The Sweet Shoes Of Youth
Splurge: Givenchy. Save: Birkenstocks.
Ok, I’ll admit it: back in college (mid-1970’s) I was a bit of a hippie. Along with a home-made macramé hanger for the asparagus fern and a jar of alfalfa sprouts on the kitchen window sill, no self-respecting California crunchy-granola type was without a pair of Birkenstocks. Back then you had two choices, Earth Brown and Dirt Beige (I kid, I kid). On my lentil-soup budget*, a pair of Birkenstocks was a big splurge, but splurge I did. And dang, if those shoes weren’t crazy comfortable and they wore like iron. I wore them almost daily for four years straight, in all kinds of weather, and even once submerged them in water for about 5 solid hours during an illegal inner-tubing adventure on the Nacimiento river. (My only regret from those wild-child years was not using sunscreen.)
And now Birkenstocks are a valid style choice among the fashion cognoscenti.** My vestigial Hippie Chick is gloating, and I’m considering another pass. (If I did succumb, those floral Birks above would be the pair to come home with me, though the Union Jacks would be a close second.) What about you?
*only because Top Ramen hadn’t made major inroads into my small college town yet.
**Yes, I know many of you never lost the faith, and have continued to rock these through the decades. Consider yourselves ahead of the curve.
MORE HAPPY FEET:
Affiliate links may generate commissions for unefemme.net.
Stay in touch
Sign up to be notified of new posts and updates from une femme d’un certain âge.
I was a bit of an earth Mother back in the 70’s too, with cotton wrap skirts and lots of cheap beads. I didn’t have actual Birkie’s then, but I have a pair of Gizehs now and love them. These florals look cool too.
Didn’t wear the first time around and wouldn’t be seen dead in them now.
Birkenstocks made a brief comeback in the late 1980s/early 90s (grunge era). That’s when I discovered them. I had a friend who came back from Scotland wearing blue suede clogs. I wanted some but couldn’t afford them. I still don’t care for the sandals, but I might splurge on some blue clogs when the weather cools.
My college food was Kraft Mac n Cheese: 33 cents (or 29 cents on sale!)–add a can of tuna if we were feeling fancy. Also Bisquick for its versatility (pancakes, biscuits, dumplings). Thankfully by grad school I had discovered that lentils and beans were just as cheap and versatile, and more nutritious.
Bettina, we used to make pizza crust with Bisquick! Not great, but cheap and almost always on-hand. 😉
I’d “save” with the real thing. Why pay more when the original is iconic?
I love this comment! So true.
I saw a pair of black Berkies on a chic young woman at Rodin Museum. Or maybe they were Givenchy? I was thrilled as I was also a hippie chick back in the day. It was de rigueur.
Always thrilled to see a comfortable option (particularly for those with foot problems) become fashionable. They’re cute. Not as flattering or glam as heels, but not meant to be!
Never was a wild haired hippie child, and beads, earth shoes and Indian gauze were frowned upon in fashion college, but student budgets, being a commonality, yes Kraft dinners were 3 for a dollar! Discovered Birks and Mephisto for foot issues not too long after and have worn them constantly as house shoes/slippers since then. So its weird for me to think of going outside with them, let alone try to incorporate them into a stylish flattering look for me. I do swear by the Birkenstock insoles for all/any of my footwear which can accommodate them though!
Still AM a hippie, just an old one who dressed conservatively! Ha! I love my Birkenstocks, gray suede Arizonas, and they make me feel young again:).
I never have had Birkenstocks (not quite a hippy, just a stoner), but I’d definitely wear them now. And I do need some new sandals!
I wear my peacock print Gizehs all summer. They were hard to find in that particular print but I saw a picture somewhere and had to have them. I think I ended up ordering them from Germany. I’ve been eyeing a pair of the Yara style for weeks but my Gizehs are still in excellent condition. Birkies still wear like iron. Ahhh … the mac ‘n cheese!
