Introducing the Tari II – An Elevated Barefoot Chelsea Boot

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!