​I have intentionally not blogged in months.  The pandemic has changed everything and I have not found the time, nor had the motivation, to write about Birkenstocks.  To be honest, writing a blog about shoes, when millions of people are out of work and small businesses are suffering, feels completely insensitive.   So, I have offered only radio silence….until today.
 
Today’s blog will be short and sweet.  In fact, because it is Halloween, I am offering you a real treat.  I am going to share with you my top three favorite small businesses in the U.S.  What I ask from you in return, is to support your favorite small business and maybe check out mine. 
 
My top three favorite small businesses in the US are (in alphabetical order):

1. Birkenstock Attitudes
If you are not in El Paso, the best way to reach Paul or Mona at Birkenstock Attitudes is to send them a Direct Message (DM) via their Instagram page.   I have written about Birkenstock Attitudes and their stellar customer service in this blog.

2. Custom Made Birkenstocks
Call Michelangelo, (708) 453-4900, at Custom Made Birkenstocks, he can help you create a custom pair of Birkenstocks, repair your Birks, sell you a pair of Birkenstocks and do a million other amazing things.  I have written a number of blogs about Michelangelo’s handy work, this is my most recent post.

3. Harveys
I am reluctant to share this gem of a small business with you because I want to keep it my little secret.  Competition is fierce on a Harveys release day and so much fun when you score a new bag.  Harveys seatbelt bags last a lifetime and they are made in California.  I love these bags so much that I wrote a blog about this small business last year.  Check it out here.

​With many areas shutting down again, please reach out to a small business and help support them during these very uncertain times.

What are your top three favorite small businesses?  Send me a message, I would love to learn about places that I can help support.
 
Happy Halloween & Stay Safe.
 
And don’t forget to GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now the proud owner of my very first pair of CUSTOM MADE BIRKENSTOCKS!!  As you may recall, Michelangelo, at Custom Made Birkenstocks, has customized Birkenstocks for me in the past.  I wrote about that collaboration in the blog,  My First Pair of Custom Birkenstocks.  So, how is this most recent custom pair different than the Ferrari Red Arizonas that Michelangelo made me in 2019?   The Ferrari Red Arizonas were created with hand cut leather uppers and made with standard Birkenstock footbeds.  My new pair have CUSTOM footbeds, meaning that the footbeds were handcrafted to match the shape of my feet.   Whaaaaaaaaaat?  Custom footbeds????  Yup, you read that correct....custom footbeds!!  Custom footbeds are a real and they are frickin' awesome!!!!!!!!!

About two weeks before the pandemic had Californians sheltering in place, I had the good fortune of meeting Michelangelo for dinner in Novato, CA.  He was on a business trip to California to meet with the good folks at Birkenstock USA.   Michelangelo set aside some time on his trip to meet with me and it was during this encounter that we came up with the idea to make Gina Mama custom footbeds.    ​

In just a few short weeks, I had my very own pair of CUSTOM MADE BIRKENSTOCKS!!  The box arrived the day before my birthday.  I waited a day to open them and it was soooooo hard to wait.  But patience is a virtue.  Quarantined birthdays suck and the only thing that can make a lockdown birthday better is a brand new pair of Birkenstocks!  ​

TIP: Michelangelo can also repair and resole your Birkenstocks.  To learn about his services, read my other blogs (in no particular order):

Birkenstock Recrafts By Michelangelo
White Sole Birkenstocks
​Birkenstock Diva
My First Pair of Custom Birkenstocks
Giving Thanks  
Shearling Lined Birkenstocks: Part 2
Vintage Birkenstocks Recrafted
Magical Red Glitterlites

​Birkenstock have been making the world’s most comfortable shoes for centuries.  In recent years, they have upped their stakes in innovation and collaboration showcasing fashion-forward trends, designs and styles.  With so many new offerings appearing with each seasonal release, most Birkenstock lovers’ appetites are regularly sated.  But every now and then, if you hesitated on buying that one pair of Birkenstocks only to later discover that they’re gone and never to be made again, then you may understand the concept of Birkenstock regret.  Or perhaps you were out and about and saw a stranger wearing the most extraordinary Birks, but deep down in your gut you also knew that they were likely an exclusive or vintage and most definitely imaginary needle in a haystack that you shouldn’t even bother trying to search for—Birkenstock envy.
 
I’ve been following Gina Mama’s blog for years, and we formed a fast friendship over our mutual love and enthusiasm for all things Birkenstock.  One thing that has always impressed and inspired me is Gina Mama’s willingness to adapt her Birkenstocks to her tastes.  Be it stripping white soles to replace them with darker or funkier alternatives, or dying/painting leather straps to appease her need for a shade of red that Birkenstock didn’t release in a particular run.
 
Inspired by this bespoke Birkenstock behaviour, I decided to embark on a little experiment that would appease my sense of Birkenstock envy with regard to something I had occasionally seen over many years, but never had the opportunity to acquire myself—multi-coloured Mayaris, where each strap is its own separate colour.  Bold and loud foot fashion has always been a passion of mine, be it a quirky style, or a mismatched colour combination of the same shoes.  I should mention that there are a couple of two-tone combination Mayaris that have just launched at Birkenstock USA at the time of writing (Gina Mama never misses a new release--thank you for bringing it to my attention!) and whilst lovely, they are a touch too subtle and delicate for my audacious feet!

