Everlane Day Glove ReKnit Review & Comparison

Over on Instagram, I put up a poll to see if there would be any interest in a review of the Everlane Day Glove ReKnit flats, and the overwhelming response was yes. The original leather Day Gloves are Everlane’s best-selling shoe, so I was curious to see how these compared. I reviewed the original style a while back and you can read that blog post here, but TLDR; I wasn’t quite sure on the style, loved the soft weightless feel, but ultimately they were on the narrow side. Essentially, they weren’t great for my wide feet.

Wearing Topshop white tee, Levis skinny jeans, Storm check blazer (old but similar style here and also love this one), Everlane Day Glove ReKnit Flats, Chanel Boy bag (affordable option), Pandora necklace, Stilnest earrings

I don’t walk as often as I used to, but most days I will reach for a flat shoe. Comfort is king. I took note from my experience with the leather day gloves, and opted for these in the black. It’s much more in-line with my personal style and a practical pick to pair with my wardrobe. So let’s start with some quick facts as usual, before diving into the details…

QUICK FACTS

Price: $98 USD
Available in five colours: black, white, pink, red ,and yellow
Made in: Thai Binh City, Vietnam
Fabric: 88% recycled polyester, 10% nylon and 2% elastane
Care: Spot clean with cloth

SIZING & FIT

Everlane sizing can be a bit confusing. I’ve learned that once you figure out your size, you stick to it… Unless the sizing information says otherwise.

I always get a US9.5 in Everlane shoes. For reference, I take an EU40 in designer shoes, and an AU9 or US9 in other brands like Tony Bianco, Marc Fisher, or Sam Edelman.

This is the same size I got in the leather day gloves, and they fit as expected. Length-wise, these were perfect, there’s a sideways thumbnail gap between my big toe and the tip of the shoe. But it was the width that I was most curious about.

You’ll see from the fabric content that there’s a touch of elastane in there, and this makes all the difference. I have quite a pronounced bunion on my left foot, so this is usually a problem area for me. Happily, the width of these shoes has not been an issue for me. The knitted composition of the Everlane Day Glove ReKnit has just the right amount of give, that it doesn’t feel like there’s any intense stretching across the foot.

While the actual rubber sole of the shoe is visibly narrower than the width of my foot, it’s not something I noticed when I slipped them on.

QUALITY

One of the things that I’ve really paid attention to over the last 12 months, is when brands incorporate recycled materials from single-use items (like plastic bottles) into their products. And honestly, that was what really intrigued me about the Everlane Day Glove ReKnit. There’s quite a large recycled plastic component; each of these shoes contains the plastic from eight bottles, which I have to admit is pretty cool.

Like the original style, they’re super lightweight. The rubber sole is ultra flexible and aside from the sturdy (faux?) leather backing at the heel, they look like they’d pack down quite flat, making these a good option for travel.

The knitted fabric feels thick but malleable. The actual threads appear to be tightly woven and don’t give when you try to stretch the fabric out between your fingers. One thing I’m not 100% sure on though? Is how breathable they are. It’s currently winter in Sydney so my extremities are cold 99% of the time. Not exactly the best time to judge, though I wouldn’t expect a shoe that’s made from synthetic materials to be entirely breathable. Obviously, I’ve not been able to put these to the test in that regard and will be sure to keep this updated as time goes on. What I will say is that I’ve found them comfortable from a temperature standpoint so far. Despite having no visible ventilation as such, my feet haven’t felt cold or hot when wearing these.

Finally, I love that they’ve kept the rubber sole. I’ve worn my original day gloves loads, and found this to be very hard-wearing. I’ve had those well over six months now and while I don’t reach for them as regularly now, they’ve been worn loads with no loss of integrity to the sole.

DESIGN

Upfront, I have to admit that style-wise, these aren’t my favourite when it comes to ballet flats. I much prefer something that has a more classic silhouette, like these ones from Porselli.

The vamp comes up incredibly high which is great if you don’t like toe cleavage, and also helps to keep your foot secure in the shoes. I do like the almond toe, which I find to be much more flattering that a rounded toe design, though I have found that combined with the high vamp this does have the effect of making your feet appear longer.

