The Hermès Oran sandals
By now, chances are you all know the Hermès Oran sandals: peeking from most of our fashion feeds, they have been popular like crazy (think of sold out, IG darling style crazy) since 2016. I have to admit I first saw them online on my IG feed back then and I loved them instantly. Yet, I did not buy them because I thought to myself I wouldn’t get much use out of them living in London. In 2017, after a year lusting away after them, I finally gave in: my first pair of black Oran was in the bag, ready for my trip to Italy the next day. I don’t think I have worn a pair of leisure shoes more than these, esp. in the heat, my feet tend to swell and I cannot wear any straps, any closed shoes or heels (not to mention summer boots – no, thanks) unless I want to look like a salami. So, the Hermès Oran sandals are a win-win solution for all of you ladies with this issue of bad circulation.
DESCRIPTION: the Hermès Oran sandals are goatskin with an iconic “H” cut-out. Available in just about every shade – 21 different colorways, including some exotic skin like lizard
WHY I LIKE THEM: although these the Hermès Oran slides come with a hefty price tag (and I recommend buying in Europe), it’s proved to be a good investment as since last year (when I only had the black pair) I have been wearing them with literally any summer look I own, night and day, being equally stylish and comfy. I even saw some bloggers like Carin from @parisinfourmonths, whose style I LOVE, using them at the beach (well, I’m a bit fussy about sand and such, so I wouldn’t want to ruin them but yes, it’s been done!)
WEARABILITY and SIZE: I wear a size 38 (UK 5, USA 7.5) in these – I am normally a 37.5 but they do not come in half sizes despite being luxury products (Chanel does that and even a C model, with a wider sole for larger feet and most other super brands offer this option). I suggest you try them on but normally if you’re half size, I suggest you go up, not down.
STYLING: As mentioned, I cannot recall an outfit the Hermès Oran sandals didn’t work well with. OK – maybe I wouldn’t wear them a gala dinner but you get what I mean. I’ve tried midi and maxi dresses, shorts, little dresses, bodycon and jumpsuits… and because I dress in white-black-red and some occasional small prints, it’s just a matter of choosing what colours works best. As first buy, I went for the black ones because duh, but eventually got to love the tan version because it DOES go with everything easily. I was worried the tan shade wouldn’t match with other tan hues – it’s a fixation of mine, I don’t like mixing neutral unless they are super similar on the spectrum of colours – but believe it or not, the Hermès Oran have it all. J’adoreeeee.
VALUE FOR MONEY: I can assure you one thing – I like shoes. But liking shoes for me doesn’t mean buying ANY. I have to like the model/style, the brand and the comfort so buying shoes for buying’s sake is not for me. What I mean is I only buy if they are comfortable (and OK, not over a certain price tag! A girl has standards but not a trillion dollars in the bank, yet). So of course they are not super affordable at £560 (I bought them £70 cheaper last year, they have recently gone up…) but pro tip: buy them at the airport, especially when flying outside of the EU and save your self some £££. I got mine at London Heathrow.
PROS and CONS: I can’t really say there are cons even though I have to share this. I tripped and fell a few months ago while wearing the slides and… one of the strap detached from the base of the sole. I couldn’t walk as it would slip out of my foot and I went to Hermès to ask for fixing. So… they don’t really do it unless you’re willing to send it over to Paris and wait for 6-12 weeks (not knowing if the can fix it either…) and there is not warranty or exchange. I had field trips across half london to see if a good cobbler could fix them to only be sorely disappointed. I even ventured to Farringdon to Minuit Moins 7 to realise there they only fix Loubies (ah well, should have called…). In the end, the local Indian genius round the corner from our flat managed to fix it for a mere £5 so yay! Another minor thing is of course that they are super flat – as these sandals have no heel it can be a pain – literally – for your back when worn for long periods of time.
And you? Whats’t the pair of summer shoes you cannot live without?
What I wore in this edit
Hermès Oran sandals (duh!) | Denim: Zara | Jacket: Zara | Shades: Valentino and Céline | Bag: Chanel and YSL | Skirt: Hervé Léger and Asos (striped) | Straw basket: Rae Feather |Black tee: Tezenis | Ring: Cartier