I’ve had the privilege of working with many great Birkenstock repairers and recrafters over the years who have helped me convert one-off discoveries of narrow-footbed beauties to my preferred regular width, but working with one man in particular had been on my wishlist for quite some time.  Michelangelo from Custom Made Birkenstocks is located in Chicago in the US, almost 15,000 kilometres from my hometown of Brisbane in Australia—but distance was no obstacle for my heart’s desires.  And Gina Mama has raved about Michelangelo’s services and creations for years, so he was the only man who I wanted to entrust with my special project.
 
I set aside three pairs of Mayaris from the “Electric Metallic” series, one in each colour released, and mocked up my ideas in Photoshop to convey my vision to Michelangelo.  Without hesitation he agreed to work with me!  Thrilled and excited, I hurriedly packed my lovelies and shipped them halfway around the world.  Michelangelo worked expertly and expediently to strip off the soles, disassemble the straps, reconfigure the colour combinations according to my specifications, attach new soles and ship them straight back to me.

​Just like that, I became the proud new owner of three new bespoke pairs of multi-coloured Mayaris.  They are among my absolute favourites from my personal collection!  I do often get asked about them by people in the street, and it delights me to own something so very unique.  International shipping obviously added to the cost associated with this project, and is something that definitely needs to be factored in should you ever wish to embark on a similar journey.  But I thoroughly recommend giving it a go as it gives me so much joy to look down and marvel at my bespoke beauties.

Should Birkenstock ever relaunch bright multi-coloured straps in their Mayari range, or any other model that takes your fancy—recent releases have actually included a couple of spirited colourful Zurich, Salina and Yao models—buy what you love when you see it, don’t wait!
 
Sandy
The Birkenstock Lady

Thank you to everyone who has been messaging me and asking if all is well.  

I have intentionally not posted a blog in weeks.  I am not ready to share.

Just know that I will post a new blog....eventually.  For now, I will occasionally share pictures on social media.

Stay Tuned,
​-Gina Mama

 10.  Figure out your WHY.  Why do you want to wear Birkenstocks?  For fashion?  For comfort?  Search deep in your soul and figure out if you are committed to this journey.  You must be willing to tough it out for a few weeks, as you slowly break-in a new pair of Birkenstocks.  For first timers, breaking-in a new pair of Birks may be the most excruciating thing that you ever do.  But, having a footbed that is completely conformed to the shape of your foot, is soooo worth the pain.  

9. Responsibility.  Are you willing to truly respect your Birkenstocks?  If you are going to treat a new pair of Birks like some dime store flip flops, then keep on trekking.  You must love and respect your Birkenstocks.  TIP: read my previous blog post, “How to Care for your Birkenstocks", to learn how you can keep your Birks lasting years and years.  

8. Think positive.  It is time to let go of all the negative stereotypes that you have ever heard about Birkenstocks.  It is all about mindset.  If you think you will love Birkenstocks, then you WILL grow to love Birkenstocks.  Read my previous blog, “Wearing Birkenstocks does not make me a Hippie”,  to learn more.

7. Get Help.  Do not order your first pair online!!!  Since this is your first pair of Birkenstocks, there is so much to learn about size, fit, width, footbeds (original vs soft footbed), models, styles, etc.  Find an authorized retailer and get properly educated on your Birkenstock options and have your foot fitted by an expert.  Then buy your Birkenstocks from the retailer who helped fit you!  (Don't leave the store and buy the pair online, support small businesses!)

6. Time is your best friend.  Know that perfection and comfort are not to be expected the moment that you take your Birkenstocks out of the box.  It takes time, a week, two weeks, or maybe even longer to completely break-in your Birkenstocks.  For all you newbies, be sure to read this blog about “How to Break-In your Birkenstocks”.  Breaking-in Birkenstocks is about the shoe molding to your foot.

5. Intuition.  Follow your intuition and find a style that feels most comfortable on your foot, not necessarily the one that you think is most stylish.  You might love the look the of the Gizeh, but your foot might crave the straps of the Arizona.  You won’t know which is best for you, until you try them on in a store.   Remember Comfort is King/Queen.

4. Remain positive.  Don’t give up.  Positive energy will get you through the break-in period, whereas if you remain negative about the process, you may give up when you get your first Birkenstock blister.  Just know that even the most experienced Birkenstock wearer might get a blister with a new pair of Birks.

3. Trust yourself.  Don’t let outside influence sway your commitment to wearing a new pair of Birkenstocks.  Wear your Birkenstocks with confidence, it is an integral pair of this journey.  Who cares what anyone else thinks?  Are you comfortable?  That is all that matters.

2. Socks.  Buy yourself a new pair of cute socks.  Socks may be your best friend as you break-in your first pair Birkenstocks.  Even though I may not regularly sport a pair of socks with Birkenstock sandals, I always wear a pair of socks when I am breaking-in a new pair of leather Birks.  Doing so helps prevent hot spots and blisters from forming.    Tip: look up Tabi socks for Gizeh and Mayaris.

1. Save.  Once you learn about the peerless comfort that Birkenstocks provide, you will want another pair.  It is never too early to start saving for your next pair.

If you need more suggestions and advice before purchasing your first pair of Birkenstocks, please refer to the blog list below:

Stepping into your First Pair of Birkenstocks

Original vs Soft Footbed Birkenstocks