Bensimon sneakers are the French girls' Converse. I bought my first pair for our honeymoon, and I've worn them every summer ever since. They look cute with jeans, shorts and dresses; and you can slip them on quickly when holding a wriggly baby. Well, Bensimon just released a limited-edition set of pastel colors for spring, made exclusively for Madewell. Aren't they lovely? (P.S. My big-foot size has already sold out, so hurry if you'd like a pair!)
(Top photo by The Singular; bottom layout by Jennifer Hagler for Cup of Jo)
the yellow one is so cute!
ReplyDeletexo, Tina
WWW.TINACIOUS.ME
These are super cute, I also love the yellow!
ReplyDeletei love the yellow, too; and the peach. so bummed that they're sold out of 41s!
ReplyDeletethose are soo super cute!!
ReplyDeletei will never see these shoes without thinking of you and your love for them. they should just make you their international spokeswoman already.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Bensimon sneakers!! I feel like a cute French girl when I wear them :)
ReplyDeleteI have them in navy blue but these colours are lovely for summer :)
I have been on a mission for cute flat shoes that I can walk in - these were just recommended to me by someone else too!
ReplyDeleteWill be checking them out and others as well on my next trip to NYC, the source of full lines of EVERYTHING.
(Hah - that made it sound like I needed ANOTHER person to vouch for your recommendation before I'd look into these.)
aw, jenni, you are the cutest:) i've recommended these four years in a row, haha!
ReplyDeletelove the pink! i think i need to order a pair for this summer. thanks!
ReplyDeletexo the egg out west.
Those are so cute! Right now I'm personally really digging the new ballet flat TOMS...
ReplyDeleteThe soles wear out SO FAST! Admittedly, this hasn't stopped me from repeat purchases. :)
ReplyDeleteI love these shoes! I've been wanting to get some. I think Target may have a few pairs at which I can gander. :)
ReplyDeleteThese look so comfortable. I love the pink!
ReplyDeleteSlip on shoes are heaven sent!
ReplyDeleteI would have got the coral. I love slip on shoes as they are super casual too, we live in Hawaii so you look a bit strange if you dress up too much.
ReplyDeleteI've also got some big feet, mine are a size 10 :( thank the lord for living in Hawaii, flip flops come in all sizes.... hahahaa..
plucking a peach right now! love these... xo!
ReplyDeleteJoanna- you've answered my prayers! I've been searching for an alternative to Converse and Toms...this shoe is perfect! Thank you!
ReplyDeletewow, nice colors love the orange it is attractive at first glance. love the yellow too. how much is one for that?
ReplyDeleteDo you find your Bensimons comfortable? I can only wear mine with socks, but maybe I got a bad pair...
ReplyDeletethey look super comfy but i just cant seem to get myself excited about pastels
ReplyDeleteI love their shoes too! But it amazes me how much Madewell jacks up the prices here in the US. I got mine for 27 euros at Autour du monde in Paris- the pastels are so fun!
ReplyDeleteKind of a gross question, but they obviously look quite a bit better without socks. How do you guys keep them from getting stinky?
ReplyDeleteThese look so comfortable, but stylish! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteKate {Something Fabulous}
http://thesomethingfabulous.blogspot.com
I broke out my bright yellow Bensimons today- loving this warm weather in NYC! I found my yellow ones on clearance two summers ago at Madewell for $15, and it was love at first sight. Then, I found a green lace-up pair at Anthro for only $9.95! I love a good deal!
ReplyDelete@Joanna, I remember my first pair... I am French and I bought it 20 years ago, when I was 14. My friends all had a pair and I absolutely wanted one, too. I had a very small budget (baby sitting money) and had to ask my mom to help me to buy the Bensimmons. I loved them so much I could have slept with my shoes. At the beginning, they were light blue, the same pastel color as this year's special collection,but I wore them until totaly bleached! Memories! You made me want to buy a a new pair here in Paris, to feel ... like yhe classy NY Woman you are :)
ReplyDelete@Teeny84. The fact is : they sometimes stink (but not that much), because of the rubber sole. But the shoes can be put in the washing machine and dry quite easily. Some talc inside would help, too.
These are absolutely the most adorable thing I've seen today (I've been online shopping all day long)
ReplyDeleteGoing to see if they have my size in pink! x
wish i had some extra spending $ - the peachy-orange ones are so fun!
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute and comfy!
ReplyDeleteThese are cute! Would be great to have them in all colours! :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://aurelieandangelo.com/
I keep meaning to get a pair of these! The pastels are just lovely
ReplyDeleteMal @ The Chic Geek
Those are such cute sneakers! Love the pastel colors and can never get over it for Spring. Can't wait to get a pair of those.
