Every Time I Wear These $90 Steve Madden Shoes People Think They’re from Hermès

If you’ve ever laid your eyes on the Hermès Chypre slides, or are fortunate to own a pair, then you may recognize the familiar slip-on design in this pair from Steve Madden. The designer lookalike mimics the sleek, relaxed and sporty feel of the high-end footwear, featuring a concave, 1.25-inch heel, molded footbed for a comfy fit as well as both fixed and adjustable straps along the tops of the foot that you can tighten or loosen to your liking. Oh, and it’s less than $100. Considering that the Hermès Chypre sandals run you $910, the Mayven slides offer considerable savings if you’re willing to sacrifice on the designer label, quality and make.

My favorite feature of these sandals  is the geometric cutout design on the wide front straps (aka, the major detail tying it back to Hermès). Well, that and the soft and suave nubuck leather, which feels incredibly chic and unlike any other sandal I spent hours trying on at the mall.

With my unfortunate luck finding sandals, it’s imperative that I try them on in person. As soon as I slid them on, my size 9, flat-ish feet were met with a comfortable molded footbed that is supportive and soft. And in a shoescape saturated with unsupportive, flat soles, this thoughtful detail was refreshing and made the weighted sandal that much more comfortable. The adjustable Velcro was a nice addition, too, since it let me fasten the straps to make for a more secure fit while I walked, minimizing the chances of the dreaded slip.

The break-in period differs for narrow and wide feet. I have wider feet than average (something I inherited from my dad), and the first time I wore my sandals, I experienced some slight pinching around my pinky toes and a bit of stiffness that softened up after about 24 hours. So, if you want shoes for wide feet that fit like a glove straight out of the box, these may not be at the top of your list; however, the sides of the sandals won’t dig into your feet forever. When I asked my narrow-footed sister—who bought the slides despite her annoyance with my purchase—if she experienced any discomfort or break-in period, she said no, finding the slides to fit comfortably from the get-go.

One thing we managed to agree on: The pre-fixed mold creates the occasional fart noise, but not often enough to make them unwearable.

Who knew that purchasing these $90 Steve Madden Mayven slides for summer would be fiscally responsible (especially if you’re into designer brands like myself)? They’re sleek, comfortable and oh-so casual, and they’d even pair well with straight-leg jeans, Levi’s shorts or with any one of the five versatile dresses I own. I recommend you snag these chic sandals in any one of the 16 colorways, though I’m partial to the tan nubuck finish that looks so much like an expensive suede.

If you leave here with one takeaway, I hope it’s this: Sometimes, it’s OK to break the unspoken sister rule and buy the damn shoes. (Sorry not sorry, Sam.)