I love shoes, but as a vegetarian committed to buying only vegan shoes I often struggle to find ones that aren't either badly made or ugly (or both!). As I search the world for beautiful cruelty-free shoes, I write about my fab finds in this blog. The blog is now in intermittent summer mode so sign up via RSS, Twitter, Facebook or Email to be notified when new posts arrive!
Oh Novacas! What amazing shoes these guys make. These ankle boots have been around for a while and I can’t believe I am only just writing about them. In fact, I had to double check my blog to make sure I hadn’t written about them before because I remember seeing them and thinking “wow!”.
So here we are. An ubercool pair of hot boots to counter this season’s weird toeless boot trend I predominantly hate. These are just so hip and sexy in an understated sort of way. I just love the Novacas style.
Oh sweet mother of awesome! Fluevog make such gorgeous shoes but I always thought they were all leather. But while it’s true they are 99% leather, they also make a couple of vegan ones and these absolutely lovely vintage / retro boots are one of those styles.
Just the heel alone is worth spending the money. Oh yeah, they are totally not cheap, these, but they are ever so delectable so why let a few hundred bucks come between you and true love?
Considering how hot their leather shoes are, having ones made of microfibre or canvas or whatever these are seems a bit, well, second best, but it’s definitely more eco-friendly than having shoes made out of PVC. Plus, you need only look at these to realise how incredibly hot they’re going to make you look.
New York City – vegan designer shoe capital of the world? Well, it would certainly seem so, as I just discovered yet another proudly vegan, eco-friendly, ethical shoe company that hails from there.
Just feast your eyes on these hot hot boots from the super stylish Cri de Coeur. These may come from NY, but they wouldn’t shame any Italian designer showing on the Milan fashion week catwalk.
They feature classic lines, trendy open toe and sides which is very very now, plus they are handmade, carbon neutral and totally feminine and sexy.
Pair these with a classically cut little black dress and some Gucci sunglasses and you’re laughing. Celebrities, get your wallets!
You (or your personal stylist) can get these from Amazon.com
Is that incense burning I smell? These casual, bohemian velvety quilted ankle boots definitely look like something out of an old Beatles video, which I guess is why they are called Penny Lane. They’re by Sugar who do specialise in that whole bedroom slipper boot look, but I’m willing to let that go for these, cause these look homey in a good way.
I like the mismatched retro buttons and the shape is pretty boho too…
I’d pair them with tights or leggings and some sort of oversized jumper, though I guess you could also put some flowers in your hair. Actually, why not go straight to the source for inspiration? I must say that I am thinking more Kings Road than Penny Lane, though. What’s with all the horses?
You can get these vegan bohemian boots from Cloggs.
Well, the M&S site tells me that wellies are a hot trend this winter. While I’m not sure about that, I know that these are pretty cute. They come in this muddy brown and also in dark girlie pink and are pretty good for wearing through smaller puddles. Like all boots from the wellie family, I think these would make good summer festival boots, as long as the summer festival doesn’t get *too* muddy. They seem pretty grippy too, so probably OK for walking in some wintery mud and slush in the meantime.
I like the pull-on style with the little tab in the back and the white piping is a nice touch too. All in all these are pretty sweet for 20 quid.
Lovely, lovely boots from your friendly, ultra-modern vegan designers at Olsen Haus.
They have the coolest shape and the paint splash design makes them look all funky and arty. You know… Like you just stepped out of your art studio to go dance all night at NY’s hottest new club. That kind of thing.
They come in black as well, of course, which would also make you stand out in a crowd but I do so like the red. I guess black with a white paint splash is a bit more versatile, though.
These are really lovely boots. $235 is quite a lot, but at least these actually look like proper designer shoes. So if you want to share the joy of spending a significant part of your monthly income of shoes just like your leather-wearing buddies, then here’s a good opportunity.
OK, here’s one for the boys, cause I’ve been writing about women’s shoes for weeks and there are actually some really nice vegan shoes for men too. These vegan high-tops by Macbeth are actually so awesome, I am actually considering doing the maths and figuring out my size in men’s sizes so I can get myself a pair, though they do look somewhat, well, manly.
They are the fruit of a collaboration between Macbeth and Mike Dirnt from Green Day (here he is wearing them) and they are pretty weird-looking. Good weird. I know Converse high-tops and friends are practically a part of the vegetarian and vegan diet, so it’s so good to see canvas high-tops that actually don’t look like your average canvas high-tops.