ReplyDeletethey are a classic!!!
ReplyDeletekisses from Spain!
Mm, French girls.
ReplyDelete/Avy
http://mymotherfuckedmickjagger.blogspot.com
♥
ooh they're cute!
ReplyDeleteso pretty!!
ReplyDeleteLove these shoes!!! Will definitely rock them will dresses and skirts! So fun and comfortable!
ReplyDeletehttp://iloveublank.blogspot.com/
i bought a pair of these last year on your recommendation and was less than impressed. they didn't even make it through the summer and that was only wearing them once or twice a week. i thought perhaps i got a bad pair because you've always raved about them, so i bought a second pair. nope. same story.:(
ReplyDeletei have a pair of Toms that i've worn near daily for over a year and they still look great. love the new Toms styles and colors!
i'd love to mix and match colors!! those are so perfect for spring and summer!
ReplyDeleteNeed. Want. Must have. :) Merci!
ReplyDeleteLouise xo
http://www.madewell.com/AST/Navigation/Sale/AllProducts/PRDOVR~97504/99101549648/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~P_saleprice|0~20+17~15~~~~~~~/97504.jsp
ReplyDeletethese beauties are in big size!
I love these shoes and now really want the yellow! I made mine more comfortable by adding gel insoles…it made a world of difference in the comfort level (they feel almost like gym shoes now!). They've been really durable for me too - I've worn them a lot and they still seem new.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the new color hint!
Ann Marie
www.believewishes.com
Thanks for the tips! I didn't think of the fact that they're machine washable. And for any Canadians out there, I snagged a few pairs at the Bay for (wait for it...) SIX DOLLARS! They still have some in both downtown toronto locations.
ReplyDeletei have to agree with Jen's comment about these. The soles are so thin; feels like a water shoe to me. Like you can feel ever crack in the pavement that you walk on in them. Dansko or New Balance should collaborate with Bensimon to get a healthier shoe.
ReplyDeleteI looked into these before, but they looked really poorly made online. Sloppy workmanship... What do you have to say about the quality? Do they hold up well? I want to like them...
ReplyDelete-Lilly
Ooo i love all of them!'
ReplyDeletebensimon sneakers are the best! i have a pair of lace up ones that are in a light blue liberty print, they're absolutely perfect for spring!
ReplyDeletethey look so comfy.
ReplyDeletewww.therecordologist.blogspot.com
Love these! I love my chucks, but (call me lazy,) I hate laces!!!
ReplyDeleteThey're adorable, but has anyone else had the soles wear out in like, a week? Seriously, I only walked in them about half a mile to a mile a day, and they were absolutely shot after about 9 days. I wondered if I'd gotten a bum pair, but I see that someone else commented about this above me. I thought Parisian ladies were always walking places! :) The pink ones are super cute, though. So much chicer than converse, which are my sturdier go-to.
ReplyDeleteHow cute are those! Love them
ReplyDeleteXoxo
http://sosimplychic.blogspot.com/
So cute!! I'm not usually a 'pink' person, but the pink are definitely awesome!! I would wear these all the time, they'd be great for walking around campus.
ReplyDeleteyes, i hear the comments about them being flimsy -- i think of them more like beach shoes//hang out shoes, so i basically get a new pair for each summer. they're just simple easy shoes. but not really investment shoes. those are my two cents! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI love these shoes! Especially the blue ones! I really want to find a pair somewhere!
ReplyDeleteashliekristin.blogspot.com
Love the yellow ones! I feel like for spring and summer you can get away with wearing yellow with anything and everything. I was looking at the new Tom's parisian flats as well. Not sure which I like better? I guess it depends on comfort level!
ReplyDeleteHow pretty would these be with a cute little St. James tee?? They actually look very comfy too..
ReplyDelete<3 Kate
www.theforgetfulwife.com
I ordered a pair a year ago and wore them all over Europe for a month. I walked over 5 miles a day, and I now still wear them! They have become dirty, but I am amazed at how well they have held up. These are definitely the most comfortable and sturdiest summer shoes I own (compared to sandals)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, how swell are these! They're like a girlier version of Sanuks (which I love). Excellent!
ReplyDeleteRy
www.ArtsandDafts.com
I actually don't like any of these pastel shoes, but it is due to an old post of yours (which I recently discovered) that I found out about Bensimon sneakers in the first place. I bought the original sneakers in a taupe color for an upcoming trip to Amsterdam. I think they're a good balance between casual and chic.
