March 1, 2024, 10:01 PM UTC

By Carla Engler

I didn't exactly expect to like my new Coutgo sneakers. Before Shop TODAY asked me to review them, I’d never heard of the brand. After all, it certainly didn’t have the athletic cachet of a big name. Snob was me.

With that said, I've come to appreciate them as what I call a “stealth” sneaker. You may be indifferent at first, but then they sort of sneak up on you (sorry about the pun), and you realize you like them a lot more than you once thought.

Coutgo Lace Up Platform Sneakers

$39.99

Out of the box, I immediately appreciated how they looked. They came in the cool, neutral combination of beige, cream and white that goes with so much. Very current. After all, you just can’t have too many white sneakers these days.

I also saw that the materials were of good quality and the construction was well done. The shoe's wedge was a tad high for my taste, but it made the footbed feel luxurious. I even checked the inside of the shoe and saw a lot of the comfy padding and arch support that’s MIA in so many of the hottest brands right now.

Slipping them on, in fact, I felt how cushy they were — and even thought there might just be too much padding! (I suggest ordering half a size up to accommodate.) Otherwise, they're truly awesome walking shoes.

With the shoes on my feet, I saw that they really did live up to my sartorial expectations! I tend to wear sneakers to dress down otherwise “proper” outfits, pairing them sometimes with work pants and a jacket, and other times with a dress or skirt. These versatile Coutgo's looked brilliant with weekend leggings and a big sweater, my go-to cargos and tees, and baggy jeans and a bomber.

On Monday morning, I tried them with a slim knit dress for work, and liked how they grounded the look in a modern, cool way. On Tuesday, I paired them with nice cargos, a turtleneck and trench. I thought they stood up to work wear quite nicely, and certainly were a breeze to rush around in. In style and comfort, these Coutgo's have a lot going for them.