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Yes! Journal
Radical Yes...Help Me Find My Best Sandal Fit!
An exploration into the magical, metaphysical world of shoe fitting In today's post, we share two ideas to consider in finding your perfect summer sandal. The first speaks to the barebones practical idea of ‘which fit is best for my foot?’ - based on a physically deductive method. The more easy to capture ‘wide feet’, ‘long feet’, ‘been-dancing-too-long-bumpy-feet’ gives us an easy check box list of things to consider with our key ‘365’ styles. But then there is the (perhaps) bigger consideration of which sandal ‘fits’ the privilege of making it into your life as a long-wearing, multi-purpose, conversation-starting statement sandal. A design idea we cycle through every season in the (re)creation of our ‘always on’ 365 styles. With this in mind, let’s talk first about the all-important practicalities. Wide Feet If your feet are wide - The best styles in our ‘365’ sandal collection for wide feet include our highly reviewed and much adored Arkestra Fisherman Sandal, as well as the (also highly reviewed and loved) Visby Sandal. Both offer good foot coverage, and the all important arch support in the midsole that speaks to the practical imperatives of ‘all day on your feet’ wear. Long & Narrow Feet If your feet are narrow or long, it’s all about the Neptune Sandal. With adjustable velcro straps covering both the arch and ankle, the midsole on this style runs slightly longer than other sandals in our 365 collection making them a favourite for customers with dancer-length toes. Watch the video below to see our Retail Team Leader, Sumedha, sharing all her tips from The Fitting Salon on how to choose your size for these ‘365’ styles. Now. Let’s talk about the radical imperative of ‘365’ styling Styles that we consider ‘365’ talk to our ideas of both ‘all year round styling’ (you know we love a sandal and sock combo) as well as ‘easily deserving of more than a year’ in your wardrobe status. Case in point - our classic T-Bar Declaration Sandal, which we have now been making for an amazing 7 years (!) basically unchanged. See the sandals. Transcript: Kerryn: Hi Rad Friends! We're here in Radical Land with our wonderful Retail Team Leader, Sumedha. Welcome! Sumedha: Hello! Kerryn: Today I asked you to come into Radical Land so we could talk about sandal fits, because it’s sandal season soon. We pulled together our 365 styles, and I thought with all of your experience Sum, in the store fitting feet, what's your view on how they're all going? Sumedha: So the easiest question first, what is running true to size? The Arkestra Sandals. Anything on this unit, they're all true to size, true to fit. So if you're usually a size 39, you would be a size 39 in these ones. Now, what is running a bit long? Neptune Sandals. So I would say if you're usually a size 39, size down in these ones to a size 38. Kerryn: We've like debated whether to change the last and everything, but we've been selling that shoe for so long, it's like, don't change it, just leave it, just size down. Sumedha: Now, with the Declaration unit, anything on this unit, that also includes the Sophia Sandals, it’s running short lengthwise. So if you’re usually a size 39, please size up to a size 40. Kerryn: It's always worth checking on the website. We do put a lot of notes as well on the fits for all the different shoes, and sometimes Sum, the materials make them run a little differently, don't they? Sumedha: With the Visby, if you've got a wider foot, I think this is something I would recommend because it's got a wider strap. The Declaration has a narrower strap at the vamp. So if you’ve got a wider foot and you want to feel a bit more supported, the Visby is your pick.
