The Sandal I Step Into And Forget I'm Wearing

A true slip-on wedge you step straight into — soft from the first wear, cushioned underfoot, and it stays put with every step.

Getting my shoes on had quietly become the hardest part of leaving the house. Bending down to fasten a buckle or work a strap — getting to the floor and back up again is its own small ordeal now, and my fingers aren't as quick first thing as they used to be.

So I'd default to the same tired pair I could just step into, and leave the nicer shoes in the closet. And the slip-ons I did own flopped off my heel or left my feet aching by evening — comfortable to put on, miserable to wear.

It was my daughter Sarah, up in Boston, who told me to try a pair from a small family boutique here in South Carolina — a wedge sandal she said she just stepped into and forgot she was wearing. Before I tell you what they did for my feet, I think you should read the Clarke family's letter first.

The Clarke family runs a small boutique here in South Carolina, family-run since 1986 — three generations, mother to daughter. The sandal is called the Celine, and their letter walks through the handful of things they refused to compromise on. I am going to let their words carry it, because they say it better than I could.

1Slip straight on — no bending, no fastening

We made it a true slip-on, so you just step straight in — nothing to buckle, nothing to fasten, and no bending down to the floor and back up again. On a busy morning you step in and you are out the door, which sounds like a small thing until it's the reason you can get yourself ready without help.

2Soft from the first wear — nothing to rub or break in

The wide strap and the footbed are soft and padded, with no hard edges to bite — so there is nothing to break in and nothing to rub you raw. You can wear them out of the box for a whole day and come home without a single sore spot.

3A cushioned footbed that eases the ache

Underfoot, the footbed is deeply cushioned and contoured, so your foot sinks into padding and support instead of landing flat on something hard. That is the difference you feel by evening — you can be on your feet through the shops and the errands and still want to keep them on.

4A low, steady wedge — a gentle lift, no wobble

The wedge is low and the base is wide on purpose — a little lift, with a solid, stable foundation under you rather than the wobble that makes you nervous. The sole grips the floor instead of sliding across it, so you get a bit of height you do not have to think twice about.

5A slip-on that stays put — no flopping off

The wide strap across the top holds the sandal firmly on your foot, so it stays put with every step instead of flopping and slapping at the heel the way most slides do. All the ease of a slip-on, without the flapping about or gripping with your toes to keep it on.

6Goes with everything, in every size from a 4 to a 12

It comes in three easy colours — black, red and a soft tan — each one made to go with what you already wear, and it runs from a 4 all the way to a 12. A comfortable sandal in the size that actually fits, not the nearest one on the shelf.

The Celine, against the sandals you've been buying

	Typical sandal	The Celine
Getting them on	Bending down to buckle and fasten	A true slip-on — step in and go
First wear	Blisters and sore spots until broken in	Soft and padded — comfortable from day one
Underfoot	Flat and thin, aching by evening	A deeply cushioned, contoured footbed
Steadiness	A wobbly heel, or flat and shuffling	A low, wide wedge — a lift with a stable base
On your foot	Slides flop and slap at the heel	A wide strap holds it firmly on, no flopping

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Celine at $149.95 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for America's 250th, the Clarke family wanted to give something back to the women who have kept their doors open since 1986 — so every pair is going out for less than a third of that.

Mine arrived in a box with tissue paper and a little handwritten note on top. I stepped into them that same afternoon, and they've barely come off since.

I don't usually write things like this. But the Celine has barely left my feet since it arrived — I step into them without a thought, they don't flop or ache, and I feel steady and a little taller all day. If getting your shoes on has become the hardest part of your morning the way it had mine, these are the ones I'd tell you to try, while the sale is still on.

— Margaret Ellison · Mount Pleasant, SC

See the Celine — $44.95 →

This is a personal account from a Clarke Family customer. Margaret was not paid to write it. · The Clarke Family · Family Fashion · South Carolina, since 1986 · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.