Depending on your taste as an individual, the best option can either be a pair of Toms or Keds.
Deciding on which pair of shoes to buy for yourself can be a bit tricky if you don’t know what you want you to want and why you want it. But then, that is why you are checking this out. I assure you, you are in the right place.
Both Keds and Toms are good pair of shoes I would recommend as a “must-have” for anyone into the idea of looking classy whilst simple.
Which one is the best?
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If I am less conscious about my sense of fashion and I want a pair of shoes that are affordable and easy to wear Toms would be my first option because I wouldn’t have to worry about shoelaces.
If I were fashion conscious and I don’t mind splashing a bit more money on a shoe that is comfortable and stylish I would bet my money on a pair of Keds.
I would pick a pair of Keds over Toms because as much as I love Minimalism, I don’t think I Iike the idea of walking the streets and having my shoes slip from my legs from behind.
Features of Keds
- Different designs and colors
- Variety of colors
- Affordable price
- Functionality
- Good arch support
Different designs and colors
Keds is most popular for their “champion original” line, but over the years they have gone on to create several designs in different colors.
This is an attempt to keep their customers engaged and find new ways to serve their customers better.
Due to this, Keds has partnered with several companies including the Rifle Paper. Co whose collaboration produced the flower-patterned pair of shoes.
Ked also produces several of its designs in different colors for its fashioned conscious lovers, i.e, the women’s champion originals in different colors.
Variety of Styles
As I said earlier Ked has moved from producing their “Champion Original” for women that made them popular into other variety of styles for their customers.
Some of their other designs would include tall sneakers like the “studio jumper” and the glittering version of different colors.
They have also gone into leather such as the “double-decker leather” and the scout boot such as the “women’s scout boot”, “women’s copper zip bootie”.
There are so many styles to choose from in different designs and different colors.
Affordable Price
For Keds to have remained in business for such a long time, they are definitely doing something right. Nothing beats a business that offers quality products at affordable prices.
Ked products are super affordable, you can get them within the average price range between $50 and $100.
This makes it a “go-to” product for everyone that wishes to wear something nice without spending tons of money.
Functionality
Keds meet the customer expectations in terms of performance, they are basic in design because these are shoes made for comfort and Keds deliver on that.
What are you getting a Ked for? Is it for walking, is it for hiking, is it for running? Name anything you want a Ked for and you will get a Ked Product that fits your purpose without burning a hole in your pocket.
Good arch support
Keds despite being of a rubber sole can boast of good arch support. This makes it easy for people with foot conditions to wear without being stressed out.
From the onset, Keds support structure for the feet has not changed. This makes Ked comfortable shoes that you can walk around in because your feet are well supported.
Features of Toms
- Barefoot heels
- Extremely comfortable
- Classic
- Slip-on effect
Barefoot Feel
Many people have said that while wearing a pair of Toms, they forgot they had footwear on because it felt like they were walking barefoot.
Toms are great pairs of shoes because their flat soles allow you to walk as though you were barefoot. The sole of Toms is rubber which allows for flexible movement of the foot.
Extremely comfortable
Toms are extremely comfortable to wear. This is the watchword of most shoe buyers which is what makes Toms a “go-to” choice.
Being made of rubber, canvas, and recycled materials, Toms are just what you need if you want to be comfortable. They are so comfortable that you can walk around in them all day.
If you are one with big feet, it could be right at first but within hours to a few days, it fits your legs perfectly and adjusts to your size.
Classic
Toms are of timeless quality, it’s a simple design, feel and look that makes it one of the best shoes you would ever get.
If you desire to look stylish, without making it look like you ransacked your entire wardrobe, getting a pair of Toms would be the best option for you.
Also, Toms has a lot of classic designs in different colors that will appeal to you.
Slip-on effect
Toms is credited for maximizing the slip-on effect to its advantage. It’s the real slip ons that you just slide your feet into and you are good to go without trying to tie anything.
Toms are modeled after this, the only difference is that Toms has the front of the shoes covering the toes, you can easily slide your feet into a pair of Toms and be good for the rest of the day.
This particular feature is what Toms is especially known for amongst its lovers.
Similarities between Keds and Toms
- Lightweight
- Super comfy
- Minimalist
- Versatile
- Easy to maintain
- Price
Lightweight
Due to the simplicity and basic designs of both Keds and Toms, both shoes are lightweight. They are not heavy, containing no extra bulk, just canvas and rubber soles with a little bit of technicality doing their work.
