One of my most read blog posts of all time has been my Swedish Hasbeens review, which was less than stellar. I’ve been wearing my Agnetas for a little over a year and I’ve just bought another pair of Hasbeens in a different style so I thought it was time for a Swedish Hasbeens review follow-up post.
I stand by my original (mostly negative) Swedish Hasbeens review. I still think Hasbeens are grossly overpriced, I still wouldn’t order directly from the Swedish Hasbeens website at full price, and they’re still uncomfortable as hell.
So why did I order another pair of these awful shoes?
Every fashionable girl has her achilles heel ;-)
Mostly, they’re just so retro fabulous that I can’t resist them! And no other shoes, not even my Louboutins or my handmade Santoni boots make my legs look as long and lean as my Swedish Hasbeens :)
My Swedish Hasbeens Agnetas were torture for the first few months, but I eventually managed to break them in by wearing them at home with thick socks and massaging the leather with Vaseline. I’ve also found a pair of insoles that fit just the balls of my feet, which give enough cushioning to make the wooden soles bearable on medium distance walks.
Living in the city, I walk everywhere, so comfort and practicality are important, but I still like to look stylish. One thing I love about my Swedish Hasbeens is that the heels are wide enough to safely navigate cobblestones… a must in Europe!
Swedish Hasbeens are still in my opinion 100% not worth €200, which is the average going price on their website for a pair of high heels. They are however worth €100 – €125, and with some persistence, it’s possible to find them in that price range or even less on sites like Amazon, ASOS, and YOOX, or if you’re willing to brave Swedish Hasbeens abysmal return policy and terrible customer service, on their own website during their end of season sales which discount some styles up to 70%!
Swedish Hasbeens sizing is also tricky because it varies widely by style, and being a European brand, they don’t make half sizes, and if you’re a solid 37.5 like me, that can be an issue. Therefore, given Swedish Hasbeens’ customer service, which in my experience truly sucks, it’s best to order from a place that has great customer service and a good returns policy.
My Second Pair of Swedish Hasbeens
I generally buy neutral colors first because they’re the most versatile. My first Louis Vuitton bag was black. My first (and last) pair of Christian Louboutins was black. My first pair of Swedish Hasbeens was black. In building a lasting wardrobe, I think it’s best to start with the basics and branch out from there.
So, my second pair of Swedish Hasbeens is natural leather. The style is called Snake Sandal and like all Swedish Hasbeens, they have footbed made of sustainably sourced wood (lime tree), and rubber soles. The Snake Sandal is considered a “Super High” style, the heels are only 8.5 cm (3.3 inches) to the Agnetas’ “Sky High” 9.5 cm (3.7 inches), and they’re equally difficult to walk in because of the rigid wooden soles. I think the Snake Sandal has a slightly more 70s vibe than the Agneta, and I love them for that reason.
My Swedish Hasbeens natural leather Snake Sandals right out of the box!
The leather is stiff, just like it was on my Agnetas when they first arrived, but now I know how to break in Swedish Hasbeens like a boss… thick socks and lots of Vaseline!!! Swedish Hasbeens also recommend rubbing olive oil onto their natural leather styles.
I took their advice and the olive oil darkened up the natural leather nicely and brought out its lovely grain. The natural leather also darkens with sun exposure, so on sunny days, I set my Hasbeens out on the balcony to tan.
My Swedish Hasbeens natural leather Snake Sandals after some olive oil and time in the sun!
A definite downside of Swedish Hasbeens is that the wooden soles chip. The first time I wore my Agnetas out, I came back with a chunk missing from the heel. Since I’d only walked to the grocery store and back, I’m not sure how it happened, but it did.
Customer service recommends gluing the chip back into place, but what are the chances of actually finding the chipped bit so you can glue it back on? I’ve thought about sanding it down, but I’m afraid I’ll just make a bigger mess. I think of it as patina.
Will there be a third Swedish Hasbeens review?
Most likely. Despite all of my complaining, my Hasbeens are the shoes I wear most often. After I cover my neutral bases, my next choice is usually red, and I’d love a pair of red Swedish Hasbeens Fredricas.
Red Fredrica – swedishhasbeens.com… my next pair?
I find Swedish Hasbeens to be incredibly versatile because they look great in the summer with bare legs, and also look fabulous in the autumn and winter with tights.
So, while Swedish Hasbeens have some definite downsides, my advice is that if you can’t resist their awesome retro fabulousness, go ahead and scratch the itch. However, never pay full price, don’t order directly from Hasbeens’ website unless it’s at a deep discount and you’re 100% sure of your size, and don’t expect to be able to wear them right out of the box.
Tell me about your Swedish Hasbeens!