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Radical Yes Reads Your Reviews: Adventure Awaits Clog
We're back in our design studio, and we're reading your reviews. In this episode, we dip into the mailbag (aka - online reviews) to see what you're saying about our Adventure Awaits Leather Clog. We also award our favourite review a $250 Gift Voucher! So click below to watch the video and check if it was you...or be sure to review your last purchase, and we may send you a treat! Clogs, Slides & Mules. See more backless styles. Transcript: Hi Rad Friends! We're here in Radical Land Studio with a very exciting episode of ‘Radical Yes Reads Your Reviews’! Hooray! It’s been a while, so we thought we might jump on and do one of our most highly reviewed shoes now - Adventure Awaits - look how proud she is. All right, so, let's get straight into it, but actually before I do, I do want to say that we're giving a $250 gift voucher to the best review. So that's going to make you stay on and see which one it is right? Oh crumbs, here we go - Jasmine says… “Comfiest shoes! Amazing for anyone with high arches as the leather upper is soft enough to not press into the top of your foot. Almost like sandals!” Jasmine, couldn't agree more, they are almost like sandals with a closed toe, definitely something we had in our minds. “… the sole is spongy and flexible too, so you don't feel like you're wearing hard cork slip-ons.” Not going to say what brand that is, but there is another brand that makes them like that. “… had to get another pair!” Thanks Jasmine. We really agree with everything you've said there, but I think the high arch point is a particularly good one, because we do have a lot of customers with high arches, and this shoe does really accommodate around that. Mary said… “Like walking on clouds!” Clouds are coming up a lot for these shoes. “… these are my fourth pair…” Thanks Mary! “… of Adventure Awaits Clogs, I have them in multiple colours. They've become my favourite Radical Yes shoe. Wearing my Adventure Awaits Clogs feels like walking on clouds; they're incredibly comfortable and great for wide feet.” This is so our shoe for wide feet. When people ask us, “I have wide feet, I have problem feet”, straight to Adventure Awaits. “...The arch support is fantastic, I hope more colours are released”. There are more colours coming Mary! Stay tuned! “Ultimate Comfort!” Says Mon “I work in a career where I rarely sit down during work hours. My knees and hips had started to ache daily, even rotating other quality brand shoes. Since purchasing, I wear these Monday to Friday with no issue. Most supporting shoe and well-made! I did find the run large, would have loved the size down. Thanks Radical Yes! Local and quality.” I do want to make some comments on that Mon, and that is, the first thing is Monday to Friday wear we have to wear them every other day, remember. We’re not going to wear them every single day because otherwise they’re going to get worn out too quickly. We like to let the shoes have a little rest in between wears. Couldn't agree with you more that they do run a little bit large and some people do size up - sorry - size down because they run large. That's something to keep in mind if you are looking at this style. But the insole is really super comfortable. It's made from an EVA foam, it's got a lot of - it's a memory foam, so it actually reflects your foot back and it keeps it nice and structured underneath, especially in the arch, but it's still really squishy like clouds, exactly as everyone's saying. The last one, which is actually our $250 gift card winner, Jessica… “Hoof heaven! Love love love. I have a long and wide foot, and these are just glorious.”Makes me so happy when we nail a long and wide foot fit. “I ordered the 41 and found them to be pretty generously sized. I consider these shoes up there with my Blundstones and Doc Martins: shoes I'll wear the &%$# out of and keep buying for as long as they make them.” Thanks Jessica, that's such inspiration for us and actually inspires us to make a lot of other colours that we'd been considering. There’s a few things on the board at the moment, we've got the same jade green as the Arkestra Jade. Staying in the Arkestra family, we've also been riffing on the Midnight Plum that we've just put out, which everyone's loving, and we've also got this crochet situation that we've been working on which I only have an upper pattern for so far, but could be a little limited number situation coming soon on that. It's definitely not like Blunstone or Doc Martins uppers; it's a little bit more decorative. But definitely has limited edition excellence written all over it. Coming to a shoe shop called Radical Yes near you soon. All right, that's ‘Adventure Awaits Read Your Reviews’. Stay Radical!
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Celebrating Creative Women: Amy Pearson, SUN MOTHER® Studio.
We recently connected with creative powerhouse Amy Pearson (brand strategist, coach, designer and podcaster), through another creative powerhouse and friend of our brand, Lucy Lumen (photographer, content creator and long time radical collaborator).
