The Cutest Flip-Flops Don’t Always Have to Be the Most Expensive: Teva Olowahu Review

Even if you have your everyday go-to flip-flops, sometimes you want to dress it up a little and want something a little different. Maybe you’re headed to a trendy pool party or an island wedding like I was. Fashionable shoes can sometimes equal big bucks, but they don’t have to. Maybe, just maybe, you can have it all — cute shoes and a cute price. 

In short: Teva’s Olowahu flip-flops offer a strappy design that is a unique alternative to your traditional Y-strap flips and is perfect for those who want to mix up their wardrobe with something that has the versatility to be dressed up or down — without spending a ton of money. These are great for a party, brunch, or running around town, but aren’t necessarily the best footwear for your hardcore adventures.

Teva Olowahu Flip-Flops Review

I’ll admit it — I’m a girl who likes saving money when I can. But … I still like nice things. When I first unboxed these flip-flops, one of my first thoughts was that they looked pricier than their $34 MSRP. That was my first big moment of love for these. 

Color Options

If they’re cheap, you can buy more of them in different colors, right? Isn’t that how girl math works? They do come in five different colors, including the colorful Refract Multi, which I tried. They also offer a plain black in these if you’re looking for a more basic color that you can pair with anything. 

Perfect for the Wedding

I had friends who were having an island wedding in St. Croix, USVI, so I needed the perfect shoes for that occasion. I was easily able to pair these with a little tropical sundress for the wedding, and they looked amazing. These definitely amplified my outfit more than my everyday flip-flops could have.

These shoes brought the beach vibes, but also brought the “I care enough about your wedding to step it up a little and not look like a beach bum like I do a lot of days” vibes, too. 

The straps on these are really what sets them apart from the rest — they’re not your standard Y-strap flip-flops that have the straps attaching at three points on the shoe. These straps attach to the footbed at seven different points, so aside from the coolness factor of the strappier design, they do have more straps to hold your feet in securely, too. 

Sustainability

As a bonus, those super-cute straps are made from REPREVE polyester yarn that is made from recycled plastic. So, instead of those water bottles ending up in the ocean, you get to wear them on your feet. I totally love when buying new shoes helps save the planet at the same time! 

What I Didn’t Love

There was one tiny aspect of those straps that I wish was a little different, though — the toe post. That’s the strap that goes between your big toe and the rest of your toes. A lot of other flip-flops I’ve tried over the years have the widest part of the strap cradle that area between your big toe and second toe, but this one had the thinnest edge of the strap positioned to meet the skin in that spot. 

That’s kind of a sensitive area, and the thinner edge creates a rub on that spot. I noticed it some when I walked for extended periods of time, but I noticed it most when I had my legs dangling in the pool and got these shoes wet. When I tried walking around in them afterward, the wet straps created a rub between my toes that I didn’t love.

Luckily, though, the straps dry quickly. After wearing these for a couple of months, I realized that the straps softened up some, and this wasn’t really as big of an issue after they were a little more broken in. I still love when the toe post has the wider side lying between your toes, though, so I do see that as an area of improvement for these shoes. 

What I Did Love

Other than that temporary rub between my toes, the Teva Olowahu flip-flops didn’t cause me any discomfort. The Mush topsole was comfy, and the bottoms of my feet had no complaints.

It didn’t offer much in terms of texture on the footbed, but I don’t feel that’s really important if you aren’t using them extensively in the water. They weren’t slick when wearing them on dry land, and I never felt like I would slide off of them in just my daily wear. 

The tread on the sole did what I needed it to do too. I wore these in the sand, on concrete, and in the water. There is a little texture on the sole, but it isn’t as great as some others I’ve tried that had more traction for aquatic and adventure activities.

Let’s face it, though — these aren’t water shoes, so they don’t really need a super textured sole. I haven’t seen the wear and tear yet, but I could see the sole on this one wearing out quicker than other flip-flops that have a sole with more traction. 

Teva also touts that these shoes don’t stink. Literally — they don’t smell. The Teva Olowahu flip-flops are treated with a peppermint-based anti-odor treatment. Don’t worry though — the shoes don’t smell like candy canes, and your feet won’t be smelling like Christmas. They actually don’t smell like anything. 

Aside from my trip to St. Croix, I wore these in the blazing Florida heat on dry land and in the water. I also got them dirty in the sand and dirt from the yard. After months of wearing them, I don’t smell anything.

Maybe my feet were never stinky to begin with, or maybe their efforts worked. Either way, it’s an appreciated extra touch to offer an extra level of insurance that I didn’t end up being the girl with stinky feet at that outdoor wedding. Nobody wants to be that girl. 

Conclusion

If you’re looking for affordable flip-flops that are more unique than your basic everyday ones, you’ll love these. Whether you’re just looking to mix up your wardrobe, or you have a special occasion, these strappy flip-flops will get you lots of compliments wherever you go. 

These are also a good option for those looking for a sustainable flip-flop option, since these are partially made from recycled water bottles. 

These shoes bring more to the table in terms of fashion than function, though. If you’re wearing these just running around on a daily basis, or to a special event, these are totally fine. If you’re going to be doing hardcore adventures, these aren’t the ones for you. These serve their intended purpose well but aren’t made for any activities where you feel like you need extra grip or stability.

I’ve seen these for sale on Amazon and REI’s website. These are also available on Teva’s site. If you feel like you want to try them on, that’s also where you can find retailers near you that have them in stock. There’s nothing weird about the sizing, though.

Like most flip-flops, these only come in full sizes, leaving us half-sizers having to make that tough decision of which way to go. I always size up a half-size, though, and that worked perfectly for me with these shoes.