I don't know what it is. The whimsical spiral, the delicious thought of vegetable-tanned leather, the name "El Naturalista" and with its flipped "r" and Spanish ancestry, the green frog logo? Or could it be I have yet to find an owner that isn't crazy for their El Naturalistas for reasons they will tell you below. Whatever it is, I know without a doubt this will be my next shoe.
Take Shari Bonnin of Bonnin Designs who hand-crafts the most exquisite hair pins and flamenco-inspired jewelry. Not only is she incredibly talented, she knows a good shoe when she sees it. Pictured above is Shari in her El Naturalista Iggdrasil clogs. Here's what she had to say about her comfortable shoes:
I've had my shoes for over a year and still wear them on a regular basis
and love them. I also have foot problems and need comfy shoes that I
can just throw on. I get compliments all of the time when I wear them
and people want to know what they are and how to get them. El
Naturalistas are worth the investment because some might think over
$100 is a lot, but they are made very well and last. Like I said, I've
had mine for over a year and they still look new and wear like new. And
I love that the soles are made from recycled materials.
Our second El Naturalista fan is Kim, or Yarny Old Kim as she goes by on Flickr (which also happens to be the name of her blog). As you can see, Kim can knit me (and many of you, I suppose) under the proverbial table. She specifically looks for shoes to show off her awesome socks and says this about the comfort factor of her El Naturalista Iggdrasil clogs:
The clogs are so comfortable, plenty of room for my toes. Arch support
seems good. And I adore the way these shoes smell. Yes, they have a
great smell. Apparently there is tea tree oil beads embedded in the
sole. I am also really tickled that each pair of shoes comes with an
herbal tea bag. Yes, herb tea. How crunchy hippy is that?
A word on sizing to keep in mind:
Sizing for this clog is a bit off. I normally wear a Euro 39 but in
this shoe, I wear the 38. Odd thing is, other El Naturalista shoe
styles run true to size.
Want to read more about El Naturalista footwear and their committment to producing quality, foot-friendly, eco-friendly shoes? Click on over to their website. Be forewarned; there is a strange purple squid blurbing around on the homepage.
Where to buy the featured El Naturalista Iggdrasil clog (closed-back version also available):
- PlanetShoes.com: $140, free shipping and returns.
- Amazon: $105-152, free shipping.
- Endless (great selection of El Naturalista): $149.95, free overnight shipping, free returns.
