5 editors put Everlane's 40-Hour Flat to the test — here's our honest review

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Everlane 40 Hour Flat
Everlane 40 Hour Flat

UPDATE: As of July 20, Everlane’s 40 Hour Flat is currently included in their Summer Sale — score the coveted Tulip colour for $143 CAD (originally $182 CAD) here.

Everlane is a staple for sustainable, quality clothes, shoes and bags at an affordable price — and over the past few years, the brand has developed a pretty impressive following that includes everyone from Meghan Markle to Selena Gomez.

This month, the brand released a new pair of flats, The 40-Hour Flat. The sleek, pointed toe shoe is made from 100 per cent Italian leather and features a cushioned insole and rubber soles that promise to make your week a breeze — from the commute to the office to after-work drinks. Plus, the flats feature new and improved sizing (Everlane notoriously runs small and narrow).

But are they really that comfortable — and can you wear them with everything? Our editors put them to the test. Check out our honest review below, and let us know what you think in the comments.

Hilary Hagerman, Managing Editor

The Everlane 40-Hour Flats in Dusty Lilac, featuring our office washroom
The Everlane 40-Hour Flats in Dusty Lilac, featuring our office washroom

If you’ve read any of my past reviews, you’ll probably figure out I’m a pretty big fan of Everlane shoes — especially the Day Glove (I own five pairs. Yep, five). While our office is pretty casual, I do find myself occasionally searching for something a bit more structured than the ultra-soft Day Glove, so I was excited to see Everlane release this chic pointed number. One thing to note is the new sizing — we actually didn’t realize the sizing had changed, so I went with the same size I have for Everlane shoes in the past (7.5). While many of my coworkers had fit issues with these, I’m glad I didn’t take my regular size (7) as advised on the product page. Maybe it’s because I have wider, flatter feet, but a 7 would have definitely been too tight. If you have wide feet, or are between sizes, I’d ignore that advice!

I’ll start by saying that I absolutely love the colourways these flats come in — I picked these up in Dusty Lilac, which is perfect for wearing with everything from spring dresses to jeans and sweaters.

While the ultra-soft leather does lend itself to creasing through the toe box, I wasn’t bothered by this — but if you prefer a super structured, non-flexible shoe, this might not be for you. Comfort wise, I found that these offered the same level of wear-all-day ease that the Day Gloves do. But despite these being flagged as a “wider fit,” I do find they’re a bit tight for my wide feet throughout the toe box, as many pointed-toe shoes are. In terms of every day wear, I’ll be sticking to my treasured Day Glove, but I’ll definitely be wearing these when I want to class-up an outfit without going for heels.

Alyssa Tria, Shopping Editor

The 40-Hour Flat in Taupe (my perfect shade of nude)
The 40-Hour Flat in Taupe (my perfect shade of nude)

Let me get straight to the point here: As excited as I was to receive yet another pair of Everlane shoes to review, I didn’t have super high hopes for these flats because as expected, they didn’t fit. Of course, having small and narrow feet, this has always been a fashion woe of mine.

While I stuck to true size (size 5), I immediately noticed the off-sizing. Not only did I have so much room for my toes, but just holding The 40-Hour Flat in my hands, I quickly realized that they were much longer (probably half a size bigger) than the other pairs underneath my desk.

I am very disappointed with the sizing of these shoes — but hey, that might be a me problem. If they did fit, I could see myself working them into my everyday wardrobe. Its minimal, classic point-toe silhouette allows for ultimate versatility while the soft leather gives it a very sleek and elevated edge — perfect for day to night wear. I’d be wary of buying these shoes online, but if they’re what your heart desires, I’d suggest going down a half size.

Kate Mendonca, Shopping Editor

The Everlane 40-Hour Flats in Black, complete with a gap at my heels.
The Everlane 40-Hour Flats in Black, complete with a gap at my heels.

When it comes to Everlane’s selection of chic, wear-everywhere footwear, I’m usually pretty excited by my picks. This time however, I was a little disappointed with the 40 Hour Flat, because I was really hoping to love them. I usually fall between an 8 and 8.5 (U.S. sizing) in all my shoes, and am a firm 39 in European sizing, but all the previous Everlane footwear I’ve tried have been my usual 8.5 and fit perfectly.

When the 40 Hour Flats arrived at my desk though, they were definitely a half size, and maybe almost a full size too big on my feet, likely due to the “new and improved fit” advertised on their website. When I first tried them on my heels were basically falling out the back with every step, but I thought I’d give them one more chance and attempt to wear them with my orthopaedic insoles.

Unfortunately, even after round two with my bulky inserts, the fit was still off for me with these flats. I’m a big fan of the simple silhouette that can pretty much be worn anywhere, so I’d recommend that if you’re planning to make a purchase and are in-between sizes like I am (especially if you have a narrower foot), that a half size down is the way to go.

Elizabeth Di Filippo, Editor

Everlane's 40 Hour Flat in Cream.
Everlane's 40 Hour Flat in Cream.

I’m a big fan of Everlane boots and booties, but had never tried any of their flats prior to the 40 Hour Flat. Knowing that the brand’s Day Glove shoes are a favourite of our managing editor, Hilary, I had high hopes for their latest offering, but unfortunately the 40 Hour Flat fell, er - flat.

Although beautiful out of the box with Everlane’s super soft leather that I love and love to wear, the fit of the shoes just wasn’t right. In the past, I’ve worn both sizes 8 and 8.5 in Everlane shoes and have found that the 8.5 tended to be more comfortable since I have a fairly wide foot. However, with the 40 Hour Flat in the 8.5, I found that they were almost too wide, and whenever I walked there would be a gap at the side of my foot (see photos).

I still find the shoes comfortable to wear around the office, I don’t know if they would be as comfortable to wear a full day with the gaps at the sides. I would be curious to try a size 8 and see if there’s any difference because I love the look of these flats.

Paulina Sawarna, Editor

The Everlane 40-Hour Flats in Dusty Lilac
The Everlane 40-Hour Flats in Dusty Lilac

I’m usually pretty low-maintenance, and will see the positive in just about anything. As much as I wanted to loooove these, I unfortunately am not a huge fan. The colour is absolutely stunning! It’s a soft pink that goes with everything, and adds a touch of elegance to any outfit. However, as most others have said, the sizing seems to be off. I was under the understanding that, with Everlane, you usually go a half-size up because they are built a bit tight, especially for wide feet. I don’t usually have that issue, plus the 40-Hour Flat have “new” sizing, so I decided to stick with my regular size: 7.5. They fit perfectly but they are quite tight at the front. However, I tried on the 8, and those would have been way too large for me.

The other problem is the scrunching at the front. I had barely worn then for half an hour when I noticed those creases coming in around the toes. Usually, it’ll take at least a few weeks of me wearing pointy shoes before that happens. Now again, maybe it’s a size issue — but had I gone with the 8, my foot would be flapping in the back and that’s not any better.

In conclusion, it’s a comfortable and classy flat, but needs a few adjustments for me to be a true fan.

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