TOMS are canvas slip-on shoes built on the alpargata, a flat rope-soled espadrille pattern from Argentina, and they sell through more retailers than most shoppers expect. This guide covers where to buy TOMS online and in store, which styles justify their price, and when the real markdowns land. One thing to settle before you buy: the brand retired its original one-for-one donation model in 2019 and now sends a share of profits to community organizations instead.
This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Below: a store-by-store breakdown, five picks with prices, honest alternatives, and what buyers ask most. For more footwear shopping, see our guides to running shoes and shoes of all kinds.
What TOMS Shoes Do and Who Should Buy Them
A TOMS shoe is lightweight casual footwear built on the alpargata, the flat espadrille design Blake Mycoskie adapted after a 2006 trip to Argentina. The collection now spans slip-ons, sneakers, sandals, boots, and eyewear in men’s, women’s, and kids’ sizing, and the company is a certified B Corporation, a third-party standard for verified social and environmental performance.
They suit warm-weather casual wear, travel packing, and anyone who wants a slip-on that reads more put-together than a flip-flop. Skip them if you stand on concrete all day. The barebones classic gives almost no arch support, and no insert fixes a flat footbed.
The giving story changed, which matters if that is why you are buying. One for One ran from 2006 to 2019, placing new shoes with a child in need for every pair sold, roughly 100 million pairs given. Development economists argued that shipping footwear into communities facing poverty undercut local sellers. The company now sends one-third of net profits to grassroots organizations working on mental health access and equity, so the impact arrives as cash, not as shoes given.
Quick disambiguation: in drumming, toms are the cylindrical tom-tom drums on a kit. This page covers the footwear label only.
Features Worth Paying For in TOMS Shoes
The insole decides how a pair feels, and it is the spec most product pages bury. Here is what separates a $55 pair from a $90 pair.
Footbed technology. The plain canvas classic ships with a thin insole. Styles carrying OrthoLite or CloudBound cushioning add real padding, and that gap shows up past the two-hour mark.
Upper material. Recycled cotton canvas breathes and stretches. Suede holds its shape better but stains. Leather costs more and lasts longer. Rubber belongs on a boot, not a summer style.
Sole construction. A vulcanized rubber sole is flexible and thin. A cupsole wraps the upper in a thicker molded unit, adding support and grip, and it lasts longer on pavement.
Width options. A wide-width cut exists on the classic silhouette, sold as its own product rather than a size option. If your foot spreads across the forefoot, that is the fix, not sizing up.
Washability. Canvas survives a cold gentle cycle and air dry. Suede and leather do not, which matters most when buying for a child.
| Style family | Cushioning | Typical price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canvas classic slip-on | Minimal | $55 to $65 | Casual wear, short walks |
| Cupsole sneaker | OrthoLite or CloudBound | $75 to $90 | Long days, travel |
| Sandal and slide | Molded footbed | $50 to $70 | Summer, poolside |
| Rain boot | Cushioned insole | $70 to $90 | Wet weather |
What Not to Buy: Common TOMS Shoe Pitfalls
The mistake that generates the most returns is ordering a canvas classic in your usual sneaker size. Cotton relaxes with wear, so a roomy fit in the box ends up sloppy by week three.
Assuming every pair is cushioned. Cushioning is a per-style spec, not a brand promise. Look for OrthoLite or CloudBound in the product description before you expect comfort.
Buying from an unnamed marketplace seller. Counterfeits circulate on third-party listings, and a knockoff canvas upper separates from the sole fast. Check that the seller is the brand storefront or a known retailer.
Paying full price in the wrong month. Seasonal styles get cut when the season turns, so sandals discount in late summer and boots in late winter. Buying a sandal in May is the most expensive way to do it.
Finding TOMS Shoes Near You: In-Store Options
Several national chains carry the brand in physical stores. Trying a canvas pair on matters more here than with most footwear, because of the stretch.
Famous Footwear
The deepest in-store selection of the group: classic slip-ons, cupsole sneakers, and seasonal sandals for men, women, and kids. Its long-running buy-one-get-one-half-off promotion is the practical way to get two pairs near the price of one.
DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse)
DSW puts canvas slip-ons, sneakers, and sandals on the open shoe wall, so you can try sizes without waiting on staff. Clearance racks are worth a walk-through, and the free VIP rewards program applies points to future purchases.
Target
Selection varies by store footprint. Larger locations carry a tight edit of popular slip-ons and kids’ styles, not the full collection. RedCard holders get the standard 5 percent discount, and you can check stock at your store before driving over.
Macy’s and Dillard’s
Both department stores carry a rotating assortment weighted toward women’s canvas styles and seasonal sandals. Their periodic sitewide sale events are when this stock moves, so time the visit rather than paying list price.
