Desudo's Top Six Shoes for Sweaty Feet
My last article on this topic received lots of love, and as we’re now more than halfway through 2025 it’s time for an updated list on the best shoes for sweaty feet. If you’re struggling with plantar hyperhidrosis, smelly shoes, or want to update your wardrobe, this is the inspiration for you.
A little backstory for context – I am travelling for the latter half of this year. Since January until a month ago I was hunting for two perfect pairs of shoes to complete my capsule wardrobe. I narrowed down which two styles I would wear most and spent a considerable amount of time deliberating on the colour and comfort level I wanted. I probably exhausted anyone I spoke to with the pros and cons list I had running through my head… decisions, decisions!
So, let’s dive into it. Here are my top six picks across sneakers and Mary-Jane ballet flats, including the two pairs I bought. I share my personal opinion including a pros and cons list for each shoe.
As always, these shoes are hyperhidrosis approved: sock and sweat friendly.
Sneakers
First shoe on the list is one that I bought.
My biggest takeaway from personal experience, that makes sneakers breathable and suitable for plantar hyperhidrosis, is if the exterior and interior lining of the shoe are both made from quality leather with no padding in between. Quality leather ensures decent longevity from the shoe, whilst any padding between the lining adds insulation and decreases breathability leading to a hot shoe to wear.
1. Adidas Japan Sneakers
I bought these after seven months of searching for leather sneakers and disappointment from a Jo Mercer pair.
Pros:
This style of Adidas sneaker is made from a thin malleable leather with a raw finish interior, making it the type that's soft and moulds to your feet.
The quality is there. The leather hasn’t come apart from the shoe and it’s travelled the distance (I wore them all throughout Japan for two weeks, as well as before this).
These sneakers match well with my wardrobe, despite being a somewhat “stark” shoe. I wear a decent amount of black and the other coloured clothing I have feature shades of red. A win in my books! I’d rather have a unique pair of shoes to compliment my otherwise monochrome wardrobe, than not have any pop of colour at all. Life is too short to hide behind an all-black wardrobe.
Cons:
It would be better if the insole was leather too, as this change may help with any aromas after wearing them for a couple of hours (like over 4 hours). The insole is removeable though so you could insert your own if it fits the shoe shape.
Like all sneakers they can feel hot quickly. However, I found this Adidas pair to be cooler and more manageable than my Jo Mercer ones. My sweat wasn’t as bad wearing them and my feet would adjust and cool down eventually, even if they were still sweating (can’t stop it completely guys).
The issue I had with the Jo Mercer sneakers was that they had padding encased in the leather lining and exterior making the shoe hot so my feet couldn’t properly breathe. This combined with wearing them in summer for extended periods of time with wet socks led to a nasty sweat rash on my feet. Ouch!
The leather was poor quality too, as the inside lining wore away and the insoles warped significantly with the sweat. I had also kicked the toe accidentally and the top of the shoe started to come apart from the sole.
ANYWAY, these Adidas Japan sneakers have been travelling well. 10/10 recommend!
2. Mollini Sneakers (shiny leather and suede)
I saw these Mollini sneakers before I bought the Adidas Japan ones and was very tempted to buy them. Suede shoes are very popular right now too.
Pros:
This shoe is made from a soft and thin suede leather. I knew they wouldn’t need time to be worn in as they were immediately comfortable when I tried them on.
Being so thin I think these would be perfect for plantar hyperhidrosis and would be an easy shoe for heat regulation.
Cons:
Suede isn’t the best material for every type of weather. For my travels I wanted an all-rounder sneaker that is breathable in hot weather but can withstand being worn in the rain. I ultimately went for the Adidas pair because they’ll be sturdier for travel.
The longevity factor of the suede is also slightly questionable. Given my experience with canvas shoes [link to other article] I know that thin materials can get soaked and develop water stains. I think that might happen with the suede construction of this shoe.
If I wasn’t travelling and could get these Mollini sneakers as an everyday shoe I would have. But for now, I needed a shoe that’s more resistant to wear and tear.