Do you have a pair (or a collection) of Swedish Hasbeens? What’s your experience? What do you think of my Swedish Hasbeens review? I’d love to hear from my shoe sisters :-)
If you’re in the US, Amazon has a decent selection of Swedish Hasbeens. This will save you on crazy shipping fees from Sweden, and sometimes you can find certain styles or colors deeply discounted.
actionwoman68 says
I had a pair of the sky high ones back in 2009 while I lived in Hong Kong and they were only comfy with the gel foot pad at the ball of my feet but very easy to walk in. I’ve since discovered Sven clogs (made in the US), which are more comfortable and just as stylish. Plus you can choose your heel height and color/finish of leather. I bought mine in a little Brooklyn boutique but they can be ordered from the website, too.
Sage says
I hadn’t heard of Sven clogs until you mentioned them and now I want a pair! It doesn’t look like they ship to Europe, though :(
Amy says
Boo! Sometimes there are disadvantages to living abroad, but I bet you could find another Euro brand. My Swedish coworker always tells me clogs are for Swedish peasants and thinks it’s bizarre that New Yorkers wear them, so that makes me think there must be cheaper, more comfy brands there.
Tee says
I’ve never heard of Swedish Hasbeens until now. I like the style, but it’s a shame about the chipped soles, especially since they’re so expensive.
Rhia says
If you want very similar clogs with more affordable prices, I recommend Moheda Toffeln or Lotta from Stockholm. Moheda is Swedish, over 100 years old business, selling pretty much identical clogs, but much more lower prices. And so does LofS. I also encourage you to try slightly lower heel, those might be a bit comfier than extremely high clogs. Allthough I think clogs are not meant for long walks, but more just for short trips like popping up to the corner shop.
Sage says
Thank you for mentioning Moheda Toffeln, I hadn’t heard of them before. I knew about Lotta from Stockholm, but I haven’t found a DK stockist and don’t want to chance ordering from the UK and having to return them. I will try them though sometime when I visit my inlaws and can ship them back from within the UK.
I think you’re right about clogs not being meant for long walks, but being 5’2″ in a tall country, I like my heels and clogs are better than most of the alternatives.
Cassie @ Southeast by Midwest says
I’ve never heard of Swedish Hasbeens before and I can honestly say you are more persistent that I would have been. First off the wooden soles would just be to uncomfortable for me, especially since as a cosmetology student I spend so much of my time standing, but aside from that I just wouldn’t have purchased another pair from a company that has such terrible customer service. That being said, I am very interested in why your Louboutins were your last ones. Was it the cost or comfort?
Sage says
If I had easier access to some of the brands mentioned in previous comments, I might not have given Hasbeens another try. But I can’t be too picky because Denmark is a small market and it’s not as easy to get things here as it is in other places. And let’s just say that the local selection isn’t exactly in line with my personal style.
I wrote about my Louboutins and posted pictures here: http://www.sageandsimple.com/2013/10/christian-louboutin-quality-review/
Emerald Denise (@PinkkBalloons) says
I’m a stickler for comfort, so I don’t know if I’d try these. From an aesthetic point of view, they are really cute and I know that there is no replacement for a nice heeled shoe. I really like the red ones too! :)
eranfaraway says
I found your blog while searching for honest reviews of Swedish Hasbeens! Based on your review I waited for a deep discount from a seller with free returns and ordered a pair of the Lacy Platform Sandals in natural. As much as I love them I am so happy I didn’t pay full price! They really do “patina” easily which I suppose is a cost for walking on natural materials but it pains me every time I see a new nick! I had great success breaking them in with a saddle conditioner made by Leather Therapy. The wood soles are hard but they are comfortable enough that I ran around San Francisco in them for three consecutive days. My husband tells me olive, mink and many other oils actually rot leather over time, and I must say I have had happy results with my leather shoes, couch and saddles with the Leather Therapy restorer. I’m not sure if it’s available in Denmark, but I know it is in the UK. If you try it I hope it gives you a less painful break in process!
Sage says
I’m glad my review helped you :)
Thanks for the Leather Therapy recommendation, I’ve just added it to my ever growing list of things to buy next time I’m in England (or to ask my inlaws to bring over to DK with them).
I’m impressed that you were able to get three consecutive days of city wear out of your Hasbeens. I think my feet are spoiled because I work from home and wear a well-loved pair of Birkenstock clogs around the house.
TravelingWellForLess (@TravelWell4Less) says
I love a review that tells it like it is. Dang girl, you’ve got a pair of Louboutins? Those Swedish Hasbeens look adorable. I’m too much of a klutz for a spiky heel but I could totally rock those Hasbeens. Although, I wouldn’t be excited if my heels chipped.
