Everything you need to know
Are Rothy’s shoes worth it? Decided to give Rothy’s shoes a try and bought my first pair at the beginning of the year when I was searching for a slip–on casual shoe in bright white. Word on the street is Rothy’s brand shoes are super comfy, have no break in time, are machine washable and have lots of colors, including bright white. Don’t know about you but for me, keeping a white shoe white is a challenge. Since the shoe is touted as machine washable, I decided to buck up the Benjamin’s and give them a try. They have many styles and lots and lots of color options but for my first purchase I went with The Sneaker in bright white.
The shoes do come at a higher price point. So, I decided to put together a review/guide to help people decide if a pair of Rothy’s shoes are worth it (hint: they are). Whenever I make investment purchases, it helps to seek out reviews from other people first. This is not endorsed, sponsored or were these shoes given to me. I bought and paid for them myself and the opinions are 100% my own.
Let’s start with the basics of everything this shoe is:
- Comfortable – They are made from a super soft, flexible woven knit material. Plus, they are totally seamless! No stiff edges or weird seams to aggravate! They truly feel like wearing slippers. I’ve never have had a problem with rubs or blisters. Want a great shoe to walk five miles in without any issue. These are it.
- No break in time – A shoe must fit right upon purchase or I won’t buy it. I don’t have the time or patience for “break in time”. Plus, at this price point, a shoe needs to feel like I am walking on clouds the minute I slip my foot into it from the box. Well, these are those shoes. Immediately comfortable with no break in time.
- Machine washable – This is huge! A big reason why I tried these shoes in the first place. I talk about the specifics a little farther down.
- Warm – I live in Louisville, KY and am able to wear any of the shoes year-round. The Sneaker is toasty but my feet do not sweat in them. I wear them most of the time barefoot. I own two similar pairs of these shoes from Sperry and Frye. With both of those pairs my feet get “swampy” and sweaty. They both have leather insoles and cannot be washed. That is not the case with Rothy’s so they are my go-to shoes for slip on sneakers.
- Classic – All the shoe styles have a classic look and I cannot foresee any of them going out of style.
- Environmentally friendly – Rothy’s uppers and insoles are made from recycled plastic water bottles. Also, the outsoles are made from carbon-free rubber. Lastly, Rothy’s packaging is 100 percent recyclable, and all shoes are recyclable at the end of their lifespan. Very, very cool.
- Shipping/Returns free – It’s really easy to get your sizing right the first time (they fit TTS) but if you do need to return for any reason Rothy’s makes it super simple and free which is great considering you will most likely be ordering them online.
The styles
Rothy’s offers five different style of shoe (they recently also came out with a sandal line, not covered in the blog – sorry!)
The Loafer: If you are looking for a preppy shoe, this is the style for you! I seriously considered buying this style shoe instead of The Sneaker. Since I really wanted white I went with the sneaker. If I get The Loafer I will choose a fun color or print.
The Point: A really versatile shoe. This shoe looks great casual or dressed up. Has a pointed toe that I love with all pant styles. I like the point version better than The Flat (which is a rounded toe version of this same shoe).
The Flat: Similar to a ballerina slipper style. Has a rounded toe. Is really cute shoe but this one is my least favorite style shoe that they carry. This style is just a bit generic for me.
The Sneaker: What I own. The comfiest sneaker I have in my closet. I took a chance and ordered in bright white. I am trusting the machine washable promise holds up. Had them a while, worn them a ton and so far….look as good as the day I took them out of the box and still bright white!
The Mary Jane: Adorable but not as practical or versatile as the pointed toe flat in my opinion. The MJ is the pointed toe flat with elastic straps that ties into a bow across the top of your foot. Cute right! But I’m not sure the strap across the top of your foot would be comfortable. If you have these shoes please feel free to comment how they fit below!
Sizing
They don’t stretch and fit true to size. I wear a 7 across the board in shoes. That is the size I ordered and they fit perfectly. If you are someone who is in between sizes, I would go up a half size as they don’t stretch out. They mold to your feet with some give but will not stretch out. Therefore, if they are tight when you get them, they will be tight after you wear them for a while. The company offers free and easy returns and exchanges so if they don’t fit right when you receive them it’s easy to swap them out for the perfect fit.
Durability
They hold up! They are a knit material (almost reminds me of a scuba shoe or water shoe material). I’ve worn mine a ton and they look brand new and are holding up great. Even after washing there is no deterioration or distortion in the shoe shape. I imagine these will hold up for years.
How to wash them
All of the shoes come with removable insoles. Take the insoles out and put BOTH the insoles AND the shoes in a delicates bag. Wash on gentle with cold water and detergent. DO NOT DRY (if you do it will alter their shape and possibly shrink them). Lay them out to air dry. Usually takes no more than a day to completely dry out.
Where to buy them
Rothy’s has only one store and it’s in San Fransisco. Therefore, you can order online which is what I did.
Cost
Rothy’s are not cheap. The shoes are between $125-$165. Yup, they are an investment for sure but because of the classic look (won’t be going out of style anytime soon), durability and with the ability to wash, I believe they are totally worth it. I’ve never seen them go on sale but there is a “refer a friend” program. Since you are all my friends and I love a good discount you can click the link below to save $20 off your first order!
Giving back
Another thing I love about this company is that Rothy’s gives back to the community. In particular our hard working (and on their feet a lot) first responders, teachers and medical professionals. They are all eligible for a discount program for 20% off purchase. Read more about the discount program here.
