These new upcycled knit boots from Everlane fit like a glove - here's what 5 women thought about its new sock-like ankle boot
- Everlane's Glove Boot ($155) is a sleek boot made with stretchy, sustainable knit fabric and a walkable heel for all-day comfort.
- Five women on the Insider Picks team tested the boots out to see how they fared in person.
- Like the Day Glove flats, the Glove Boots were an instant hit. We loved the look and feel of these unique knit booties, and we're definitely excited to wear them this fall. You can find our more in-depth reviews below.
Fall is just around the corner. Whether you're excitedly awaiting the arrival of pumpkin spice everything or mourning the departure of longer, sunnier days, it's time to swap out those lightweight flip-flops for footwear that's a little more substantial.
Luckily, Everlane is back this fall with another boot that you're going to want to add to your wardrobe.
The Glove Boot is a timeless ankle boot with a trendy twist. The silhouette mimics Everlane's popular Day Boot, but instead of leather, the shoe is made of a ribbed knit that molds to your feet like a glove (or a sock). The shoes come in five colors with a mix of fall neutrals and statement shades: Black, Toffee, Bone, Tomato, and Cobalt.
Finding a boot that fits everyone who wears it like a glove can be a tough feat, but that's the essence of this aptly-named shoe. The Glove Boot features Everlane's textured, sustainable ReKnit fabric which is made from upcycled plastic bottles ; each pair contains nine of them. Not only is this fabric eco-friendly, but it's super comfortable with tons of stretch that forms to your feet. Like your favorite ribbed knit sweater, you get the perfect balance of security and breathability where you need it most.
Thanks to the stretchy knit construction, the boot won't gape at your ankles. Instead, it'll stretch with you as you move. The contoured shape of the shoe gives it a chic silhouette, like the sock booties you've probably seen before.
A chunky, two-inch heel gives you some height, while still being very walkable. It's even cut to hit just above your ankle for an even more leg-lengthening look, whether you choose to pair it with a mini skirt or flared jeans.
Considering the style, sustainable production, and thoughtful design, $155 doesn't seem like an overreach. But Everlane has already dubbed them their most flattering boot yet, so we wanted to try them for ourselves to see if they lived up to the hype and felt worthy of the price tag.
Read our individual thoughts of the new Glove Boot ReKnit below:
Sally Kaplan, editor
These boots are unbelievably comfortable. The sock-like upper gives your foot room to breathe and adjust but doesn't let them slip around. I have this issue with my socks bunching up at my toes making me unable to wiggle or move them at all in heeled boots, but that wasn't the case here. The detailing of the leather strip in the back is visually beautiful, but does rub again the heel slightly (not enough to cause blisters, thanks to socks that came just over my heel.
The heel is just high enough to make the shoe feel polished but not so high that it hurts my arches or ankles. In fact, they just feel like walking in ultra-comfy flat boots. Ever a loyalist to neutral colors, I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried the blue pair (Cookie Monster blue, as we've dubbed it), which I only have a tinge of regret about. I'm planning on putting together some crazy monochrome outfits this fall using my Rent the Runway closet, but so far, I've just paired these with black jeans and a white tee.
Jada Wong, editor
Judging from the look of the ribbed material and low two-inch heel, I wasn't hesitant at all to wear it right out of the box. And I was right - the boots were super comfortable and felt like I was basically wearing socks all day. But a lot chicer and more socially acceptable.
The two-inch heel is walkable for me; I rarely wear anything higher than that and usually stick to sneakers most of the time. The stretchy ribbed fabric is comfortable and molds against my feet, which I've discovered are not photogenic or pretty at all. I wish there was a little bit more structure in the toe box because of this, though it would probably make the boots slightly less comfortable.
And this might just be a me issue, but I do have trouble taking off the boots. Because the shaft is higher than most of my other ankle boots, I can't kick them off so I actually have to use my hands to take them off. But whenever I do, I also wind up ripping my socks off too. Not a big deal, but one of those small annoying issues that I don't have to deal with my other shoes.
Remi Rosmarin, reporter
The sock boot may be of the moment, but it's not a trend I've ever really gravitated towards. I love the sleek look of a leather or suede boot, and truthfully, I don't love the look or feel of a boot that's really fitted around my ankle. I was hesitant, given my shoe preferences, that I would like Everlane's latest launch. But, the Glove Boot ReKnit has surprised me - it offers all the style of a trendy sock boot with much more comfortable and flattering details.
The ribbed knit is actually a really nice material for a boot. It's easy to slip into, slide out of, and molds to your feet in all the right places. There's a little suede backing at the heel, which gives the shoe a defined silhouette and means you don't have to worry about not having enough support from the knit alone. The two-inch heel is the perfect height for everyday activities, plus it's chunky enough to walk in comfortably even if you hate walking in any footwear besides a sneaker.
The boot hits just above my ankle, and while it feels fitted, it's not tightly hugging my leg. There's no gape, but there's still enough space for me to wiggle around, which I think is much more flattering. I found the inside of these shoes really spacious. I felt like I could have used a thicker pair of socks in my usual size 7, but I likely will need to play around with which socks pair best for the most comfortable fit. Overall, I think these will be a fun addition to my fall wardrobe in their bright red color.
Caitlin Petreycik, updates editor
Having zero experience with non-sneaker knit footwear, I was curious to see if the whole no-break-in-time thing was true. Turns out, it's almost true; while Everlane's Glove Boots have a lot more give than your typical leather booties, they do have strips of tougher material running up the backs, which rubbed against my heels as my feet shifted around. That being said, I took them on a three hour test run, and would describe any discomfort I felt by the end of the night as minor, which is pretty remarkable for straight-out-of-the-box heels.
The "tomato" color is definitely a Good Red, and, in my opinion, the perfect foil to fall earth tones (I wore my Glove Boots with this Alex Mill jumpsuit). And, despite the boots' flexible material, there was no gaping at the top - the thick knit felt snug around my ankles. But, speaking of snug, these shoes do force you to consider your sock choices; a cushy low-cut pair caused some major VSL, while '70s-style striped tube socks (my go-to ankle boot move) resulted in a sock-on-sock effect against the booties' rib detailing. Styling experiments aside, I'm excited to wear these super-walkable boots through the fall.
Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy
My initial testing notes for the Glove Boot ReKnit are very similar to those I had for the Day Glove ReKnit when it launched in May 2019. In our team's review of the flats, I said that "there's absolutely no break-in time needed." That's very much true of the Glove Boots, too. I was also cautiously optimistic about how well the flats' flexible knit upper would maintain its shape over time, but it has held up surprisingly well with consistent wear these last four months, and I expect the same to hold true for the boots.
I've only worn the Glove Boots a couple of times around the office and my apartment, but everything I love about the Day Gloves is present, and the heel is the perfect 'not too low, not too high' height. I'll update my review once I've had more time to wear them, specifically in colder weather since they're not meant to be worn with thick socks, but so far they seem like another comfortable addition to Everlane's growing footwear lineup.