I wore birkenstocks in high school (early 90s) nearly every day I was not wearing doc martin boots! (I lived in the grunge capital of Seattle nonetheless) I wore them again during a 3 week trip to France in 2007 (ahead of the current trend apparently), and while very comfortable, they are so, so, so unflattering on my 5’2″ short-legged body! The vacation pictures proved it! So, I am passing this time around.
I’ve never been without a pair for decades and decades. But I did abandon the dusty blue suede pair with an abundance of straps (like the Arizona but then add a strap around the back — oooh, the ugly!) for the Gizehs about 8 or 10 years ago. I’m considering a patent pair of Arizonas (black? navy?) at the moment, but I know my Gizehs will last forever (that original “ugly” pair lasted 12 years — you can have a proper Birkenstock sole completely replaced — and it’s worth using the cork-preserving glue regularly). . . .wonder how long the more expensive Guccis will last. . . .
Never wore, never will. I was a punk rock/new wave loving art student in the late seventies and lived in stiletto heels and various 1960’s era booties and pointy toed flats all found usually new at the local thrift stores. Birks were and are at the top of my forever fug list.
Birkenstocks, without a doubt. Beauty was never the first consideration for these anyway, and now that they’re fashionable, why not treat yourself to some of that faultless German engineering? It’s a win-win.
My college food was Oscar Meyer Braunschweiger on a toasted English muffin with mustard and raw onion. Mmmmm. I’d eat one right now!
My college snack was to split a quart of Miller beer, and a bag of Fritos dipped into Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Chives.
I’d have to go for the originals with the cork sole. I had a pair back in the day, wonder where they are? I know they didn’t wear out. My college staple was Kraft Mac n Cheese.
I always receive positive comments when I wear my bright red 3-strap (can’t remember style name) Birkenstocks, Not so much the other clunkier styles I have (I own 4 more pairs!),
My feet love Birks, but my knees are another story, I’ve been wearing Crocs and Tevas and Propet (also not particularly attractive!) to walk.
I do have my eyes on the newer soft-soled versions of Birk, though, hoping they’ll be comfier for my arthritic knees…
Started wearing them six years ago and think I always will. They are so comfortable. We traveled to Talloires, France, several years ago and wore the Gizeh style. I didn’t feel out of place!
I am glad they are back. I have a pair on its way to me as I write. Can’t wait to take them to France in july and photograph them.
I bought a pair of Wörishöfers, half-price this past winter. Red, of course. They are very comfy and much prettier than Birks, though I’m not sure they are as solid. Birks don’t fit my toes correctly – they are either the most comfy thing or not comfy at all. I buy other practical German sandals. My Wörishöfers also have a strap and buckle behind the foot, which is better on a bicycle.
Oh, I’m still very much a hippie – but not a stoner. I only puffed on joints to fit in at parties. I’ve never liked smoking anything because my dad died of tobacco smoking, not much older than I am now. I do tone down the look because if not, it can look pathetic at almost 60.
I bought a pretty Indian wrap skirt the last time I was in Italy – they were popular among the locals in Perugia in the summer heat – but don’t wear it as much as I’d like as it is a bit too long to wear on the bicycle, and I have to secure the flappy end. The ones I had when I was young were a bit shorter. I lived in those in the summertime.
The look was never for me, so I avoided them. I do agree that cork soles are wonderful and I look for that when I purchase sandals.
The city I went to University in had a large & stylish gay presence so I soon discovered that being a fag hag was more fun than being a hippie (c1974) . As to Birkenstocks I’ve never until now been clear what they were – hippies I knew wore Indian sandals or Scholls’ horrible clogs . Food ? I could already cook family meals since my mother worked and my father didn’t do women’s work so Uni/college was where I learnt to cook pretentiously for dinner parties (!) and then live on bread for a few days after !
