For years I’ve been sketching on napkins the shoe designs I’d love to wear but that didn’t exist yet. Because I have a dream to change the status quo of footwear.
So it’s my pleasure to introduce to you my most recent collaborative design, the Xero Tari II – a sophisticated barefoot Chelsea boot that is both classy and kind to your feet!
The Backstory
When Xero Shoes brought me on to help design their flagship Chelsea boot, I knew exactly what I wanted to see in the final product. I love a good old barefoot Chelsea boot that doesn’t hurt my feet, but I wanted to make something that excited me every time I put them on and every time I caught my reflection in the mirror. There’s no reason we can’t take better care of our feet and love what we wear too!
Xero’s design and production team brought the magic of marrying a pleasing aesthetic with the practicalities of barefoot shoe production, and before I knew it we were on to sample testing.
It’s incredible how many small decisions have to be made to pull together a final product. There are countless shades of leather, metal buckle finishes, and lining materials to choose from. And then there’s the question of fit.
The Xero team may have gotten more than they bargained for bringing me on for this project, because I had a lot of opinions on this topic. The ankle opening needed to be more sleek, the heel needed to be more secure, the toe box shape had to be just right. I have a shelf full of prototypes from each step along the way!
We all wanted the best fitting boot possible, so the product team went back to the drawing board again and again. But in the end it paid off! Because the Tari II is the versatile, stylish, and foot-friendly boot we set out to create.
Meet Tari II
Leather | US sizes 5 – 12 | Ships from US or EU
EU residents can shop the Tari II here.
The Tari II is a barefoot Chelsea boot that has elastic goring and an inside zipper, for easy on and off. They do the double duty of being both a closet staple and adding something extra to your outfits.
They come in the basics of black and brown (basic, but not boring) and have a velvety microfiber interior for all-season breathability. The outside buckle is functional, and can be loosened for more ankle room. They also come with a removable insole for a little more adjustability.
But we didn’t stop with just black and brown…
Extra Special Taupe
In addition to helping behind the scenes with the Tari II boot, I also had the chance to design my own colorway – complete with special details and finishing touches. Doeskin is the final member of the Tari II collection, so you can have that something special in your shoe collection! Still practical and wearable, but a cut above in terms of style. Currently Doeskin is available only on the US website, but worldwide shipping is available.
I knew from the beginning I wanted to make a taupe boot. There’s something about taupe that catches the light and brings subtle sophistication. Especially with gold detailing. It’s the extra touch I crave in my barefoot shoes.
Besides the visuals, Doeskin also differentiates itself from the other colors with its more breathable microfiber lining that is suitable for transitional weather (think early fall and even into spring) and doesn’t make you sweat. Then when temps drop, add in some wool socks to keep wearing them all season.
I would recommend spraying them with a protectant before wearing (and every so often throughout the season) so that any scuffs or spots are easy to buff out. Pretty shoes aren’t meant to sit in the closet!
Fit & Sizing
The Tari II will fit best on feet that are:
- Average to wide width (not likely to work for extra wide feet)
- Medium volume at the arch – They also fit my low volume feet well, and there is a removable insole for higher volume feet
- Medium width at the ankle – the buckle and elastic goring provide some adjustability for thicker ankles
The sizing is true for these – I am wearing a size 6.5, which is equivalent to an EU 37. This is the size I most often wear in Chelsea boots, and they fit with enough room for medium thick socks.
In my opinion, Chelsea boots have got to fit wide enough in the toes to work for a wide variety of people, but tailored enough so you aren’t slipping out of them. I worked with Xero to hone in on a more feminine fit type for the Tari II that is more secure through the heel while still retaining a natural shape.
See here a comparison of the updated Tari II (left) with the original Tari boot (right). We refined the original shape to be better fitting through the midfoot and heel, and to have more toe room.
One final thing to watch out for if you have sensitive skin – the top edge of the boot can feel hard when they’re brand new if you wear low cut socks/no socks. I found that it softened after a couple of wears, and you can also wear socks that go above the top of the boot (my preference).
If you need a little more help getting the fit just right, I have some fit hacks here to help.
Ordering
Tari II is available on the main US Xeroshoes.com website, as well as at Xero EU. My Doeskin colorway is only available on the US website, but international customers can have it shipped to them from the US site. You can return or exchange your new, unworn Xero Shoes within 45 days if you get the wrong size or change your mind.
And Xero also provides a 5,000 mile sole warranty! If the outsoles of your Xero Shoes wear down to less than 1mm thick, they will provide a 60% discount on a new pair of the same style at full retail price. You can read all the details about this warranty here.
Styling
I style the Tari II the way I would any Chelsea boot. They can be worn casually or dressed up. Because the leather on all 3 colors has a matte finish, they blend in well with just about any style.
The height is designed to be versatile with many different cuts of jeans and skirts/dresses. Not too tall, not too short. My favorite combo is cropped wide leg pants with cute socks peeking out the top (I’m a toe sock girlie). Check out the gallery below for outfit inspiration!
24 thoughts on “Introducing the Tari II – An Elevated Barefoot Chelsea Boot”
So excited about these! Is there a link to those cute frilly socks Anya has on?
