Wilder Agnes Slingback Review
There is no doubt about it: I am a shoe person. When we moved into our house in Houston – which is FULL of closets – I immediately filled up the built-ins in the primary bedroom with all of my shoes. When Roberta, founder of Wilder Shoes, reached out, I was thrilled to be able to review her Agnes Slingback.
There are a few things that drew me to the company: it’s small-scale, and woman-owned and operated. Shoes are ethically produced in Brazil using vegetable-tanned leather. And the team minimizes waste throughout the production and shipping process. They also produce in small quantities to reduce the likelihood of unsellable overstock.
I had actually been eyeing the Agnes Slingback in Dark Teal before Roberta reached out to me. It is HOT in Houston, but I didn’t want to wear casual sandals to work everyday, especially because the air conditioning can be very strong depending on which room I’m working in.
The Agnes offers some toe aeration without fully exposing my feet. And they look professional owing to the high quality leather and classic style.
The Agnes in Dark Teal Review
The Agnes is made with a soft nubuck upper. It is leather-lined for comfort (and sweat absorption). And the sole is lightly padded for comfort. The soles are made of sturdy leather.
Nubuck has a suede-like feel, but is more durable than suede. It holds up well to wear and can be brushed out with a suede brush when needed.
Sizing
Roberta recommends sizing up in this style if in between sizes. I received my usual size 8 and, at first, thought they were slightly too big. But as the shoe forms to my foot shape, they feel just right. For that reason, I would say that the sizing advice is accurate.
The Agnes Slingback may feel too narrow if you have a wider foot or higher arches. My arches are fairly high and, for the first few wears, the uppers dug into my foot. But after the third wear, that started to dissipate.
Comfort
Many reviews for this style said that there was no wear-in period. That wasn’t true for me. My first wear was somewhat painful, leaving red spots on my heels and foot above my arch.
After two more wears, however, they became softer and more pliable. I expect that they will keep softening and become very comfortable after a few more wears.
Quality
The Agnes Slingback, like all of Wilder’s shoes, uses traditional shoe-making techniques. For that reason, they are beautiful and very high quality. There isn’t any arch support in this style, but the leather and attention to detail means that they’ll wear very well.
Impressions
Wilder offers beautiful, timeless, and fashion-forward shoes with attention to detail. I appreciate the focus on ethical and safe labor practices.
I would recommend this style as a professional sandal alternative, especially during this enduring heat wave. Go with your normal size.
Shop Wilder | Shop the Agnes Slingback
Leah Wise
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.