Eileen says
I have never heard of these Swedish Hasbeens until now. Although they are a bit pricey, I think they look very nice! I love leather strappy sandals and clogs, but I am a bit worried about comfort when it comes to the wood sole. Thanks for the idea of using olive oil to soften the leather. I’m going to remember that the next time I buy leather sandals.
Sage says
They’re adorable, but there’s definitely a reason most shoes aren’t made out of wood!
If you need to soften a new pair of shoes, I recommend Vaseline, or maybe the Leather Therapy mentioned in a comment above. Olive oil helps to condition natural leather, deepen its color, and bring out its natural grain, but I haven’t had much luck using it to soften leather.
jaymesmommy2004 says
I have never heard of these Swedish Hasbeens shoes before but they are beautiful. I wouldn’t pay that for for any shoes thought. I love how the leather darkened and think they look better that way. I like your tips for softening the leather and will be using that on future leather sandals. I love the looks of wooden soles and now want to buy a new pair of shoes.
Kristy says
I’m not familiar with the Hasbeens shoes. I have to say, if you’re willing to give a shoe two tries, then they must be something. I love the way they look! The wood is heel is so stylish. Love those red ones!
Jasmine Espinal says
Nothing better than finding a pair of shoes that you love! These are so pretty! I would love to see them with little white bobby socks and a midi skirt or with a pair of flared jeans and a slouchy sweeter for fall. Love them!
Kate Hamernik says
I had never heard of this brand until reading about them here. I absolutely LOVE how they look after the oil and time in the sun. It is smart to build a quality, lasting, classic wardrobe. I wish I knew this earlier. I would for sure be buying a 3rd pair if I was you! Life is short, buy the shoes.
kiki says
I’ve had a pair of the Braided clogs in Sky High since 2012, and they’re one of the very very few pairs of heels that doesn’t aggravate a couple of my toes that are partially numb (suuuper glamorous but true, thank you years of shoving my feet into crazy heels as a teen). I do recall there being a break-in period, but that’s part of the life-cycle of any high-quality product. It’s raw leather and should mold to your own foot – getting it wet and wearing them until they dry can speed up the process, but it’s usually just down to a few weeks of toughing it out and then it’s smooth sailing from there. I honestly don’t think I can recall having bought any ‘investment’ shoes in recent years that didn’t require a little initial effort on that front!
I can understand the frustrations with customer service and inconsistent sizing. I ordered mine through Endless (rip), so that wasn’t part of my experience at all and is kinda a bummer to hear.
bikegrrl says
I just ordered my third pair of SH shoes: 1) Strappy Plateau in black – EXCELLENT in winter and with socks, 2) Cross Strap Debutante in natural – mostly use as summer sandal, and recently 3) Husbands in green – and you are right, they are challenging, but addictive. The tall wooden soles are actually great for keeping you above the rain and snow and mud. The styles and colors are terrific, but nice to hear about the softening techniques. (Beats running over them with a car as recommended in a YouTube about softening Doc Marten’s. LOL) Ordering the last pair from the actual Swedish Hasbeens website was farcical, but I persisted and got the ones I wanted. Probably something to do with the Sweden >> Florida shipping place communication. I just kinda love them…
Anna Uliassi says
Found your post while trying to search for ways to break in my Hasbeens. This is my 3rd pair of Swedish clogs, and the first I’m terrified to wear as they seem really uncomfortable. I don’t remember this issue with my SH mules or my Lotta sandals. This pair is the t-strap sky high. Hoping for the best! I wear my other 2 pairs ALL the time with minimal discomfort.
Kerry says
I love your review. I ordered a pair of Kringlan, and after 2 weeks of (patiently) waiting I emailed customer service to see when my gorg shoes would be shipped.
SHB’s reply: “Thank you for your e-mail. No your order has not been shipped yet. Have a lovely day!”
Polite, but not what I asked. so I replied: Hi, any idea when it will be sent?
SGB’s reply: “Unfortunately not but you will get a shipping confirmation when it is done. Thank you!”
What the hell!!? After reading your review I am now worried they are going to be too small – when they eventually arrive!!
Fingers crossed!
Sage says
Wow! Their “customer service” truly is something special. Fingers crossed that they finally ship, are a perfect fit, and you love them! I’d love to hear how this ends :)
Kerry says
Well my Swedish Hasbeens finally arrived. They are gorgeous. I L.O.V.E them and will now seek additional colours :) Perhaps not direct from SHs, but I never say never!!
Sage says
Welcome to the addiction :) I’m so glad it worked out! How’s it going with the breaking in?