These look fun and practical! How is the fit in comparison to Xero’s rainboot?
I just pulled out my Gracie rain boots to compare. The Gracie is more tapered in the toes and a little higher volume. I would say the Tari has about .5cm more width at the toes.
I too got on here to ask about the lettuce edged socks! 😉 So cute! Where are they from?
Those are just regular socks that I wore for the photoshoot. I basically never wear “regular” socks anymore, HOWEVER I like to take socks with cute tops and cut them up into ankle cuffs. These socks on Amazon look exactly the same, and I actually just ordered them with the intention of cutting them up so I can get the cute frill at the top of my boots but still be wearing toe socks!!
Brilliant! I am trying to figure out sizing for this boot, I have the Xero Speed force sneaker in a 37 – is the sizing the same? My regular shoe size is a 6
It’s hard to directly compare sizing for such different styles, but I would say they are pretty similar in sizing.
I have my Anya Tari 2 in Cappucino ~ they arrived yesterday!
If you see this and have a second, tell me more about how you cut the socks? I tried a pair and cut mine by leaving most of the sock and cutting off the tow box area!! Not as cute as yours but cute enough!
do you cut there or cut even more?
I love toe socks and used your reviews to find some and to get me on that journey~
used your reviews to quickly find a pair of flats for a big event this summer!
so thank you so much, Anya!
*** if anyone else sees this question and wants to share the cutting thing, thanks in advance 🙂
Go happy toes
Hi Phyllis! You can cut them off to wherever feels most comfortable for you. That might be right behind the toe box, or further back around the arch. Some people might want to cut off everything below the ankle so they’re left with just a little “boot topper” ruffle!
Will the taupe ones become available in the EU in the future? The problem with ordering from the US is customs duties (as you know!), plus returns are more expensive too. They look fantastic! I’m particularly keen on the possibility to tighten the heel, given that my rather slim feet tend to “swim” around in Chelsea boots.
At this time it’s not expected to be in the EU because it is a special limited collaboration. Things can always change in the future, but it wouldn’t be for this season. I’m sorry it’s not easier for you to order them! It is definitely a bummer.
These are stiff and painful IMO. I see you mentioned about being careful when wearing these due to the top ankle part. The original Tari required no breaking in but looks like it was discontinued.
May I ask for any tips on breaking these in? Tall socks will help I know but the stiffness makes it a little hard to walk in these. Thank you.
Sorry to hear that part is bothering you! You can massage the leather with your hands to soften it and angle it outward, and you can put some moleskin on the top edge (something I do fairly often with my shoes). Otherwise you might just need to break them in with cozy socks. Out of curiosity, which color did you order?
They don´t even ship to Europe now 🙁
We hope this is just temporary!
I’m excited about these! Xero shoes are my go to brand of shoe and I’ve really been wanting a Chelsea-style boot for some time now.
I am so happy to see you influencing Xeroshoes. They were my first barefoot shoes that over time became too narrow for me. I’ve been wishing that they make them wider. I love how the new Tari look. Thank you!
I just received my highly anticipated Tari II Doeskin boots, and am SO conflicted.
Pros: Styling is adorable, exactly as pictured, and the stitching and sole look high quality. I love the color.
Cons: The entire boot is very stiff and doesn’t feel like real leather. I don’t see anywhere on the boot or the box where it is stated to be Leather. The toe box is also not as wide as I had hoped; my feet feel pinched at the widest point. I generally wear a Wide shoe.
So my question is: how to break them in to see if they become comfortable, without making them unreturnable. Will they stretch out and conform to my feet if I wear them around the house with thick socks? Would shoe stretch spray help? I didn’t really understand the comment about hand-massaging the leather. Thanks.
Hey Kim – I’m glad to hear you love the style! Let’s see if I can help you with your other concerns though. The leather is definitely real, it’s Leather Working Group certified, and a higher than average quality – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need breaking in. Sturdy leather often can feel hard at first. As far as seeing if you can break them in without making them unreturnable – that is tricky because even if you only wear them inside the house eventually they’ll start creasing and there’s a chance Xero won’t accept them as new anymore. So I would keep the walking in them to a minimum, but you can try wearing them on carpet for short periods of time with thick socks to see how they feel after some light stretching. Using warm socks straight out of the dryer can also help, because warm leather stretches faster. I personally haven’t used shoe stretching spray, but I know a lot of my readers have with good success. But I wouldn’t recommend putting it on until you’re sure you want to keep them.
I don’t want to lead you astray, but in my experience with these boots if they are just a little bit pinchy there is a good chance that with some softening they will mold to your feet and be comfortable.
Thank you, Anya! I have been carefully wearing them around the house with thick socks, and they feel better already!
At the brick-and-mortar store, I was told that you could remove the insole to give a bit more room while breaking in Xero shoes.
What is the thickness of the sole on these new models? I cannot seem to find any information on sole thickness.
Yes, the Tari II stack height is 7.5mm (no insole) and 11mm with insole (3.5mm).
This is just a thank you to Samantha for answering my question about the socks!
I couldn’t find a reply button for her answer~ 🙂