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Square up: From Trend to Timeless
Trends are born on the runway and it’s only a matter of time (we’re talking days, if not hours) until they make their mark on the street-style scene. So when Grazia declared flat shoe liberation as New York Fashion Week wrapped up, we were all ears. "Fashion hasn’t always favoured the practical. But a substantial amount of shoes swapped out the sky-high platforms of last season for more functional footwear.” Hear, hear! Flat shoes are the gift that keeps on giving. And what better opportunity to introduce you to the latest shape on our feet, one that’s quickly achieving cult status to become a modern day classic: the square toe. Don’t get us wrong, who could resist a pointed toe? Then there’s the round toe which we all know and love, or those open toe platform sandals when summer comes around. We could never turn our backs on these beloved styles. But the square toe shape is looking strong and we’re happy to say it has been for a while. Better still, it’s here to stay. That means it’s time to get familiar with the various silhouettes, if you haven’t already. Square toe mules Slip-on shoes can surprise you in their functionality. It doesn’t get any easier than slipping into a pair of mules. Name any other smart shoe that actually looks good with sweatpants, jeans or a tailored suit. These backless flats are quiet but simultaneously make a statement. That shows confidence. Comfortable? Tick. Add depth, dimension and proportion to outfits? Tick, tick, tick. Can wear everywhere? Tick. Most of the year (socks or sockless). Tick. In case you needed any further convincing of square toe mules, yes, the rumours are true, one of our angular pairs was featured in said Grazia article as one of the “key styles” to watch out for in the footwear department - take a bow Badu square toe mules, you are making us proud. Shop Square Toe Mules. Square-Toe loafers When it comes to sharp shoes that are clearly made for walking, durable loafers score highly. Straighten the edges and you get a seriously modern twist on the latest and greatest flat shoes for women. The exaggerated toe shape of the Misia loafers, for example, gives dimension to a simple outfit – that tailored suit becomes edgy, your classic black dress gets a bit more curious and it brings a mini skirt to another level of effortlessly cool. Yet they don’t steal the limelight. Square-toe loafers just work; they balance out proportions and are so much easier to style than you’d expect. Winter? Add a sock. Bare legs? They’re calling out for these pretty in pink beauties, with their distinct softness that's toughened up with the texture of cracked leather. Of course, there’s always the option of going back to black and we’ve added another variation to the mix for timelessness with an edge – patent leather in all its high-shine glory. The silhouette is here, the colour is there, now all you have to do is nail the fit of slip-ons and you won’t look back. Shop Square Toe Loafers Square toe boots We know that every flat shoe wardrobe needs a pair of durable boots. Well, have you considered square toe boots for work? Or play? Or dinner? Ok, you get the gist. These babies have versatility and can transform a workaday look into something sharp. The square toe is a great juxtaposition to anything overly feminine. It veers on having more masculine vibes, that when paired with a pretty dress and mini clutch bag, strikes the balance we all strive for. It’s ok to take a break from black, in fact we highly recommend it when it comes to the Tomorrow gold square toe boots. Not too masculine, not too feminine, less chunky, more streamlined, these Chelsea boots for women are smile-inducing. Style them with ultra chic navy – it wears just like your favourite black staples but with an unexpected softness. Add a contrasting colourful bag and you’re onto a winner. Shop Square Toe Boots
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Patience Tall Boot: Will They Fit My Strong Calves?
