Novesta alternative: Mateo cord shoes by Mod Shoes

You might know I’m a big fan of this particular plimsoll,  but as a Novesta alternative, the Mateo cord shoes by Mod Shoes are well worth considering.

Especially as a whole range of new shades have just dropped for the spring and summer months.

I’m keen on these for two reasons. Firstly, these come in cheaper. So, it’s the perfect opportunity to save a few quid. And secondly, the cord finish on the Novesta comes and goes and when it comes, it tends to just be in one or two variations of brown. So, a cord finish that is available all the time and in different shades has appeal.

Not that any of that matters if they don’t look good and feel good. But that’s not an issue for me, as I’ve had a couple of pairs in the past, and they have worked out fine.

I’ve had a few pairs of Novesta cord shoes, and they tend to last about a year of constant use before they start to look a little frayed. In practice, these probably last about the same. But the difference is probably that the Novesta tends to come apart on the top, with the cord eventually coming away from the toe. With the Mod Shoes version, you’ll probably see wear to the sole first. Saying that, less regular use and both versions will last much longer.

As I said, new versions have just landed, described as a ‘summer’ range, so more brighter shades and a brighter finish for the rubber toe and sole. That’s pretty much it really – the design itself seems about the same. The one thing to note is that the regular Novesta sizes up a little big, but these fit pretty much as they should. And there’s another thing. They are quite comfortable too.

They seem to have more cushioning than the original Novesta, which I quite like. A little chunkier as a result, but not that you would notice. In fact, I doubt you would notice much from the originals to be honest, except with Novesta, you get the label on the tongue, and there’s more of a finish around the edges. That’s pretty much it.

Granted that you might get some Novestas in the sale, and the price difference might come down, but the colours still remain a selling point. £48 if you want a pair.

Find out more at the Mod Shoes website