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing like starbursts! I want one of each color please. xoxo Sarina from lowtidehightide.com
ReplyDeleteOh, my word! These are precious! Are they as comfortable as they look?
ReplyDeleteHello Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI just discovered this website and I thought it was so beautiful and it would fit perfectly on your blog, maybe as part of your motherhood mondays series. You may already know about it, but thought I'd share anyways. I found it inspiring.
http://www.theglow.com/
And I love the Bensimon sneakers. I want them in powder blue!
i bought the ballerine style last fall. they felt flimsy at first, but then i fell in love with them and have worn them practically non-stop ever since. but now there's a hole in the sole of one and i'm very sad.
ReplyDeleteBensimons are the perfect spring/summer shoe! They're great for a walk through the park or a bike ride. Love your blog.
ReplyDeletefollow me @ stylemeetstory.blogspot.com/
xx
Adorable. I love slip-on sneakers with cute skirts and shorts in the summer. It's just such an effortless, feminine but not-too-girly look.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely wear these shoes for the summer.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aboutprettythings.blogspot.com
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI really want to buy a pair online (I can't find those in my country0.
Can anyone give some tips about the sizes? do they run big? small? regular?
Many thanks!
While I love the Bensimon sneakers, this year I opted for Veja:
ReplyDeletehttp://pinterest.com/pin/261490322084263223/
K
I have to say, in Paris, I find way more women wearing converse vs these shoes. I think it's safe to say Parisian women more often wear converse as their go-to sneaker. They are literally everywhere!
ReplyDeleteJust bought a pair, but went for navy blue. I thought 41s would do the trick, but even they are a bit too small (I have 10 month old twins and my feet are way bigger now, such a bummer - although the girls are so very worth having bigger feet!)
ReplyDeleteL
Ordered them in yellow...had to try them since you speak of them so highly. AND they're French!
ReplyDeleteAre you going to do a post on 'Raising BeBe' (speaking of all things French)? Bought it & couldn't put it down. Thanks for mentioning it. Because of it, I'm going to do things a bit differently with "baby #2"!
Yay! I stalked their website all last summer & my size was always sold out...finally just bought a pair. Thanks for the recommendation! :)
ReplyDeleteJoanna do you think these run big or small or true to size??
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...I need a pair! Better hop to it if all the big-feet sizes are selling like hotcakes!
ReplyDeleteHi from Argentina. Summer sneakers here are called Alpargatas and its origins come from gaucho shoes which were made of leather. So we can say this are modern "alpargatas"!!..
ReplyDeleteBye!!
Have to agree with Billie -- I live in Paris, and Converse are the most common shoe or sneaker among Parisian women here. So much I'd say Converse are the French woman's Converse ;) In summertime you see more Bensimon's, but Converse still rules among all ages.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading through comments above ! I am French and wearing both Converse AND Bensimon. Some practical tips : Yes, you can machine wash them easily, yes, their life duration (in good conditions) lasts approx. a season, but cheap as they are, you can afford a pair or two every summer. They size rather correctly (not too short, not too wide) I like to think that they were my it-shoes when i was 14 (decades ago), and made a glorious come-back a couple of years ago. Teens DO wear them in winter (which is crazy I can tell)...
ReplyDeleteLast but not least, I can read here and there that they are quite expensive in the US (vs. 27 Euros here) - but do you have the least idea of how expensive a pair of basic Chuckies are in France ?
I enjoyed reading through comments above ! I am French and wearing both Converse AND Bensimon. Some practical tips : Yes, you can machine wash them easily, yes, their life duration (in good conditions) lasts approx. a season, but cheap as they are, you can afford a pair or two every summer. They size rather correctly (not too short, not too wide) I like to think that they were my it-shoes when i was 14 (decades ago), and made a glorious come-back a couple of years ago. Teens DO wear them in winter (which is crazy I can tell)...
ReplyDeleteLast but not least, I can read here and there that they are quite expensive in the US (vs. 27 Euros here) - but do you have the least idea of how expensive a pair of basic Chuckies are in France ?
LOVE them! I like that they're a cuter version of chucks. Gotta get a pair!
ReplyDeletehttp://thedishhhh.blogspot.com
I really love sneakers because it suits for all occasions.
ReplyDeleteJoanna!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting my picture!!! I'm really glad you like it! :)
I always love a messenger style bag. It's so frustrating to juggle a baby on one hip and keep tugging your purse back on top of the other shoulder.
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loved the pink one..looks really comfy.loved to pair this up with my moustache backpack..:)
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