taper too quickly. All their closed models also have a very generous space above the toes, which does not lower towards the end of the shoe.

The toebox shapes differ minimally between sandals and closed-toe models. The line from the big toe to the pinky toe is the same in all models, but the sandal models are slightly wider across the ball of the foot, which has affected the line at the big toe, which has a slight tapering.

The available width varies from model to model. Closed shoes are suitable for average width and wide feet. Width does not increase evenly, so shoes and sandals in the smallest adult sizes are suitable for even wider feet than in a bigger size which I wear. In sandals, some of the available width is lost (due to faster tapering at the big toe).

Models such as Tulip II and Poppy II are available in 2 different widths. The sandals are suitable for medium and wide feet, but the width may vary from model to model (see the descriptions of each model for details).

More about different foot types you can read in my post What is my Foot Type?

2. Overview of Shapen models

Boots

Ivy

The Ivy is a stylish winter ankle boot made from a combination of smooth and patent leather. The patent leather on the heel and the decorative zip finishes make the shoes look even more stylish, while at the same time making them very easy to put on.

They are lined with a thin layer of foam thermal lining, but on cold winter days I recommend using a wool liner, which can be bought separately.

The boots are suitable for medium and wide feet and will also fit feet with a little more volume in the midfoot. I am wearing a size 41 in this model, but the boots are slightly shorter than the stated values, so I would need few mm more in the boot. My foot also slides forward a little when I walk. The smaller sizes are suitable for wider feet than the bigger ones and this model will also suit very wide small feet.

You can read a detailed review of the Ivy here.

BOOTS

All-year shoes

Fleur

The Fleur is a year-round shoe that gives a sophisticated look with thin laces and a combination of smooth and patent leather. The shoes are ideal for medium and wide feet. I am wearing the Fleur model in the photo in size 41, but I would need a size 42 as the shoes are slightly shorter from the values in size chart.

You can read a detailed review of the Fleur model here.

ALL-YEAR SHOES

Ballet flats

Tulip II

The Tulip II is one of the few ballet flats that, despite the generous toe space, stays on my foot extremely well. They are available in two widths and many colours. They can be worn with or without a strap around the ankle and can be accessorised with bows and flowers, which can be purchased separately.

The Tulip II I’m wearing in the photo are the wider model and are suitable for wide feet. The space above the toes is very generous. The toe area is reinforced to keep the material from wrinkling, but the reinforcement is minimally noticeable even from the outside.

The elasticated hem ensures that the ballerinas stay on well even if you don’t want to use the ankle strap. The strap is longer and you will need to shorten it if you have skinny ankles.

I wear a size 42 in this model (the ballerinas are 13 mm longer than my foot). The size is ideal and my foot slides forward extremely minimally when I walk, so these are some of my favourite ballerinas I own.

BALLET FLATS

Sandals

Daisy

The Daisy sandals are available in different metallic colours and are made of smooth leather combined with a synthetic material. The synthetic shiny material can be more sensitive to wear (fingerprints are more easily visible).

The sandals are suitable for wide feet (smaller sizes are suitable for wider feet than bigger sizes), but some width is lost with faster tapering at the big toe. The circumference over the toes can be well regulated with a velcro strap. For a good fixation, the velcro strap needs to be tightened more firmly, as the strap does not fully grip the foot around the ankle. The toe strap may feel a little stiffer at first, but softens with use.

The tape around the ankles is longer. If you have narrow ankles, you can wrap it twice around your ankle, but only once if you have wider ankles. If you have narrow heels, you may notice that the side straps fit less snugly at the heel.

I’m wearing a size 41 in this model, which is the right length and shape form me (they fit very well on feet with a slightly longer second toe).

Mai

The Mai sandals are designed in the style of elegant ‘flip-flops’, but in a barefoot version that allows the heel to be fixed. The front straps are shaped in the form of a heart, which is then extended into an asymmetrically shaped heel strap. Due to the asymmetrical fixation of the strap, there may be a slight rotation of the sandal during walking, but this rotation is not disturbing. The strap layout also makes them very quick to put on.