Shoe Carnival and Rack Room Shoes
Both skew toward family and kids’ sizing, and they are the easiest option outside major metros. Call ahead, because store-level stock is uneven.
Ordering TOMS Shoes Online: Where and Why
Buy direct for the widest catalog and exclusive colorways. Buy third-party when a promotion beats direct pricing, which happens often on last-season stock.
TOMS.com
The official site is the only place carrying every current style, limited collaborations, and an outlet of discontinued colors. Check the outlet page first, since the same shoe often sits there a color or two behind.
Amazon
The Amazon selection covers core styles in men’s, women’s, and kids’ sizing, with Prime delivery as the draw. Filter to the brand storefront rather than open search results, because third-party listings are where counterfeits surface.
Zappos
Zappos carries the full catalog with free shipping both ways and a 365-day return window, the longest of any retailer here. Shop there when you are torn between two sizes; its reviews carry fit-specific comments.
Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack
Nordstrom stocks current-season canvas and sneakers, while Nordstrom Rack is where prior-season colorways land at a discount. The Anniversary Sale in July is the one predictable current-season price cut.
6pm and Walmart.com
6pm, run by the same parent company as Zappos, is clearance-only and rotates fast, so buy when you see your size. Walmart.com lists a smaller assortment, mostly canvas classics, worth a price check before you commit.
Alternatives to TOMS Shoes Worth Considering
Three alternatives solve the same problem, and one is genuinely better for specific feet.
- Sanuk Sidewalk Surfer. Same slip-on shape with a yoga-mat footbed. More cushion out of the box, less structured styling.
- Skechers BOBS. Roughly half the price with memory foam inside, and the line supports animal shelters. Build quality is a step down.
- Crocs and Birkenstocks. Both beat canvas on arch support and rinse clean in seconds. Neither dresses up as easily.
Skip the category entirely if you walk several miles a day or work standing shifts. A cushioned walking shoe serves you better.
Top TOMS Shoes Worth Buying
These five cover what buyers shop for most: a classic slip-on, a supportive sneaker, a summer sandal, a rain boot, and a wide-width cut. Prices are ranges because they move with promotions.
Best overall: TOMS Classic Alpargata. The original canvas slip-on, and the reference point every alternative gets measured against. Thin footbed is the tradeoff. Around $55 to $65. Check price on Amazon | view at Zappos
Best for long days: TOMS Cordones Cupsole Sneaker. Lace-up with a cushioned cupsole and OrthoLite footbed. Handles errands, airports, and standing better than any slip-on here. Around $75 to $90. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
Best sandal: Majorca Slide. Soft suede slide over a contoured footbed that breaks in quickly. Poolside and around the house. Suede stains, so keep it dry. Around $50 to $70. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
Best boot: Resident Rain Boot. Mid-calf rubber with a cushioned insole, genuinely waterproof, and dressier than most rain boots. Around $70 to $90. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
Best for wide feet: Alpargata Wide Width. The classic silhouette with real forefoot room, sold as its own product rather than a size option. Around $55 to $65. Check price on Amazon | see at Target
- Pick the style family that matches how you will wear them; cushioning and sole type differ more than color.
- Check whether that style lists OrthoLite or CloudBound cushioning, because the plain canvas footbed is thin.
- Measure your forefoot width and buy the wide cut instead of sizing up.
- Compare the outlet page against Zappos and 6pm, then buy where the return window suits you.
Start with the style, not the sale. Once you know which pair of shoes you need, buy your TOMS from whichever retailer combines the current price with a return window you can live with, and order a half size down from your sneaker size if you are going canvas.
FAQ: Buying TOMS Shoes
Should you size up or size down?
Size down a half size in canvas classics if you are between sizes, because cotton relaxes with wear. Cupsole sneakers and rubber boots do not stretch, so order your normal sneaker size there. For broad feet, buy the wide-width version rather than adding length.
What happened to the company TOMS?
Sales declined through the late 2010s, and lenders took ownership in a 2019 debt restructuring that replaced Bain Capital, which had bought its majority stake in 2014. The business still operates and still sells worldwide.
Does anyone still wear them?
Yes, though the peak-2012 ubiquity is gone. The label holds shelf space at Famous Footwear, DSW, Zappos, Nordstrom, and Shoe Carnival, a wider United States retail footprint than most casual footwear brands maintain. The catalog also widened past canvas into sneakers, boots, and sandals.
Are they good for walking long distances?
The plain canvas classic is not. It has minimal cushioning and no arch support, fine for errands and poor for a full day on your feet. Choose a Cordones Cupsole, or any style listing an OrthoLite or CloudBound footbed, if distance is the point.
Editorial review: wheretobuyguides.com team. Retailer links and price ranges verified September 2026.