This week in The Fitting Salon, we unbox our new Patience Tall Boot and answer the most frequently asked question so far..."Will They Fit My Strong Calves?". We say hopefully yes - because of the way we designed them for you. Watch the video where we explain more and try them on too. You can also read more about our Patience Tall Boot as part of our Guide to Winter Boots here.here. You can see Patience Tall Boot and all our other boots here. Filmed and edited for us by Tomorrow Films. Watch the video below. See more boots here. Transcript: Hi Rad Friends! We're back in The Fitting Salon, and we're taking shoes out of boxes. It's a virtual try on for a shoe that we've been getting asked a lot of questions. Tada! Patience Tall Boot! And the question that we've been getting asked the most is “Will the tall boots fit my calves?”. Here’s a fun story about that. When we released these shoes, my sister-in-law, who's a personal trainer, said to me, “Kerryn, are they made for people with strong calves or calves like yours?”. So to answer that, the first is the circumference measurements. So they are online and you can see them, but a really quick way to know the circumference for your size, is to just use your size. So if you're a size 40, it's just on 40 centimetres, the circumference here. If you're a 41, it's just under 41 centimetres. If you're anything like me, and measurements don't really mean a lot, and I say that, and I work with measurements all the time. What I can also share with you is another great thing that you can't see when you look at the shoes online, and that is on the interior you can see here these are an unlined boot. So to keep them structured, they've got boning on the seams, but they actually have no lining, which gives them more stretch essentially. So it means that if you do find them a little bit firm at first, you can be assured that they are going to stretch and relax around your calves as you wear them. But the other thing that I've done today is I've actually put them on over my jeans to demonstrate just how wide they are, so, we might get into that. This is the part that you've been waiting for, the part where I actually put them on my feet. So, easy to get on, keep your foot on the ground, push them in, the zip has a nice long tail, so you can pull it up, which is really handy. So, thinking about some of the aesthetic details that we've put into these shoes, the first thing is we spent a painstaking amount of time on for these boots was getting the branding right and the logo right. This is our ode to quiet luxury; the shape of this reflects the shape that you can see down here at the ankle. So the idea was, it was creating a nice little bit of symmetry. The shaft is really clean on the outside, and we put the zip on the inside, so that means that it's just got that nice, clean, beautiful finish. And the other thing that we spent a lot of time thinking about when we created these boots, if you've been following us for a while, you'll know we've had tall boots before, they weren't as tall as this. What we really wanted to achieve with this boot was using the O unit, which you'll know if you've got Ophelia Loafers or Olympia Loafers, the aesthetics of the heel and the LUG sole to create something that was in between a riding boot, so really slick and beautiful and elegant, and a motorcycle boot, so being quite tough. And that's what we came up with, was a kind of ode to motorcycle wearing, give that feeling of like these are shoes that you really want to wear a lot and that you can be comfortable, and one of the fun ways that I like to wear these shoes is with with shorts but they also look great with dresses so going over the top of the boots. So that's the Patience Tall Boot. They're online now. We've got a small quantity up. We'd love to hear from you whether or not you think they're strong enough for your strong calves. So that's the Patience Tall Boot. They're online now. We'd love to hear from you and tell us, do they fit your strong calves? Okay, Stay Radical!
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The Radical Yes Guide to Winter Boots
Let’s talk winter boots There’s nothing like a pair of new boots to get you through the winter. A smart and considered investment that we contemplate just as much as you do. In our design phase, we’re conjuring up places, events and outfit ideas - deciphering those the I.R.L (in real life) situations that each boot will take our customers. It excites us in our dedication to producing high-quality and sustainable boots in small quantities; reliable pieces that make getting ready every day so much easier. So, to help you make your choice this year, here’s the Radical Yes guide to our new capsule collection of winter boots featuring the who, the what and the why. Worn with love and care every other day, you'll enjoy plenty of happy wear. Tomorrow Chelsea Boots Chelsea boots but not like you know them. The Tomorrow boots borrow elements from a customer favourite and are reinvented with a distinctive edge and polished finish that’s seamless to style. The result is a modern shape for those wanting to look dressed up and sharp. Discover The Tomorrow Boots Ari Boots Brighten up your winter wardrobe with vermilion on your feet. These hybrid women’s ankle boots are dedicated to a special punk rocker. Despite the bright colour, Ari isn't just reserved for an all-black outfit, we’re digging these durable boots with hues such as white, grey and navy. Discover The Ari Boots Patience Tall Boots Our first tall boot. You’ll never grow tired of the Patience black boots. They’re versatile, timeless and go with just about anything in your wardrobe. We’re sporting them with looks you simply wouldn’t expect - and they look simply perfect. Trust us, these black boots are a style you can rely on all year round. Discover The Patience Boots Peace Combat Boots A grungy, hiking situation. These leather ankle boots offer a perfect balance of practicality and style that we can gladly get behind. If you fancy adding a toughness to a girly miniskirt or floral dress, look no further than the Peace Combat boots. But don’t stop there, a full-length pant or dungarees go hand in hand with these boots - adapt them to your style and mood. Discover the Peace Combat Boots Lead The Way Boots Flatforms in two ways. Both of which are lined in soft, cosy and temperature regulating Australian merino wool. Lead The Way are the sustainable boots you’ve needed and just didn’t realise it. We’ve amped things up for you in forest green leather which brings a warmth and depth to your outfit. Discover The Lead The Way Boots Saturn Returns Forest A strong contender for this season’s most popular boot that’s also kind of a sneaker. We’re nominating it as a 'beaker'. With Saturn Returns Forest, we’re all about green right now for its versatility with a grey jean, black pant or floaty dress. But don’t look past our pewter colourway as an easy shortcut to polished style. Both are lined in Australian merino wool shearling to keep you comfy. Discover Saturn Returns Boots Shop Winter Boots.