These “Schubert” trainers have really butch patent detailing and unusual eyelets (for a canvas trainer) that make them look sort of punked up but still very trainery/skate shoe and very American. It’s like a Converse All-stars going to a Halloween party dressed as a punk. I’m loving the grey and black that goes with everything and the patent makes them look posher than your average trainer too, which is good cause they’re somewhat more expensive too.
These are indeed totally hot, though I do believe you need to have at least a minimal sense of style to be able to carry them off or the decency to wear them with black if you don’t. The patent bits (that’s “shiny bits” for you non-fashion savvy folk) can be a bit much for your everyday nerd. Maybe you should get a new expensive haircut and a few tattoos or something to go with.
These vegan men’s shoes are available from Macbeth.
I’m not really a fan of Ugg boots and the other slipper-like fabric boots that have become so popular over the last few years. Sure, some of them are indeed vegan, but if I wanted a pair of slippers, I’d buy a pair of actual slippers. They’re really more suited for wearing around the house. Talk about how to instantly dress down any outfit to make it look like your PJs.
These boots here, on the other hand, while definitely of the “comfortable shoes” ethos are actually pretty neat. They come from this green footwear company, Simple Shoes, who are apparently very ethical and enviro-friendly and all. They have a 100% vegan range, but these particular boots are not part of it – they are vegetarian boots. The reason they are not vegan is that the hemp they are made of is treated with beeswax.
The price is a bit steep at 115 UKP. For thar price, I’d expect to get a LOT of wear out of them, which I guess is possible, if your personal style is pretty casual and the shoes are as durable and comfortable as they claim to be. Even with that in mind, I’m wondering whether my 115 quid would be paying for my ticket to ride the green bandwagon, rather than merely for comfort and sustainability alone.
What can I say about these gorgeous Ashanti boots by one of my favourite shoe companies of all times, Melissa shoes? They are 100% rubber, like all their shoes and are slick and bubblegum-scented. While I don’t own a pair of these, I do own a few other pairs of their shoes. They are usually instantly comfortable (even the high-heeled ones), though they do seem to run a size small, so make sure you factor that in if you’re thinking of ordering any.
Melissa are an ethical, practically waste-neutral company and no animal products whatsoever are used in their shoes. The rubber their shoes are made out of is non-toxic and eco-friendly.
These particular instant classics come in a variety of colours and also in the “Flock” material, a sort of velvety-looking rubber that doesn’t look at all like rubber, but is still waterproof and fairly breathable.
Melissa have a lovely website where you can check out some very sexy photos of their shoes. Unfortunately, you can’t actually buy any shoes from there, as far as I can tell, unless you’re in Australia and, possibly, Brazil. SuperFAIL!
Luckily, you can get these vegan ankle boots on Amazon in black shiny rubber / plastic, blue shiny rubber / plastic or black flock.
I am getting quite into checking out unusual rubber boots and vegan rain boots, so here’s another unexpected and slightly oddball find.
If you’re not quite into the concept of wearing a full wellie boot but still want to add a bit of waterproof rubber goodness to your chosen winter outfit, then here’s a a pair of Sperry Top-sider “Sadie low rubber boots” I found on the Amazon website.
Basically, they are ankle wellies. How cool? I wouldn’t recommend wading through knee-deep mud in these, but if you live in a rainy city, these would keep your feet warm and dry, while adding a touch of unusual Euro-style to your winter outfit. They come in several colour combos, from the classic (the pictured black / plaid, plus all black, grey with what appears to be grey fleece, etc.) to the slightly mad (red plaid and yellow anyone?) . Available from Amazon.com
Oh Novacas! What amazing shoes these guys make. These ankle boots have been around for a while and I can’t believe I am only just writing about them. In fact, I had to double check my blog to make sure I hadn’t written about them before because I remember seeing them and thinking “wow!”.
What can I say about these gorgeous Ashanti boots by one of my favourite shoe companies of all times, Melissa shoes? They are 100% rubber, like all their shoes and are slick and bubblegum-scented. While I don’t own a pair of these, I do own a few other pairs of their shoes. They are usually instantly comfortable (even the high-heeled ones), though they do seem to run a size small, so make sure you factor that in if you’re thinking of ordering any.
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I am getting quite into checking out unusual rubber boots and vegan rain boots, so here’s another unexpected and slightly oddball find.