After being well and truly ‘influenced’ I caved and bought Paloma Wool’s Balance sandal. After all, I desperately needed some balance in my life and there’s no better way of finding that than buying a new pair of swanky shoes. 

I’ve tried several styles of sandals on my search for the perfect pair. I cannot stand anything between my toes so sadly cannot participate in the latest chunky flip flop trend. I also broke two toes a few years ago, so I find it hard to walk in heels due to the pressure and have been searching for a stylish yet comfortable heeled sandal ever since. 

I hit the jackpot when I found the Balance sandals. Paloma Wool is a fair and artisanal brand proudly made in Barcelona. The brand’s creativity triumphs through its local production and slow-fashion ethos. A glance at Paloma Wool’s Instagram will have you dreaming of an art-inspired wardrobe. 

The Balance sandals have been an Instagram must-have! After being seen on the likes of Arden Rose and Faye Ellaby the sandals have sold out multiple times and are difficult to get hold of. After patiently waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I finally received an email saying they were available for pre-order. Before I could hesitate, the shoes were in my basket and I had checked out. 

Costing €165 (approximately £146) the sandals feature the Yin-Yang motif crafted in 100% leather with a lined rounded 4.5cm heel. I instantly fell in love because they are simple yet unusual. Made from black and ecru leather they go with everything and can be dressed up or down. A wedding? Yes. A walk in the park? Yes. A Zoom meeting? Why the heck not! 

Delivery cost €5.99 (approximately £5.30) which I thought was extremely reasonable considering they were arriving from Spain. Because they were a pre-sale purchase I waited seven weeks for the shoes to arrive — which was totally worth it. I contacted their customer service team on Instagram for an update a month later and they responded within an hour. 

They arrived delicately packaged in their speckled royal navy and white boxes and when I lifted the lid I was hit with the glorious smell of new shoes. The craftsmanship is of the highest quality and they felt sturdy and light on my feet. I felt no pressure around my toes and the heel is the perfect height for every occasion. 

I was initially worried about grass stains on the ecru leather but haven’t got any as of yet. They are low maintenance, sturdy, wipe clean sandals — everything you could ever ask for!

The only downside is it took a few wears to break them in. They rubbed slightly around the opening of the toes but as the leather softened this quickly disappeared. The effort paid off and now it’s like walking on clouds.

I’ve never ordered shoes from a European website before and was initially confused by the sizing. I’m your average size 4 and mostly remain true to size (unless they’re Birkenstocks in which case I always size down). A European size 4 is a 37 so I opted for that. However, the website suggests if you’re between sizes to go for the smaller size — I wouldn’t recommend sizing down as my size 37’s fit perfectly and can’t imagine there being enough room if you’re between sizes.

Not only are the sandals hella fashionable but I feel great wearing them knowing they’re ethically made and part of the slow-fashion movement. I can’t wait to wear them somewhere exciting when life returns back to normal, but for now, I’m fully enjoying sporting them under my desk with a pair of glittery socks — my bottom half is now super stylish (and doesn’t my Instagram know about it!)