They are not heavy to carry around in case you decide to wear them somewhere else. Keds and Toms are not only easy to wear because of their lightweight, but their lightweight also makes them compressible.
Super Comfy
The most common similarity between Keds and Toms is that both shoes are very comfortable, they are so easy to wear and walk around that you often don’t feel the strain of wearing the shoes around.
Their strong point lies in their comfortability because no one wants to spend their hard-earned money to buy a pair of shoes that are not going to be comfortable. These two shoes deliver on the money spent on them.
Minimalist
Do you want to look good, stylish, or classy with only the barest minimum effort? Both Keds and Toms are your best bet.
You don’t have to spend so much to get a pair of Toms or Keds to look good. Keds and Toms are the definitions of fashion in their essence.
Both brands of shoes have taken their time to produce shoes that meet your basic need yet look good in them.
Versatile
Nothing beats a brand of shoes that is not restricted to a particular style of dressing, Keds and Toms can be paired with almost any style.
It’s so versatile, that even if Keds tend to lean a bit on the feminist side, both brands of shoes can be worn by both men and women without reducing the masculine look or the feminine look.
Easy to Maintain
It’s one thing to buy shoes and it’s another to maintain it. Both shoes are actually easy to maintain.
Since they are made of canvas, they can be washed with the appropriate soap required. Their basic design makes it easier for it to be well maintained which is important when you are trying to get any shoes.
Price
Both Keds and Toms are similar when it comes to their prices. They both offer good quality at great prices and this makes it the first choice for people that are budget conscious and style conscious.
Differences between Keds and Toms
- Unisex factor
- Difference in price
- Easy management
- Grip
- Durability
Unisex Factor
Keds originally started out as a business catering to the needs of the everyday woman, their aim was to make life easier for women.
Years into business and with pop culture, it’s safe to say that men can now wear Keds without feeling emasculated.
This doesn’t change the fact that Keds as a company is not making any consideration to include menswear in its line.
It has stayed true to its brand which is entirely focused on women. The good thing here is that somehow Keds design has a unisex undertone which makes it appeal to the other gender and makes it easy for men to wear if they want to.
As a matter of fact, Keds were worn by basketball players in the 1900s, before the likes of Adidas, Air Jordan and Nike took over.
This serves to show that even though Keds are originally made for women, men can also rock them. From the onset, Toms has been Unisex and this makes it easy because both genders can wear it.
Toms was made with social good in mind, so not a lot of thought went into who they wanted to serve.
It was simple, the shoes that will be reproduced has to simple yet stylish and that they achieved, both gender likes simple things and that is why it’s still a trendy product till today.
Difference in price
As much as Keds and Toms are similar in their prices, they also differ in the prices.
For example, most of the Keds that cost an average of $60 are usually their original designs such as the women’s champions originals.
To get the Ked products that are co-branded (they have a collaboration with another brand to produce a particular design) you will have to spend a bit more as much as 100 dollars if you are that fashion conscious.
Toms are within the price range of $50.
Easy management
Most people keep complaining about how Toms’ shoes smell because of their materials and the way it retains smell.
The proposed solution to this is that when you want to wear a pair of Toms, you should wear a pair of socks along with it because it goes a long way in making the shoes easier to manage.
If you don’t like the idea of socks peeping out from under your shoes, you can get half socks. Most people don’t have the same complaint when it comes to Keds.
The materials used in both brands make a lot of difference in how their customers view them.
Grip
The grip in Toms is not strong enough such that when you have pair of Toms more than half-inch your size, it can easily fall off your feet.
Unlike the Keds, the Toms has no grip technique across the feet that can be used to make make the hold on the feet firmer.
Because of this, it’s often advised that whoever wants to get a pair of Toms should get a size less than an inch of their real size.
When it is worn, the shoes over time stretches to become the perfect size. Keds has shoelaces that allow you to get the degree of firmness that you want by tying it even if this shoe is more than half an inch your size.
Durability
Most people don’t consider Toms durable enough for their taste. The quality of the materials plays a role in this.
Most importantly, why you are getting the shoe and the purpose you want it to serve is important.
Keds don’t face the same criticism because even though both brands of shoes belong to the same range of minimalism, Toms are minimalist than Keds.
The rubber soles in Keds are bulkier than those in Toms which is what makes Keds a good shoe for arch support.
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