Bethenny Frankel put a pair of $70 sneakers on her radar and now half the internet wants them. Not shocking, really, when you think about who we’re talking about. But the shoes themselves? Those actually deserve the hype.
So What Did Bethenny Actually Pick
Every month Bethenny drops what she calls “The List,” basically her rundown of whatever she’s currently obsessed with on Amazon. It’s become one of those things people quietly check even if they’d never admit it out loud. Skincare, kitchen gadgets, random organizational stuff, you name it. Her September list included something I’ve been low-key evangelizing about for a while now: Kizik hands-free sneakers.
I’ll be honest, when I saw it I actually said “finally” out loud to no one in particular. Because here’s the thing about Kizik shoes, once you get it, you get it. And if you haven’t tried them, the concept sounds almost too simple to be worth talking about.
The “No Bending Down” Thing Is Not an Exaggeration
You step in. That’s it. No laces to loosen, no shoehorn hiding in your bag, no awkward heel-shimmy at airport security while everyone behind you sighs. The heel has this patented design that collapses when you step in and then snaps right back once your foot’s inside. It sounds like a gimmick. It is not a gimmick.
Why This Matters More Than It Should
Look, I get it, shoes are shoes. But think about how many times a day you’re bending over, fumbling, adjusting. Getting through security with a stroller. Rushing off a plane. Trying to slip your shoes off at your in-laws’ house without looking like you’re doing a weird yoga pose in their entryway. Small daily frictions add up, and Kizik basically erased one of them.
“It’s the kind of small daily luxury that sneaks up on you, and once you’ve experienced it, laced sneakers start to feel weirdly inconvenient.”
That line hit me hard because it’s exactly what happened to me. I bought my first pair almost as a joke, like okay sure, let’s see if this hands-free thing is real. Three weeks later I was staring at a normal pair of sneakers in my closet like… why would I ever tie these again?
The Airport Angle Is Not Random
People are calling these “airport shoes” for a reason, and honestly it’s the perfect use case. You take them off at security, you slide them back on without breaking stride, you’re not the person holding up the line while you retie your laces with one hand and your boarding pass in your teeth. We’ve all been that person. Nobody wants to be that person again.
The thing is, once travelers start talking about a product like this, it spreads fast. TikTok picked it up a while back, then travel influencers, and now you’ve got Bethenny basically co-signing it to millions of people who trust her taste in “stuff that actually works.” That’s a pretty powerful combo.
Not Just Hype, Though
I want to be clear, this isn’t one of those influencer moments where the product barely holds up once you actually own it. Kizik’s been around for a few years now and built a genuinely loyal following, not just a viral moment. From what I can tell, the brand’s actual selling point (hands-free entry that stays snug all day) delivers on what it promises. That’s rarer than it should be in the shoe world.
What This Actually Means
Bethenny picking these up isn’t going to shock anyone who follows “The List” closely. She tends to gravitate toward products that solve a real annoyance rather than just looking cute in a photo. And Kizik fits that mold perfectly. Comfortable, low-maintenance, and weirdly satisfying every single time you put them on. It’s a small thing, but small things matter more than we admit.
My prediction? These sell out in a bunch of colorways by the end of the month, and by winter you’ll see them on every other person power walking through an airport terminal. Not because Bethenny said so, though that helps, but because once people try the hands-free thing, there’s kind of no going back. Convenience wins. It just does.
