Ah the shoes of summer. They come, they slip on, they eventually degrade under dusty toe prints. But the good ones are lovely in season.
As I’ve said, I walk to work. As I’ve said, I have a very casual office. So my choice of summer work shoe may look oddly similar to your run-about-towners. We will take that as a fortunate accident.
Witness the Camper “Right Nina” sandal. Why “Left Nina” fails to get a nod I do not know.
Comfortable sporty rubber soles, (digression, is anything really rubber any more?) very soft leather uppers, and an elastic strap that I promise you manages to avoid looking cheap while doing a bang up job of holding the sandal right to your foot. Summer shoe slippage is the mother of blisters, and blisters, my friends, are sad, sad, summer accoutrements.
I wore an orange and white pair for my recent New Jersey trip. Camper + Louis Vuitton tote = Sturdy Grande Dame. Blurry photo + airport carpet = Travel Haze.
The “Right Ninas” can also be had in black, gray, bone, and red. Left Nina perhaps is purple? I digress. Orange is hot now, and that seems right for a summer shoe. Like daylilies in Pennsylvania. Bloom like crazy, and when you’re done you’re done. Camper offers a 2-year guarantee, so should you outlast the lilies you need not go unshod.
I wear a 6.5 in sport shoes, a 7 in closed toe, a 37 in European. Camper offers only whole sizes, I advise you to round down not up. Zappos offers the “Right Nina” for $115.
Camper, a European brand, flies just under the radar for mainstream US fashion. The company history and approach warrants a read. If you have a chance to go into one of their stores, take it. Clean, friendly, busy, and cute. Quite comfortable for trying on all the colors.
No compensation received. Just happy feet.
20 Responses
Lest I beat a dead horse, a lot of us from a certain college in NJ spent a lot of money on a lot of orange clothing over the past few weeks. I, for one, spent way more than I should have on an orange, coral and white suit from Gumps. Are we going to regret these sartorial decisions in the near future? I fear so. Graduation was a veritable sea of mothers in orange (fathers being more discrete).
I have a wide-sih foot and round up in Campers. They always seem narrow.
On the other hand, I love love love their Twins collection!
I think I´m oversensitive with my feet, couldn´t imagine wearing sandals of any kind here at the countryside around horses ; ).
I always thought Campers being American!
Camper is actually from the Catalan word for peasant! Think “campesino.”
Just love Campers: cute, quirky but not overstyled and well-made. Great choice!
I love Camper shoes, fell in love years ago, maybe in 2002, their shoes are always soft, well made, fit well, very comfortable, and funny. Actually, last weekend I just got a pair (I wish the weather here justified open shoes). I love them so much, my old mary janes were walked on so much that they had holes in the soles.
No matter the name I just love them! During summer in Texas we live in sandals, and these are so cute.
Thanks for the head’s up!
Lisa I love this look, comfortable and very stylish!
2013 Designers Series
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
What struck me was the side view of “that pirse.” I rememer all the thought and money that went into your choice. Here years (????) later you’re still enoying it. Campers? Arches? I don’t think so. One gets to a certain age and arches are nesessary. Orange is cute if it makes people think I graduated from “that”school. :-) You always look so put thoughtfully together. Even in your most casual.
Nice shoes!
I’ve taken to moisturizing my heels every morning when I switch from my commuting shoes to my office shoes, but they still aren’t my most attractive body part – closed-heel shoes are a plus.
Very cute…I just might give these a try while I teach summer school!!
I would know you by your accessories in any airport.
Love the shoes, but not my feet.
I’m in an orgy of Tom’s buying.
Perfect summer shoes, comfortable for my 25 minute walk and for standing up in all day.
God, now it’s all about comfort….
xo Jane
I have never owned a pair of Campers but they are easy to find here in town.
Love orange! and I think shoes are the perfect place to add that shade ~ or maybe a tote…
Walking comfort in shoes is a MUST.
What a neat brand! Not really in my taste but I love the premise. Will share with sister/aunties/mom and see what they think.
XO
Those are cheery! I’m a bit surprised to hear that Camper is an under-the-radar brand in the US, as we’ve been wearing them up here for years and they’ve now got their own (albeit very small) shop to add to the many outlets that sell the brand round town. In fact, a few years ago I brought back a pair from Paris, only to find that style was already on sale back home! My daughters and I have always liked their mix of European stylishness and practicality. But having just spent 5 days in a Catalan city, I am pleased with myself for resisting the cute summer styles in the Camper stores — seems we’ve left summer behind there, along with the sandals. . .
Of course things are rubber–tires! They don’t grow those babies in labs.
Have never heard of the brand before,must say they look v.comfortable +the ‘in’ colour for Summer…happy walking.
I bought my first pair of Campers in London in about 2000–they were a perfect phone-booth red and the rubber sole literally just disintegrated last month.
I bought my second pair in San Francisco! They’re a pair of twins–one thong sandal is an olive branch; the other a lovely white dove. Peaceful twins.
I love, love!, Campers and yours are especially cute, Lisa. I bought a pair of modern pumps from them last fall/winter because I couldn’t find anything as cute anywhere else.
(Soap-box warning) But I have a real problem with a Spanish shoe company that makes their very expensive shoes in China, when there are so many shoe factories in Spain that could use the business. As our unemployment levels inch toward 30%, buying shoes that are made in Spain is one of the ways I try to “colaborar.” So no more Campers for me.
For those who don’t know, shoe-making is one of Spain’s traditional industries, and some high-end brands, like Stuart Weitzman, are made here. Other brands that do the same are Pikolinos, London Sole, and Hispanitas. Brands like Sesto Meucci and Coclico make some of their styles in Spain and others in Italy.
And of course the summer staple, the espadrille, is the descendent of Spanish peasant shoes. Though the really cheap ones are now made in China — yuck — please abstain from those if you can.
(End of soap-box)
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