A Game Changer in Footwear: Poppy Barley Pops into Calgary

Busy mamas don’t have time for sore feet. We’re all about looking fashionable, but not at the expense of comfort. Luckily, Poppy Barley, an Alberta footwear company has come to our rescue.

Fun fact: poppy seeds and barley corns were once the original measurement unit for footwear. Two Alberta sister shoe-makers (and new mothers) pay homage to this craft through their consciously crafted footwear.

Products are designed in Edmonton and made in Leon, Mexico, a city with a strong history of shoe making. Poppy Barley only works with family-owned factories to ensure working conditions are safe and all products are ethically manufactured. They even give back a percentage of profits to the community.

What makes Poppy Barley unique isn’t just their fashionable designs. It’s that their genuine leather shoes and boots are comfortably cool. There’s a thin memory foam lining in all their footwear, making it feel like you’re walking on a cloud. You can run around all day in a single pair of shoes or boots and at the end of the night, your feet don’t hurt. (We’ve put this to the test!)

Jillian Harris of Love It or List It Vancouver adored her first pair (the 2.5 Ankle Boot) so much, she wore them out during her first pregnancy and had to get them replaced.

As many moms can attest, our feet can change with pregnancy. For many women, feet become flatter and wider. Poppy Barley offers a wide width option for the majority of their styles. Additionally, they offer extreme sizes. For women, that ranges from size 5 to 12 in narrow, standard and wide. There are four different widths for men, with sizes running from 5 to 15.

All Poppy Barley tall boots are custom made. Three different measurements are taken to ensure your boots completely fit your calf correctly. Expect a wait time of 4 to 6 weeks for all made-to-order products. No matter what footwear you’re interested in, Poppy Barley always takes proper measurements of both feet. For online orders, they have a section on their website where it shows you step by step how to do so yourself.

Besides footwear, Poppy Barley offers leather accessories to compliment our busy lifestyles. Designed for moms, the Perfect Handbag can fit a laptop and is roomy enough to be used as a diaper bag. The cross body strap allows you to be hands-free and its outer zipper conveniently stashes your phone and keys.

We also adore the multi-purpose backpack that can can morph into a briefcase with its cross body strap. A zippered flap lets you slide this backpack over the handle of your carry-on luggage, giving you one less thing to lug about.

For stocking stuffers, there are key chains, luggage tags and monogram tags that can be added to your purse, make-up bag or backpack. Need a larger gift? The number one seller last December was their passport holder. With its designated spots to put your passport, boarding pass, currency and even a loop for a small pen, we can see why.

Poppy Barley’s first brick and mortar store opened in Edmonton’s Southgate Mall in August, but they’re in Calgary every 6 to 8 weeks for pop ups. In fact, they’re running a Pop Up right now at The Loft by Amanda Hamilton in Victoria Park, until end of day Saturday, December 9. Walk in anytime to browse their collection, get your feet properly measured and pick up a few prezzies for Christmas.

If the shoe fits, consider it your duty to wear it.