VIVAIA Sandals haul and review

 

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Where I got it

I have previously purchased knee-length boots from VIVAIA before and I actually really enjoyed them. Their ads keep popping up everywhere – Facebook mainly. In July I started seeing VIVAIA promoting summer styles like sandals, slingbacks, heeled sandals, slides,  etc. There were different promos going on – 50% off new styles, buy one get one free, or 3 for $150. Their sandals were mostly around USD$97. I used the 50% off promo code and originally ordered another style (Round-toe Wedge Heel Sandal (Sally) in the Almond, EU36. The pair of shoes arrived pretty quickly and I tried it on right away. It was too tight around my toes and the criss-cross straps across the top were not elasticated, therefore there was no extra room.

I decided to request an exchange because I really liked the look of the shoes. On their website, the refund and exchange procedure was easy and simple. After 1 day, I received a response from one of their team members to give me an offer I cannot say no. I was offered to receive another pair of shoes at the same value free of charge (including delivery), I was also able to keep the sandals that were too small for me! I could gift it, sell it, do whatever I want with it. The only thing was if the replacement shoes were also not suitable, I would have to return both pairs of shoes to them.

For the replacement pair, initially, I wanted the same style, but in the navy colour, but the size I wanted (EU37) was sold out so I picked another style – Almond-toe Slingback Wedge Heeled Sandal (Tamia) in Almond Crochet, EU37. Sign up and make your first purchase using my referral link to get $20 off and I get a $35 coupon! My replacement pair arrived within 2 weeks.

What I got

There are the Almond-Toe Slingback Wedge Heeled Sandal (Tamia) Almond Crochet/EU 37, and Round-toe Wedge Heel Sandal (Sally) in Almond, EU36.

Tamia, from the VIVAIA website: “Adjustable slingback wedge, the perfect height to wear all day long. Comfortable, and stylish, wear it with a breezy summer dress, or a linen set.” Also comes in 2 other colours.

• Almond-toe wedge
• 5.5cm/ 2.16” heel
• Natural Artemisia Argy + PU foam insole
• Rubber Outsole
• Recycled Hardware
• Packaged with 100% recycled shoe fillers and recyclable boxes
• Note: The insole contains natural Artemisia Argyi herbal. For people with allergies, please consult a medical professional before wearing them.

Sally, from the Vivaia website: “The Sally offers added height and support, while the adjustable strap around the ankle allows for a customized fit. This feature is particularly beneficial for those with wider or narrower feet, as it ensures a comfortable fit for all foot shapes. Pair it with wide-leg jeans or a summer dress, and transition from the office to the beach or the park.” Also comes in 2 other colours.

• Round-toe wedge sandal
• 7cm/2.75″ heel, 1.5cm/0.59″ platform
• Natural Artemisia Argy + PU foam insole
• Rubber Outsole
• Made from recycled PET bottles
• Packaged with 100% recycled shoe fillers and recyclable boxes
• Note: The insole contains natural Artemisia Argyi herbal. For people with allergies, please consult a medical professional before wearing them.

How I find it

When I first tried on the Round-toe Wedge Heel Sandal (Sally) it was a perfect fit. The strap was my biggest concern for sling-backs, but this is adjustable so I’m hopeful it can be adjusted so that it will not fall off. As soon as I slipped it on, my toes were not squashed or squeezed, my heel was secured. The height of these heels was very comfortable – giving me a bit of height without instability or fatigue for my legs.

My usual footwear of choice is mostly slip-on flats or sneakers, and boots when I’m feeling a little more “dressy”. Very seldom pumps or heels, therefore my feet and calves are not well-seasoned for height. During summer, I do love a heeled sandal, but my existing ones are open-toe and the strap over the top rubbed my feet badly. Therefore I am excited to wear these for summer!

As you can see the sandals have ample space on the sides and my feet are a little wide. This made my feet look slimmer and elongated my calves.

The almond crochet colour I picked is neutral and would go very well with most of my existing clothes. I love floral dressed during summer and neutral knits during winter. I have tried these heels with short dresses here and they look so gorgeous! Casually elegant and closed-toe so I can wear them to church and without a pedicure (lol).

I also paired this with a long, cotton shirt dress that stops around my ankles. I could wear flats with this dress, but heeled sandals would look great for brunch, a garden party or even Church!

Here I have matched this with my favourite silk shirt and H&M slacks (so hard to find pants that fit me around the waist and length). I would’ve picked cream-coloured pants, but I didn’t have any that sit perfectly at the ankles. I would say these pants could finish slightly higher so that it doesn’t cover the slingback straps so that it looks cleaner and would further elongate my legs by showing some ankles.

Next, we have the Round-toe Wedge Heel Sandal (Sally). These were the pair of shoes I ordered initially and picked size 36 because I usually go a size down for heels. However, that was proven to be a mistake. Upon receiving the shoes and trying them on to find them very tight around the toes, I went back to the website to check out reviews (should’ve done that earlier). Most of the reviews did recommend sizing up and the toe area is very tight for a lot of people.

However, I was unsure if sizing up would allow for a wider toe box or not. Therefore I decided to go for another style (hence I picked the almond-toe slingbacks above). Nevertheless, I decided to try and style these sandals with the same outfits and potentially sell these online.

After trying these on for the photos, I really like the shoes. It involved a little bit of tugging around the toe area and you can see that the top of my feet is squeezed. The sides of my feet also look like it is slightly hanging out of the shoes – not slimming.

The main concern for me was in fact comfort while wearing these and walking. I was expecting to be able to walk in these shoes. Even though these sandals have a 7cm heel height, it does have a 1.5cm platform all over. Therefore the arch is just 5.5cm which is the same as the slingbacks. The ankle straps also make these heels really secure without having to worry about slipping off or sliding around. Should I keep or should I sell??

These open-toe sandals go very well with my cotton dress for a summer lunch date! They are more casual compared to the slingbacks because of the raffia wedge and open-toe look. There would look great to show off a nice pedicure, but not very suitable for church.

I’m not so sure about this pairing because the trousers are a smarter look and would be better with something a little more dressy. The criss-cross straps at the toe just didn’t feel right. What do you think?

Overall

I am 100% keeping the slingbacks and I am very pleased with both pairs of heels despite the wedge sandals being too tight on me. The sole was cushioned and soft, the material did not rub or scratch. Overall, the quality of the shoes were fantastic. I was impressed with how fast the shoes were delivered and the amazing customer service I received. I would say use a promo code if you plan to purchase anything. Their summer sale went on since early or mid-July and it was still on in mid-August! You can get a good offer as buy one get one free or a straight 50% off!

Overall I think the almond colour is the best to pair with almost everything. The slingback does have a navy and white stripe which I was really drawn to, but it’s not a very versatile colour for footwear so I decided I will keep the stripes on my shirt instead. The wedge heel style also comes in a block heel version with mesh material and a square-shaped toe box for a more elegant and edgy look. The wedge heels also come in that beautiful navy and white stripes, but like I said, I wanted light, neutral colours.

As for the wear and tear, I will update this post in the future, once we get into summer and the temperature is right for these sandals. I will also try on the wedge heels a couple more times to see if there is any give from the material that it will loosen up slightly before I decide to sell them. I’m sure my local community is not looking for summer sandals in the meantime, so I have time to think.

Remember to use my link!