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The Patience Boots Are Here
The Who Patience Tall Boots The What Internal Zip Bucket Boots The Why For warmth, contrast and a bit of winter outfit tension Introducing our first tall boot. We’ve spent time perfecting this style to ensure the proportions are pretty much perfect and well worthy of investment status in your wardrobe - hence the name. A special run of 100 pairs have been carefully crafted with the same flat shoe liberation and sheer style you expect from us. Leaning towards a classic riding boot, we’ve kept the zipper concealed on the inner side for a cool bucket boot mood at the calf. Ironic details, like the exterior RADICAL YES patch, add a moment of luxe gold foil drama - the conversational elements we know our customers love. But it’s all happening down under. The LUG sole, which is unconventional for this knee-high beauty, is thick yet bouncy to withstand any type of weather, while looking seriously good in your sustainable boots. Styling should be unpredictable for this edgy motorcycle boot meets preppy riding boot. We’re talking evening dresses and blazers. Feeling grounded, but feeling radical.Shop The Patience Boot "A special run of 100 pairs have been carefully crafted with the same flat shoe liberation and sheer style you expect from us." Shop our boot collection here.
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Meet The Tomorrow Boots
The Who The Tomorrow Boots The What Square toe Chelsea boots The Why To own the boardroom, studio or weekend gigs The Tomorrow boot speaks to the new ‘going out in the world’ energy that we have been mining for our winter ’23 collection. We wanted to create something that felt truly dressed up and sharp, with all the comfort you’d expect from flat shoes. Long time fans of Radical Yes will notice that these durable Chelsea boots pick up where our square toe Selkie boots left off. Details that give all the modern feels are the gently accentuated toe spring and more dramatic square toe. Accentuated by an extended rand at the sole edge, they’ve been designed with a thick yet bouncy EVA rubber outsole that has been cut using our new shoe last - seriously comfy, trust us. An elastic gusset and contrasting leather lining give these durable boots the stamp of approval for all-day escapades this winter. There’s a moodiness to the monochromatic Tomorrow boots that we can’t get enough of (it’s Melbourne, after all). They promise to add a kick to your ankle length pants and a toughness to feminine dresses. When it comes to an all black outfit, they’ll bring the drama. Shop The Tomorrow Boot “We wanted to create something that felt truly dressed up and sharp, with all the comfort you’d expect from a flat shoe” Shop our boot collection here.
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Where are Radical Yes shoes made?
In conversation with Elfy Scott. We invited journalist, writer and podcaster Elfy Scott to help us answer some of the questions we get asked most frequently about our brand. It's the question everyone wants the answer to, and we’re super proud of our flat shoe origins. We’ll admit, we’ve got pretty high standards - not just when it comes to shoes. That’s why we chose the award-winning journalist, presenter and producer, Elfy Scott, to talk all things, well Radical Yes, with our founder Kerryn Moscicki. In this video, the duo hone in on where exactly our shoes are made, why we produce there and what we look out for when choosing our makers. Since our flat shoes are made in small quantities with a focus on quality, it’s so important that we find makers with the same values. That’s not so easy today with the focus geared towards large-scale production, but we stay committed to our vision. Watch the interview... “All of our factories are small family-owned businesses.” Kerryn Moscicki Founder, Radical Yes See new arrivals here.
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