Who said barefoot shoes can’t be worn for formal meetings? Just look at this new Shapen Ivy model. This is an ankle boot with style. Boot made with a combination of smooth and patent leather with an added decorative rivets is definitely something unique on the market.
Shapen is a brand known for their elegant barefoot shoes which you can easily wear to any formal occasion. Now, with their whole range of shoes, you can complete your business look through all four seasons.
After testing and reviewing their Fleur all-year shoes, which I reviewed here, now I’m presenting you another stunning design from this company.
Ivy is their elegant ankle boot, which is the same as Fleur model, available in a wider option than their ballet flats and sandals. But still designed so well, so it doesn’t feel big and chunky on your feet.
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1. General
- Brand: Shapen
- Model: Ivy
- Colour: Black
- 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|Women|Leather|Ship worldwide|
2. Material characteristics
2.1 Upper
Shapen Ivy boots are available in 3 different colours – black, brown and bordeaux. The smooth cow leather has a quality look.
These ankle boots are one of the rare boots in that style on the market with a side zipper. This makes them super easy to put on.
The zipper also has this small decorative detail in combination from patent leather and a rivet which makes the shoe look really elegant and I love it.
The area above the toes is reinforced with a special material, so the shoes hold it shape well and they don’t wrinkle while walking. You can see the line where the material ends in the photo below.
The heel part is made from patent leather. This detail is very well made and it gives this wow effect to the shoe.
The heel part also holds its shape really well, so the shoe always remains its form.
2.2 Lining
The leather used for a footbed is made from pigskin. Under the insole there is added 2 mm thin foam for a more pleasant feeling while walking. On the insole there is also an imprinted Shapen brand logo.
The shoes are lined from the inside with a 3 mm thermal foam and a texible overlay. This gives you some insulation in colder days and also ensures a more pleasant feeling inside the shoe.
If you need more warmth you can add some wool insoles inside the shoe too, which I would definitely recommend you to do if you plan to wear Ivy in winter.
You can buy Shapen Merino wool insoles here.
2.3 Sole
The rubber outsole is 3 mm thick with an anti-slip effect.
The sole is flexible in both directions and I find it good for walking. The ground feeling is good in them.
The shoe also bends in the other direction without any problems, although you may need a little force at first until the sole really softens with wear.
Also check my video for the close-up and to see how they look on my feet.
3. Sizing information
3.1 Length
Shapen Ivy shoes are available in sizes 36-43. My pair is size 41 with 27.3 cm of internal length according to their size chart.
I measure the internal length with the Plus12 2 mm slightly less (27.1 cm). This means my feet with 26.3 cm length have 8 mm space inside the shoe. This is slightly less than I would prefer for me (10-12 mm is optimal).
See my post How much space do we need in shoes if you want to know more about that.
If you plan to wear shoes with the wool insole in, take in mind that this will take away some space in the shoe too.
3.2. Toebox shape & width
Ivy shoes have a great spacious toebox, ideal for medium and wide feet. The space above the toes is generous all the way to the end of the shoe.
Shoes don’t taper at the big toe side and they have a gentle slope toward the little toe, which makes them suitable for the longest first or second toe.
More about different foot types you can read in my post What is my Foot Type?
My feet are 10 cm wide with a circumference 24 cm. My toes can fully spread in them with no problem. But they easily fit even wider feet.
3.3. Fit around the instep, heel and ankle
The fit above the instep is not 100% ideal for my foot volume. I have shallow feet and my feet don’t fill well with the shoe at the back part of the midfoot (see the red circle in the photo). In the front part of the midfoot the fit is fine for me (green circle).
As I have some space left over the instep, the material in the midfoot somehow spills to the sides and that part is not fully filled with my foot.
Although the fit over the instep is not ideal for me, I don’t feel like they are slipping off my heel as the shoe holds my heel well and the opening for the ankle is not so big.
You can try to fill out the instep part with the help of felt stickers or yoga socks, but yoga socks are hard to hide in the shoe like this.
So, if you have more volume than I in the back part of the midfoot, Shapen Ivy will fit you great, but people with shallow feet can struggle to get an optimal fit there.
4. Comfort
This thermal foam all around the inside part of the shoe and under the footbed makes the shoe even more comfortable to wear. The leather is soft, the shoe breathes well and they are a pleasure to wear.
5. Water-resistance and warmth
According to Shapen, Ivy boots are suitable for dry winters. The leather itself can give you some water-resistancy, but you can also use impregnation spray if you want more protection.
I tested them in a sink full of water and I could feel a minimal damp after 4 minutes in the water. They stay dry for a decent time even without impregnation and for me this is usually enough for a walk to work in a rain.
Regarding the warmth, I find them the most suitable for autumn and spring or milder winter days. If you plan to wear them in winter, I recommend you to add wool insoles in them to get more warmth.
6. Durability
The leather of the upper didn’t get any bad creased look yet after wearing them for some time and even though I was rolling and squeezing them, they are still in good shape.
I can’t talk about the durability of the sole yet as I only tested them for the past two months, but I’ll update that part in the future. So far, it still looks good.
7. How and when to wear them?
Shapen Ivy are definitely boots that can be paired with every formal dress. Patent leather and decorative rivets make them really step out of the plain zone and you must admit that they do look special.
They can work well with semi-formal and formal dresses. I can easily see them wearing with business outfit, with trousers or a skirt.
8. Price & where to buy
You can buy Shapen shoes on their official website. Full price for Ivy boots is 139€.
9. Shipping info
Shapen ships worldwide. Shipping costs depend on the shipping country. You can find shipping rates here.
10. Where are they made?
All Shapen shoes are handmade in Slovakia under fair working conditions. Their materials are carefully chosen and all originated from Europe.
11. To sum up
Ivy are wonderful and stylish ankle barefoot boots. I just love that they can be easily put on and off with the help of a zipper. The patent leather at the back and decorative rivets just give another special note to them.
With plenty of space above the toes, foot-shaped toebox and thin, flat sole, I find them ideal for days when you need to look good. And this is just always, right 🙂
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