I’m leaving for London later today and found and awesome deal on a pair of red Fredricas from a third-party site this morning, so I’ve ordered them to my in-laws and hope they arrive in time and fit. So pretty!
Kylie says
I just received my natural leather Snake Sandals today and I’m so relieved to know I’m not insane. Upon taking them out of the box I was perplexed by how small they looked. I wear a size 11 and it’s a rare moment when my standard size doesn’t fit. This was one of those rare moments. I couldn’t even get my right foot into the front of the shoe. The left shoe was much roomier but is still VERY tight. I’ve been blow drying the leather and walking around in them as I research stretching methods, and while there’s been progress, I’m eager to try oiling them up! Thank you for your honest reviews!
Sage says
Oh, you’re not insane :) I’m breaking in a new pair of red Fredricas and it’s not fun!
Good luck with your Snake Sandals… I hope you’ll come to love them as much as I love mine :)
Diane says
Thanks for the great post! I just purchased the Braided Sky High in Nature and I so appreciate all the advice.
I have a question about the olive oil…did you rub it all over the leather (inside and outside)? Did you rub it on the wood as well?
Many thanks for your time!
Sage says
Hi Diane, Great choice! I wish they had more Sky High styles. I only rubbed the olive oil on the outside of the leather, but I wasn’t super careful about not getting in inside or on the wood. If the leather is stiff and painful (like it is on my new Fredericas) the best thing I’ve found is using Vaseline on the inside of the leather and wearing thick socks until they give a little.
I hope you love them :)
Kim C says
Late to the game here, but I wanted to mention that while this brand has sometimes let me down quality and comfort-wise, there’s been one notable exception. The Floras were rather high wedges (higher than most of theirs, for sure) and are by far the most comfortable heel I own. I’m awful at walking distances in heels and have moderately wide feet (not a great match for most of their line), but I have checked my steps on some days and found that I’ve walked well over 10,000 steps wearing my Floras with no problem. I loved them so much I bought them in black, natural, and a very impractical pale pink that I’ll probably dye at some point. You may have to resort to eBay to find them at this point, but I think they’re fantastic, and they have a superb 70s-does-40s look that is so versatile. One last tip on this opus: round down, size wise if you’re on the cusp. I wear an 8.5 and originally ordered my usual 39s for my first pair and they hurrrrt. Happy walking!
Haillee says
This is two years old but I just found this review.
I’ve received my third pair of Hasbeens in the mail today. I decided to order the T- Strap since they were 50% off on their site. The other two styles I have I wear a 39 so I ordered a 39 not thinking much of it. Well, I’m unsure if the T-Strap is narrower, but my foot does not fit into the closed toe area very well. Now I’m seriously worried about contacting them for a return. ? Debating on seeing if they fit my mom, if I should just return them, or if I should chance my feet getting slightly smaller since I’m losing weight…. ?
Becky says
I just ordered my first pair….I am a classic 38 EUR and they seemed small (very small) but at the high cost I trusted the size and now am extremely happy with this shoe. The shoe breaks in and becomes a good fit but it takes a bit. I find it durable (I am VERY hard on shoes), stylish, and it looks like it will break into my foot with the leather and padding. I also like they are not “click-it-aly-clacking” on the floor…very quiet clog. I will buy another pair, different style next year. -Recommend! -Becky from upstate NY, USA
Kinga Wucherer says
Hi guys.
Iam really happy I’ve found this post as I can’t find the answer to my question anywhere.
I ordered some krillans as they were – 70% off and I normally wear 39, so 39 iż was. I have a very very narrow foot so I slip really nicely in and they are not tight at all.
But I kinda feel a lot of contact and a bit of pain at the front of my toe. It slides to the front because probably the leather doesn’t hold my foot.
So my question will the leather widen also in the front or should I order a size bigger so I don’t slide that much? (but then the front leather part would be probably even wider) :/
Sage says
I have the Krillans in size 38, which is my usual size and they fit fine. If your foot is slipping to the front, it seems that maybe you need to size down, not up. Going up a size will only give you more room to slide. The leather definitely stretches over time.
Gillian Hartsel says
I just found this review…I received my first pair I the mail and LOVE them but am worried about comfort. I have heard they are good once they break in and I have heard they are never ever comfortable. I ordered the Lotta and it seems to fit perfect. I have been wearing them around the house and hope I will not die if I wear them for a full day. Not sure I want to return them because they are so cute. Any other suggestions for making them wearable???
Sage says
I wrote about this in my first review (linked at the beginning of this post.) You can try massaging the leather with Vaseline and wearing them with thick socks. Now I have 6 pairs of Swedish Hasbeens and this is how I’ve broken all of them in. Good luck :)
Gillian Hartsell says
Awesome…thnk you!