CUSHIONAIRE Bronco Slip On Mule Womens Shoes

What to know about this mule

CUSHIONAIRE builds a cork-style footbed at a lower price than the European makers, with the trade being less consistent sizing across models. Napped leather like this dusts rather than scuffs. A suede brush along the nap restores it; water does not.

The cork footbed is the part doing the work. Firm at first, then moulded to your arch after two or three weeks of regular wear. A rubber outsole grips wet floors in a way a smooth leather or wooden base does not, which is why it turns up on almost everything sold for kitchen and hospital work.

The open heel vents heat and comes off without bending down. It also means the shoe is held by your instep, not your heel — if you are curling your toes to keep it on, it is too big. A cold-weather clog. Lined uppers run warmer than they look, and are better indoors and on short outdoor trips than on long walks.

If a specific spot hurts on day one, that is a fit problem and will not break in. General stiffness will.

Condition every six to eight weeks for daily-wear shoes. More often than that and you soften the leather past the point where it holds shape.

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