Shoes take up a lot of room in a suitcase. So when I travel I have a three pairs of shoes maximum rule. (That includes the shoes I’m wearing and a pair of flip flops that lay and pack flat.) Practicality and comfort almost always outweigh fashion. So when I find a shoe that offers all of the above, I’m all in.
My Manitobah Butterfly Flats have made the luggage cut more than once this summer. Made with soft, full-grain nubuck leather, I’d call them a moccasin and ballet flat hybrid, but with a bit more pizazz thanks to beadwork designed by nimíipuu artist Mikailah Thompson, and decorative stitching in the toe box and around the elastic opening. An added unexpected bonus, if you take the time to flip the shoes over, you’ll discover the soles are emblazoned with a beautiful turtle design by Cree artist Heather Endall.
While I appreciate that the shoes can dress up with a skirt, or dress down with a favorite pair of comfy jeans, I’d be remiss not to note the flats can also squeak, similar to how new sneakers can sound on a basketball court, when walking on certain types of floors. It hasn’t stopped me from wearing the shoes out and about, but I’m hoping the soles just need a bit more breaking in, and the noise will disappear.
Buying shoes online is always a challenge. Normally a size 9.5, Butterfly Flats are not available in half sizes, so I sized up to a 10. When the shoes arrived, they were way too big, but exchanging them for a 9 was easy and straightforward via the Manitobah website.
In addition to being a certified B Corporation, Manitobah is dedicated to making positive impacts in Indigenous communities. In short, you can feel good when making a purchase.
Butterfly Flats are currently available in black and cashew, but it’s worth checking the website every now and then in case new colors pop up. Cost is $95 on the Manitobah website.