Cheryl Shops

When it comes to French luxury houses, Louis Vuitton and Chanel tend to have the best name recognition and while I wouldn't turn down a bag from either, my favorite has always been Hermès. What I love about Hermès is that for almost 200 years, they've stayed true to their artisanal roots, and unlike their competitors, Hermès still manufactures the majority of its products in France. Of course, Hermès is more expensive than Chanel or Louis Vuitton, especially when it comes to handbags; the Birkin is their most famous, but the Constance—a bag so exclusive, you are only allowed to purchase it if you've already bought another Hermès handbag—is my favorite. So while I'm still a few years away from that milestone, I've been establishing myself as a customer for when the time comes. Jewelry is a great place to start (my first purchase was a Clic-H bracelet in Bordeaux in 2016), as are shoes, and both have the distinction of being designed by accessory mastermind Pierre Hardy. If you follow any influencers on Instagram, chances are you've seen the flat Oran sandal, but as someone who prefers a little heel, I think the Oasis is the way to go. Here's my honest and unfiltered opinion of the Hermès Oasis sandal. 

Oran vs. Oasis

Both shoes are crafted from supersoft calfskin with that signature Hermès topstitching and iconic H logo design. The biggest difference, of course, is the heel—the Oasis has a two-inch stacked wood heel and the Oran is flat. I tend to get shin splints when I wear totally flat shoes (or at least I used to) plus I'm a little vain and figured I'd be wearing these mostly with bare legs, so I decided to go for the Oasis and its slight lift. Of course, now that I've been living in flats for the last year, I'm tempted to get the Oran too. Long story short, do you want a little heel? If yes, go for Oasis. 

How they fit

I am almost always an 8.5 in US sizes, a 38.5 in Italian sizes, and a 39 in French sizes, so I got a 39 in the Oasis sandals, and they fit perfectly. I found the leather to be buttery-soft and didn't need to be broken in at all, nor did I get blisters the first time I wore them. I have slightly wide feet, but found that these don't pinch me at all. They are comfortable, but not walk-12,000-steps comfortable—I've worn them to work all day without a problem but I also spend a lot of my day sitting. 

Where to buy them

The Hermès website (or store) has the largest selection of colors and sizes; the classic all-leather style is $710, but prices can run over $1,000 for more exotic skins or blinged-out details. You can sometimes find a pair for less on The Real Real (that's where I got mine) or Fashionphile but because these shoes have such a high resale value, the consignment sites tend to offer only a meager discount, if any (and sometimes prices are even higher than retail). Vestaire Collective tends to have the best selection of all the secondhand sites and I trust their authentication process more than any other peer-direct marketplace, but prices can be all over the place, On that note, approach eBay and Poshmark with caution—there are a lot of fakes out there. 

My honest opinion

I love my Hermès Oasis sandals. They're simple yet chic and they look good with everything from cropped pants to maxi dresses. The 2-inch heel gives you just enough lift to feel confident, but the shoes are still comfy enough to wear for long periods of time (I wouldn't recommend a ton of walking, however). I personally went for a mixed animal-print pair, which I've found goes with more than you'd think, but if I were to get another pair (or the Oran), I'd go for the classic saddle leather. Maybe next time I'm in France... or Bora Bora ;)