Have you been looking at a pair of suede sneakers or something similar? I’d say go for it, if you don’t mind the possibility of watermarks developing after a while, because the benefit of breathability outweighs this by a mile.
3. Bared Sneakers
If you need arch support this brand has great footwear options! Personally, I don’t need this level of support, but I thought I’d check out their leather shoes anyway.
Pros:
Bared has an extensive range of quality shoes. This pair of sneakers I tried on fit well and didn’t have padding between the lining and exterior leather (big plus in my books as we know).
They’re a sturdy pair of sneakers that would last a long time and travel well. And definitely outlast the Jo Mercer ones…
Cons:
Because I’m fussy, I felt these sneakers were too heavy for my travel needs, even though they would go the distance and maintain their shape well.
The leather wasn’t the softest either, so there could be some wear-in time for the sneakers to be their most comfortable.
Mary-Jane Ballet Flats
Notably my favourite style in the past 2 years. Loafers used to be my number one, but I feel that the Mary-Jane style is more versatile for dressy and feminine outfits.
4. Sandro Ballet Flats
These ballet flats are the ones I bought – I love them!
Pros:
These shoes are made from a patent leather, which can typically be hot, less breathable, and stiff. But this pair of patent flats are soft and comfortable to wear. The inside leather is a tan colour grain, and raw finish at the heel. I was worried about how much the colour might leach onto my socks. However, this has only happened when I’ve worn them for an extensive period, like an entire day of constant sweating.
I’ve found them very easy to wear with socks and they look great with all my outfits. As these are ballet flats, the design is more open compared to sneakers. I do preference wearing these when it’s practical because I feel they’re better for heat regulation of my feet which keeps me less sweaty (or at least less bothered by the heat and sweat). Mental games at this point…
Being patent leather means these shoes are pretty water resistant which is perfect for travelling.
Cons:
These shoes are particularly flat, with the smallest heel raise, and my feet were exhausted after walking around Tokyo for 7 hours. I should have worn a different pair of shoes for that excursion, but I didn’t realise how much ground we’d be covering.
Other than that, they’re perfect to me.
5. Pedro Garcia Ballet Flats
I fell in love when I tried these on. The perforated look drew me in quickly because all I see is great breathability. Perforated styles with diamantes are all the rage and very trendy at the moment. A lot of styles I’ve seen use mesh, which is usually made from synthetic materials, and is a downside for me. However, there are many brands making leather perforated styles (with and without sparkly embellishments), so rest assured that sweat friendly styles can be found.
Pros:
The biggest pro for these shoes is the comfort of the suede leather and the breathability of the perforated design.
The Swarovski crystal detailing is a cute feature, and I felt that this enhanced the look with black socks. It didn’t just become a black shoe but had some pizzazz.
Cons:
Again, the suede leather and perforated design mean this shoe isn’t as versatile for wet weather and the unpredictability of travel, so I didn’t purchase.
I still think about them though…
6. Reiss Ballet Flats
I found these Reiss shoes through my search online, so I haven’t tried them on, but I love the style!
Pros:
They look like a perfect Mary-Jane ballet flat to wear with socks. They’re a lighter colour which I don’t tend to gravitate towards (usually I’m always looking at black shoes).
They’re 100% leather and the interior looks nice too. I’m not sure how soft the leather would be but if it’s on the stiff side it means they would be more durable than suede and potentially even the Sandro patent leather ones (depending on wear and tear and if you care for your shoes well or not).
Cons:
These shoes seem like they might be heavy given the design of the sole. Avoiding travelling with heavy shoes is just my preference for now. If this wasn’t a priority for me I would have purchased them.
I haven’t worn shoes from Reiss before so I can’t speak about their longevity or quality of leather, but I consider them a reputable brand.
If you read this article in search of sweat friendly shoes that let your feet breathe, I hope you can draw inspiration from my six picks.
All these shoes pair seamlessly with the Desudo Blouse and Mini Skirt, which are both included in my capsule wardrobe for travelling.
Want more shoe suggestions? Leave a comment below, or DM me on Instagram with the specifics you’re looking for (i.e. shoes for a formal event) and I’ll do some research to find you a perfect pair of shoes.
Feel invincible!
Alex