This has been fun reading. I have a pair of Mephistos that are several years old that I wear occasionally. I’ve noticed the fashion press pushing them (especially Birks) but this is a trend I’ll pass on. While I appreciate the simplicity and comfort of them, they aren’t in keeping with my “look”. Deja, if you get a pair, be sure and post a photo.
Former hippie chick here (and still in my heart!)…loved my Arizonas but wouldn’t wear them today. Completely agree about the sunscreen.
Yes, I was a hippie chick wanna be..circa 1976. I wore Wrap PANTS, anyone remember those, crazy! Tube tops, flowing indian tops (also, a bedspread) I too had Birks, they looked real silly on me as I have very narrow feet. Threw them away after leaving them in my beat up, rear ended, rigged up-back lights glued on top of the Toyota corolla trunk for far too long in over 100 degree heat. A weird thing happened the sole shrunk from the top of the shoe. I could have had them resoled. However, I decided right then and there to clean up my style (really wasn’t me anyway) also, the hippie chick look was not acceptable in the corporate world.
College Food: white bread/iceberg lettuce/mayo sandwich, cokes, bananas
Love the Gizeh and wore them all over Greece last August. Imagine my surprise when I saw many fashionable Europeans doing the same! I was prepared for my footwear to scream “crazy American” but between my Chuck Taylors and Birks, I blended right in with the chic girls on Hydra and in Athens.
So comfortable and more stylish than Tevas or Mephistos.
College food was ramen noodles, tuna with saltines and Tab. I worked in a pizza joint on the weekends which supplemented my already nutritious diet 🙂 Still can’t sit down to eat pizza – I usually order it for delivery only!!
Birkenstocks were not created for my feet: too wide and the toe bar is in the wrong place. I did wear Dt Scholls wooden sandals back in the day. As for the clothes, I loved them then and I would wear them no if I wouldn’t look like a derelict old lady. I do have a tie dye skirt for casual every day wear. But I was never a hippie, just looked like one. (By day I put on a nice little dress and pantyhose and went to work)
The Birkenstock debate … has been one of my favorite fashion sides to date … especially since the debate only involves footwear choice! I myself have Always been on the side of Birk scoffing …most probably from my ingrained Orange County roots!
Big Birk Scoffing ….Well at least until this year … where my here to date not only disdain … but energy invested in much ridicule of “Birks” has been ever present :)).
But now … I am a true Birkenstock convert. Oh … the comfort and the beach ease of their white offerings … a pair that can easily navigate not only the the tides… but also a days in the garden as well. A shoe that so soundly accepts a foot …. and with this year even … a fashionable embrace.
This 180 degree turn … definitely has me questioning … a lot of my style for sure bets!
Love your ability to bring fashion … into the world pf opinions and words!
xoxo
Tamera
Ick. Just, ick. Have always hated Birkenstocks & still do. Surely there are comfortable shoes/sandals that are less darn ugly.
Oh, and Kraft Mac & Cheese in the blue box, certainly.
Well, Susan, I am older than you (ahem) and I did wear Birkenstocks and they were crazy comfortable. But I thought that you should never wear a particular fashion trend the second time around. Like bellbottoms. I won’t be seen in those again! My fashion forward Sonoma County friends would NEVER let me live it down if I wore Birkenstocks!! Cheers, Sally
Never, not once have I worn Birkenstocks! I do not like Birks. I ate dorm food until grad school during which I was married and fixing proper meals.
I can’t believe I’m ordering my first pair today from Zappos. In fact I’m getting the floral ones because of you! Thanks.
I love your blog and your style. I’m a huge Birkenstock fan. I bought my first pair (Papillio Sydney in a graphic print) about 8 years ago and they are still wonderful. To all the Birkenstock doubters, the Papillio line has lots of great colors and prints – a nice option for those who shun traditional Birkenstock style. And make sure you get fitted properly. The width can be tricky – what Birkenstock calls “narrow” could be considered a US medium width. I’ve actually had my eye on that floral pair 😉