Being made from a soft, knitted material, and having a glove-like appearance does mean that these will mould to the shape of your foot – bunions and all.

My favourite design detail on these shoes is the weave of the reknit fabric. It has a subtle – but visible – vertical stripe effect at the toe which curves up at the sides. There’s a small ‘hem’ or strip around the opening of the shoe which is slightly elasticated, which helps to slip these on and off, in addition to a leather pull tab at the heel.

One last thing to note; there isn’t any in-built support in the sole of the shoe so if you suffer from flat feet, these might not be the right style for you. There is a small amount of cushioning however I think you could easily add in an in-sole I you needed extra support, and I do like that there’s a little bit of padding at the heel – it feels little like a cushion for your heel!

HOW TO STYLE THEM

Because of my hesitations with the design, I do find these a little trickier to style despite their simple and sleek silhouette. As the vamp comes up quite high, I like to show off a little bit of extra ankle for a more flattering effect.

With skinny jeans and an oversized sweater | This is a failsafe combo for any shoe, but I find it works really with the Everlane Day Glove ReKnit flats. Particularly if your denim is the same colour as the shoes – it’ll have a leg-lengthening effect.

With a summer dress | I got my leather pair of day gloves in the summer, so naturally found wearing them with a summer dress an easy option. I feel like some of the lighter colours lend really well to this, particularly the red and yellow options.

With a shirt and skirt combo | Versatility is something I look for a lot when adding to my wardrobe, and I like that these can easily be worn dressed up or down. These look great paired with a knee-length a-line skirt (or even this current fave which is a bit shorter), and a crisp cotton shirt for a more tailored look.

HOW DO THEY COMPARE TO THE LEATHER DAY GLOVES?

From the outside, these two shoes look exactly the same, but the devil is in the details.

I’ve put a hold on wearing my leather day gloves as I found particularly on warmer days. They just became a bit too uncomfortable to wear, particularly if my feet swell up from the heat. They’re fine for an hour or two, but they’re far from my first choice.

I do appreciate that if you have a narrow foot, then the original day gloves are probably great for you. Everlane shoes do run narrow as a general rule, so that’s something to keep in mind.

The ReKnit pair on the other hand feel different on. They don’t pull or tug across the foot, nor is there any sections which feel tight or dig in when worn. I’m going to talk about this a little more in the next section, but these are my recommendation if you want something that feels ultra comfortable and aren’t too fussed on whether the shoes are composed of leather or recycled plastic. Oh, and they’re the better option if you’re a wide feet gal like myself.

WOULD I RECOMMEND THE EVERLANE DAY GLOVE REKNIT FLATS?

The million-dollar question; are the Everlane Day Glove ReKnit flats worth it?

I spent many years believing the breaking in period was a rite of passage when buying new shoes. These however, required no such thing. They were comfortable from the get go. I’ve been wearing them for the last four days and haven’t had a single blister. In fact, it’s felt a little like wearing socks.

They’re designed to be lightweight, which makes them a practical choice for walking, and I’ve so far been impressed with the quality of the rubber soles, based on my experience with my leather day gloves.

My favourite aspect of the shoes is that they’re made with repurposed plastic; it’s great to see Everlane take another step in their commitment to remove virgin plastics from their supply chain. Plus, it sets a great example for other brands.

I feel like the only real factor in whether these are a good buy is the style. The high vamp and glove-like design is a matter of personal preference. While it’s not my first choice, I can appreciate the sheer simplicity, even if I do find them a little more difficult than a classic ballet flat to style.

While I was lucky enough to be gifted these, would I buy them? Ultimately, yes. I love that unlike the original leather day gloves, they accommodate my wide feet and I don’t experience a compressing sensation across my foot. They’re well-made, functional, and a practical choice for travelling – especially if you’re planning on clocking up those steps.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below, and I hope that you found this post useful! x

Please note that while these shoes were very kindly gifted to me, I was under no obligation to write this post or share these with you. For further transparency I do want to mention that I have been collaborating with Everlane on a monthly basis, however this review is not part of that partnership nor was I compensated in any way for sharing my thoughts.