The sandals are suitable for wide feet (smaller sizes are suitable for wider feet than bigger sizes) and have the same toebox shape as the Daisy model. The material between the toes may feel a little firm at first, but becomes softer with use. The sole is thin and has a thin foam material embedded in the top layer to add minimal cushioning as you walk.

I wear a Mai size 41, which is 8 mm longer than my foot.

Calla

The Calla is a new model in 2022 and is available in different colours. I have chosen white, which has a subtle silver sheen on the surface. The sandals are made of soft leather and are very comfortable on the foot.

The new Calla and Jasmine models have a different size chart than the Mai and Daisy models. The change will be noticed especially by those who wear bigger women’s sizes, while in the smaller sizes there is minimal or no change in width, so the sandals are still suitable for wide feet. In the bigger sizes, they will be suitable for slightly narrower feet than models like Mai and Daisy (medium wide and medium to wide feet). Some width is also lost with faster tapering at the big toe.

The toe strap is not adjustable, so the sandals must fit you well. My foot width is 10 cm with a circumference of 24 cm and the length of the strap is suitable for my feet. However, the sandals will not suit people who have very full feet or very narrow feet with little volume. However, in future I would like to see in the size chart also the circumferences for each size to help us decide on the suitability of the model.

Good fixation is ensured by straps running across the midfoot and around the ankle. As the strap is not positioned exactly in the crease of the ankle, there is still minimal forward slippage of the foot when walking. I wear a size 41 in the sandals (7 mm longer than my foot), but I’m at my limit as to the appropriate length. In case you are between two sizes, choose a little more space rather than not enough. With sandals, you don’t need a lot of space, but your toes need to stay on the sole when you walk.

The width of size 41 in size chart is 10.4 cm, but the actual width is slightly less than this. The table gives the width measured at the point where the strap is placed, but the toe area tapers a little towards the end of the sandal, so the final width for the toes is a little less than this. The width is adequate for my 10 cm width, but I don’t have much extra width available.

Jasmine

Jasmine is also new model for 2022 and has an even more elegant feel than Calla. The sandals are available in different colours and you can see the rose gold colour in the photo. The toe strap and heel strap are in this colour, while the strap across the toe is in matching beige.

The toe strap is made of soft leather and is not adjustable, so it should fit you well. Adjusting the toe strap with a velcro definitely increases the range of the feet that this model will fit, but it also reduces its elegance. The length of the strap is ideal for my foot circumference (24 cm), but it will not fit narrow, low volume feet or feet that have a lot of volume and width.

I wear a size 41 in the Jasmine (the sandals are 7 mm longer than my foot) and the length is appropriate. The strap around the ankle and instep grips the foot very well, so there is still enough length available in front of my toes to keep all my toes on the sole while walking.

SANDALS

Accessories

All Shapen shoes can be combined with their accessories to create your perfect look. Bags and shoe accessories in the shape of flowers and bows are purchased separately and come in matching colours to the colours of their shoes.

ACCESSORIES

3. How and when to wear them?

Shapen models are best paired with more elegant clothes, because that’s what they were made for. Their shoes are one of my top choices when I need more elegant shoes for work or when I am invited to weddings and other special occasions.

4. Price & where to buy

Shapen products can be purchased on the official website. The price depends on the shoe model. With my affiliate code BOSENOGICE5 you can buy all their shoes and accessories with a 5% discount.

5. Shipping info

Shapen ships worldwide, with a delivery price from 5€ to 30€. You can find a detailed delivery price list here.

6. To sum up

If you need a more stylish barefoot shoe for work or special occasions, Shapen is the brand for you. Their shoes make sure that wearing barefoot shoes doesn’t make you feel any less stylish than if you were wearing heels. Different widths, accessories to further spice up your shoes, or bags in matching colours, just adds the finishing touches to this great range of different elegant shoes.