Hello hello! Happy Tuesday!
As you probably know by now, I’m a big fan of Rothy’s! I think they’re some of the most practical, comfortable, and stylish flats around and I receive so many questions about them! (Please note, while they are an ongoing sponsor of mine, this blog post is not sponsored!)
So I figured it was a great time to get around to doing my big Rothy’s review I’ve been meaning to write forever!
Rothy’s are great for so many reasons, but there are some tricks of the trade to know about them. Each pair is a little different! Read below for a review of the styles of Rothy’s I own, which I think are most comfortable, what you need to know, and more!
Rothy’s review: My favorite pairs, sizing, and everything you need to know!
Things to love about Rothy’s:
Here’s the bottom line, if you aren’t familiar with the brand, you need to be. Here are the main reasons why I love them so much:
They’re sustainable, and made of recycled plastic bottles and ocean plastic!
This San Francisco-based shoe company uses a signature material that all Rothys is made of and has kept 100 tons of plastic water bottles out of waterways! Their knit process also reduces material waste by 30% compared to other competitors, and in 2022 they have a goal of making their factories zero-waste–cute shoes you can feel EXTRA good about buying!
They’re washable and easy to care for
All Rothys products are made of the same signature knit, meaning they’re ALL machine washable–from their shoes to bags, ensuring they last a very long time! The material is naturally pretty stain resistant, and they’re easy to spot clean and also deep clean by throwing in the washer. You can read washing instructions right here.
They’re comfortable!
I have logged many miles in my Rothys shoes and they never let me down–they’re just as comfortable as they are cute! They’re a go-to shoe brand for so many of you I’ve heard from who are on your feet all day–from healthcare workers to teachers, flight attendants, and more!
Are Rothy’s supportive?
Like most flats, no, they do not have supportive insoles, but there’s an easy fix for that! Luckily, Rothys insoles are fully removable, so you can easily replace them with thin orthopedic insoles of your choice! Voila–you have the support you need!
ONE watch out/downside: Their flats can be slippery on the bottoms until you break them in, but I did have one reader say she’s a Librarian and on the thin carpet all day and they are treacherous with slippage. Luckily there’s an easy workaround, you can either buy affordable non-slip sole pads to stick on the bottoms or take them to a cobbler to do it for you! (I also think this becomes far less of a problem once you wear them outside and scratch up the soles, though.)
They’re stylish!
This leads me to my last point–they’re not just practical, they are CUTE, too! And, there are so many different styles of Rothy’s. I love all of their classic designs that are super versatile and easy to pair with whatever you’re wearing. Perfect for dressing up or down, work or weekend–you will get a LOT of wear out of them!
Different Rothy’s Styles Reviewed:
Rothy’s “The Square” flats:
This is my favorite and probably most worn pair of Rothys. I love these comfortable flats–both the shape and the cap-toe. Although they come in many different colors! I think the rounded squared-off toe is very comfortable (these feel better for my feet personally than the pointed flats). I got these before Paris and wore them around everywhere.
Sizing: I took my regular size in these, I’m an 8 and these fit best compared to the 8.5
Rothy’s “The Driver” Moccasins:
If you’re looking for a more casual shoe, I suggest “The Driver” Moccasins. I love their drivers and think they’re a really chic alternative to sneakers. Especially when you want to be a bit more preppy! I wore these all around Napa and they were very comfortable. These also have quite a lot of grip on the bottom! The color I have is “sesame.”
Sizing: I took my regular size in these–I’m an 8 and these fit best compared to the 8.5
Rothy’s Slip-on sneakers:
If you’re looking for a sneaker, but a style that’s a little different, I think these slip-ons are so cute! I’d say they have minimal support, but definitely more support than flats! I also love the stripe detail they have up the back! I have the color “sand.”
Sizing: I took my regular size in these–I’m an 8 and these fit best compared to the 8.5
Rothy’s “The Point” flats:
I LOVE the look of the points, I would say they are more than comfortable enough to wear as “work” shoes for the office, or regular day-to-day flats–but on my feet in particular, the pointed toe is not AS comfortable as their other pairs of shoes. (I.E. I don’t think I’d be able to walk, say, 6 miles in them like I can in the square flats). I will say I have friends who totally do NOT agree with me and say their points are the comfiest flats they own. It really depends on the shape of your foot!
There were many girls on our Paris trip who wore their pointed Rothy’s all day. These are absolutely one of my favorite pairs stylistically though. I think the pointed toe makes them really easy to style because they don’t run the risk of looking frumpy like a lot of other ballet flats do! I think they are absolutely beautiful shoes.
Sizing: I go a 1/2 size up in these. These run small! I would go up a whole size if you have wide feet.
I love the backs of these three! Such cute stripe details!
Rothy’s Lightweight Tote:
I absolutely LOVE this tote. It holds so much, it folds flat so it’s packable and makes a great travel tote. (Perfect for the beach, too!) It’s very easy to throw in the wash, spot treat, etc. The one thing I wish it had were pockets on the inside. But, that still doesn’t change my feelings about it! I have the Maritime blue color which is a great neutral dark navy!
More Rothy’s tips, tricks, and FAQs:
On determining what size you need:
I think this will definitely vary from person to person! In general, the consensus is that Rothy’s tend to run small. But, I think they are true to size. I actually only found the Point Flats to run small. I think if you have wide feet or you are typically a range of sizes, go with the larger size! Rothys does not stretch much, so if they pinch you anywhere, you’ll want to size up!
You can also head into a Rothy’s store to try it on in person! (They have one here in Chicago on Armitage!) They also have a helpful page on their website with sizing tips and how to tell if you have the right size!
Do you wear socks?
You can wear no-show socks if you like, but I don’t! (I don’t typically wear socks with flats).
Are they supportive?
As with pretty much all flats, Rothy’s flats do not have arch support, but I’m sure any supportive insoles that work with other flats will work with these! I think their sneakers have what I’d call mild arch support, but if you need major arch support, these are not going to be the shoes for you unless you have your own inserts!
On breaking in your Rothys:
With any pair of shoes, I personally do always find that there is a break-in period mostly for my feet to get used to the shoes, but everyone is different! Some people find Rothy’s take a couple wears to get comfortable, others can wear them straight out of the box with no problems. Overall in my experience, Rothy’s are definitely at the “very little break-in” end of the spectrum.
Tip: I have an entire blog post on how to break into new shoes right over here with lots of tips for you! Personally, new shoes always rub at my heels, and I find that popping in one of these adhesive heel pads does the trick with no problems to prevent any rubbing until your feet get used to a new pair of shoes!
On caring for your Rothy’s:
One of the best parts about Rothy’s is that you just throw them in the washing machine to clean them! Never dry them in the dryer, always air dry. You will also want to spot-treat any tough stains just as you would with regular clothing! Different stains require different methods of treatment, so Google is your friend! Read “How to wash your Rothy’s” right here.
Rothy’s Returns:
Rothy’s offers free and easy returns (and/or exchanges) within 30 days of your purchase. Make sure you send them back unwashed and with the tag attached as well. Or else they might not accept the return at all! This is actually helpful especially because these days, online shopping is ingrained in our everyday lives now. This makes trying on shoes a bit… tough. Having that window to send back any pairs you don’t want or can’t fit makes things a lot easier! But if you live near a store you CAN just return your shoes there.
