Taupe Suede Bostons: Most Boring Birks Ever

Taupe suede Bostons are the most boring Birkenstocks ever.   

 There.  I said it.  And I mean every word!

I have never owned a pair of taupe suede Bostons, Arizonas, Gizehs, or any other model of "taupe" Birkenstock for that matter.   Taupe suede is way too "Berkeley-crunchy-granola-hippie-dippie" for this Berkeley raised girl.  If you don't believe me, call Birkenstock and fact check my order history. 

The only way you might catch me in a pair of taupe suede Birkenstocks, is if the uppers are covered in the limited edition paint splatter from years past.  Or, if Birkenstock comes up with some amazing rivets to add to a very mundane core color.  In other words, Birkenstock would need to jazz the hell out of taupe suede to ever get me to consider wearing a pair.

In my opinion, taupe is so drab and there are many other beautiful colors of suede from which to chose.  Why taupe?  I am literally blown away by the hype of taupe suede Bostons from a stinkin' TikTok video.  Taupe suede Bostons have sold out fast in the last few weeks and Birkenstock is not going to restock them until 2023.  People know this and are flipping them on resale sites for inflated prices of $300+. 

I don't care about the flipping, people can do whatever they want with the items they buy.  What I do care about is people paying more than double for a pair of taupe suede Bostons that will NOT live up to the hype.  DO NOT PAY $300 FOR TAUPE SUEDE BOSTONS......YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.  And you won't get your money back when you try to re-sell them on on eBay.

What do I mean about not living up to the hype?  Simple.  They will stretch out and you will not be happy in a few months.  The suede that Birkenstock uses today is nowhere near the quality of the suede they used is years past.  Believe me, I have been wearing Birkenstocks for 30 years.  I know a lot more about Birkenstocks than your millennial TikTok influencer. 

If you can find taupe suede Bostons at retail, then by all means grab them while you can.  But don't go throwing money out the window on a resale site just to get that specific color suede Boston.  There are a number other wonderful choices of Bostons available that deserve your attention and I think you will be much happier with in the long run.

Today's suede stretches A LOT and mattes down way too easily.  One ends up with a very floppy shoe in no time.  If you buy these "hot🥴" taupe suede Bostons, you will also need to invest in a leather hole punch so that you can keep adding holes to the straps.  This will be the only way that you can tighten the straps as the uppers stretch.  This is especially true if you plan to wear your suede Birkenstocks with socks.   The thicker the socks, the quicker the suede will stretch.  Be warned.

My "floppy" Velvet Suede Bostons

The stretching of the suede is not the only issue.  Taupe suede soils easily, just like any light color suede.  Even you if use a suede protector, the suede will darken and show filth fairly easily.  While I don't own taupe suede Bostons, I do own a pair of Stone Coin shearling lined Bostons.  After only two winters in my Boston shoe rotation, the Stone Coin suede looks gnarly and I have been unable to restore them to their original glory.  (If you need to learn more about caring for your Birkenstocks, read this blog.)

Purchased in 2020 and pre-treated with a suede protector before wear. The light suede soaks up all the filth.

If you are still jonesing for a pair of suede Birkenstocks after reading this,  I recommend that you consider shearling lined suede Bostons or -- even better --> oiled leather Bostons.  The shearling lined Bostons have the shearling backing on the suede to help the clog keep its shape, so they won't stretch out like the unlined taupe suede Bostons that your influencers are wearing.   However, if you are going to buy shearling lined Bostons....be sure to check the quality of your shoes before you wear them out of the house!  Birkenstock has had a lot of quality control issues since they sold their company.  Read more about the quality issues in this blog and also read this blog.

Oiled Leather Bostons are simply the BEST Bostons ever!  Oiled leather will mold to the shape of your foot, won't stretch out like suede, and takes on a beautiful patina over time.  Oiled leather Bostons will last for years and are a wonderful investment for any Birkenstock Boston lover.  Fun Fact: I wore the Zinfandel Oiled Leather Bostons (purchased in 2015), pictured below, to Disneyland one winter day in 2018 and walked 25,000 steps in them with no issues -- they are still going strong today and are my favorite Bostons.  

Bostons left to right: Zinfandel Oiled Leather, Stone Coin Suede Shearling Lined, Velvet Suede

Be sure to check out your small, locally owned Birkenstock retailers to find the Bostons of your dreams.  I always recommend shopping with  Custom Made Birkenstocks / Repair My Birkenstocks and Birkenstock Attitudes.  I have had the great pleasure of meeting the owners of these stores and vouch that they are Birkenstock heroes!  Michelangelo at Custom Made Birkenstocks often has hard to find styles or he can make you a custom pair in any color!!  Birkenstock Attitudes has lots of great seasonal items in store that may not be on their webpage.  If you don't see the item or size that you are looking for on their webpage, give them a call.


WHAT TYPE OF BIRKENSTOCK BOSTONS DOES GINA MAMA RECOMMEND?

Does Gina Mama recommend taupe suede Bostons?  Not my first choice.  Prefer suede over synthetic uppers.

Does Gina Mama recommend shearling lined suede Bostons?  Yes, if you can find a pair without quality issues.  

Does Gina Mama recommend oiled leather Bostons?  Hell yes!  Best Bostons Ever!

Does Gina Mama recommend felt Bostons?  Nope.  The felt stretches far worse than the suede.  The only pair that I own are falling apart.  The felt uppers on my Bostons are the only pair of Birkenstocks that have literally fallen apart in my 30 years of wearing Birks.

Does Gina Mama recommend Birko Flor / Birkibuc Bostons?  Only if you are vegan or vegetarian and won't wear leather.  I always recommended oiled leather or leather Birkenstocks.  Leather will last ages and mold to your foot.  A synthetic upper will never mold to your foot in the same way as leather.  In addition, the felt on the underside of synthetic Birkenstock uppers tends to ball up and becomes irritating.  Finally, synthetic uppers can crack/break/rip if not cared for correctly.

Does Gina Mama recommend Amalfi Leather Bostons? Absolutely.  Grab them while you can because I hear they are being discontinued.  I just got mine yesterday and am breaking them in today.

Does Gina Mama recommend the Buckley when all the Bostons on the planet sell out because of TikTok influencers?  🤢 Nope.  Not only do I think the look of the Buckley is just AWFUL, the Buckley is a one and done shoe.  Unlike the Bostons, the Buckley cannot be recrafted.  Once that cork cracks on the Buckley, the shoe is done-zo and cannot be repaired.
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Just got these beautiful Black Amalfi Leather Bostons yesterday. A wonderful addition.