Toasty Toes – StyleScoop | South African Life in Style blog, since 2008
You know you’ve reached a certain age when you dedicate a whole blog post to slippers! But, it’s also with age (and wisdom) that you realise the importance of those small creature comforts in life.
We don’t think twice about forking out thousands on killer heels and hot boots, yet when it comes to our most worn footwear- that being slippers, we cut corners and buy those cheap and nasty once-off’s that just end up in a landfill (another reason to cringe).
I’ll admit, I used to be one of those, to buy those cutesy (and crappy) slippers, every year without thinking twice. What’s a couple of bucks when you’re only planning on wearing them for one season? Next season, we’ll just buy another – and another – and another… and so the wasteful cycle of literally throwing money away begins and never ends!
Shop the coziest sheepskin and natural slippers locally
When I went to Prague back in 2017, one of the BEST things I bought (for myself and hubby), was a pair of incredible sheepskin booties. I wore mine to death! Literally! It’s no wonder, since they hardly left my feet! They were the most indulgent pair of shoes I owned (and this coming from someone who owns Louboutin’s).
When I wore through the soles (which were just a thin layer of felt), I stitched them up to the point where I wore through that too, so I had stokie soles fixed at the cobbler. Eventually, while my stokie soles lasted, I had managed to wear through the whole damn boot. I was heartbroken (since I couldn’t find these anywhere locally at the time). So much so that I contemplated butchering hubby’s ones and cutting them to fit me. But I didn’t hah!
Fast forward to 2021, and sheepskin slippers are available everywhere and locally! YAY! And when I found the ones, I wanted, I got real excited. I saw them on my friend Candice’s blog and (as you do) I asked her if they were really worth it. She hardly needed to convince me, so the next day I bought a pair from Karoo Baba.
Let me tell you, they are every bit as fluffy and indulgent as the marshmallow booties I bought in Prague, but even better! My Prague ones were just sheepskin (inside and out), while the Karoo Baba ones are leather on the outside, with the sheepskin inside and throughout the boot.
While these are not “technically booties” all that fluff on the side can be flipped up to wrap around your ankle – which is how I’ve been wearing mine to keep my feet super cozy!
Like my Prague booties (can you tell I was really obsessed with them?), my Karoo Baba booties are meant to be worn in-doors. They purposefully don’t have “durable” soles for outside walking, but that’s part of the indulgence! Your feet feel like they are being cuddled without any hard plastic to remind you that you’re wearing shoes.
They also come in a range of beautiful colours and each bootie is made from one piece of sheepskin, so there are no weird cuts and awkward patch jobs. Did I mention they are also handmade and totally unique?
Sheepskin is a great material because it’s natural, and it’s really, really warm and it keeps your feet moisturised (which is another benefit in winter).
For the hubs, he still has is Prague Booties, but he’s the kind to wear his slippers all weekend, as in head out in the garden, perhaps do some DIY bits in the garage, so he only wears his booties from lounge to bedroom. And that’s because I nag him if he tries to sneak out the house with them. For the rest of the time, I bought him a pair of sheepskin slippers that would work better for his lifestyle. I had tried for years, to get him to stop wearing those hideous stokies, because he wears thorough them in one season, plus they are polyester, so not great for his feet, or the environment.
I couldn’t enjoy all the indulgence, and I couldn’t trash his stokies without giving him a suitable replacement, so for the hubby the KARU slippers (I bought them on sale at Superbalist) were a great choice. Another locally made brand (like Karoo Baba), that are 100% sheepskin with suede uppers, and while his do have a sole, they are super comfy too. I’m actually contemplating whether I should buy myself a pair of these, for when I need to leave the front door – Girls gotta take out the trash and do courier collections!
I’ve got my eye on the slightly fluffier collard Sleek Suede Wool Inner Slipper from KARU or, another fab pair I found, from another local brand called Felti.
When I made my fluffy footwear decisions, it was a toss up between the Karoo Baba Super Fluffy AF slippers or the Felti, really sleek and effortless slippers that don’t look so bedroom-esque. I wanted them both, but reasoned, that I’d get the Karoo Baba ones for the beginning and middle of winter, and later on, like August or September, I’ll invest in the Felti’s so that I still have really great lounge-around-the-house shoes that will keep my feet warm and toasty from winter into Spring.
Now that I’ve bent your ear about sheepskin slippers, if you’re thinking of those horrid medical Moonbootie types you see at pharmacies, don’t do it! JUST DON’T!
I bought a pair a few years ago from Dis-chem which I gave away after a week because I hated them. I know hate is a strong word, but I really hated them. They were clumsy and clunky, my ankles were freezing, there was too much space around them which made my foot slip and slide, (and yes, I did try the smaller size, and I still had too much space around my foot – just with squashed toes). They were a big no no for me and trust me when I say there are far better options available.
I’ve made it easy for you and scoured the web to find more fluffy footwear options, that are locally made, beautiful and treat for your feet if you’re in the market to invest in some indulgent footwear.
