About

We're on a mission to make elevated, everyday shoes for modern women. Ma'am shoes are comfortable, stylish and sustainably made in Los Angeles. We’ve crafted footwear for women leading busy lives who want to invest in high quality products that can take us from grabbing our first cup of coffee in the morning, to a day of meetings, to an evening event and everything in between.

We believe a woman should feel good in her own shoes without compromising style.

We’ve been made to think that the higher the heel, the more powerful the woman. But with stilettos come blisters, twisted ankles, cabs instead of walking, shuffles-while-you-try-to-keep-up-with-every-man-leaving-your-meeting, swollen toes, etc. At Ma’am, we reject the idea that taller is better and that women need to have throbbing feet to be powerful.  

By Women, For Women

Meet Sofi Newmyer - founder of Ma’am Shoes.  After a decade in the footwear business, Sofi decided to design shoes that she actually wanted to wear. Shoes that don’t take such a toll on the planet.  Shoes that last.  


Ma’am Shoes was created for the modern woman through carefully selected materials, precise silhouettes and attention to detail. We analyzed and tested heel height and width, insole firmness, outsole support, upper reinforcements and fabric to create a comfortable, durable and stylish product so our customers can ‘walk the walk’. Ma’am Shoes are meant to be lived in and loved for seasons and years to come.

A Note From Our Founder

Like all women, I started out life as a “miss.” “How can I help you, miss?” “Miss, you dropped your pen.” “Miss, can I buy you a drink?” Everyone wants to be a miss. “Miss” means you have more in common with Holly Golightly or Cher Horowitz than not. “Miss” sounds like you’re mostly air, like you have the delicacy and magic of wind chimes, and when you walk down the street, everyone hears little bells.

I remember the exact place and time I was first called ma’am. I had just turned 30 and it was a complete surprise. I was newly married, finally making a decent salary and could manage my way around a corporate boardroom. I had found my footing in the world and was feeling recently capable in my own skin. In my mind, I was also wind-chiming around town as a “miss.”

And then a grocery store clerk looked me up and down and – with the simple phrase “have a good day ma’am” – decided I was a ma’am. In that moment, I felt the beginning of something slipping away – I was losing my little bells.

And then I realized something. This world isn’t for delicate women who need wind chimes to be heard. It’s for the woman who knows her voice. For the woman who’s wisened with age and experience. For the woman who’s banging on her own gong everytime she walks through a checkout line. For the woman who knows how to get the respect she deserves.

This is a Ma'am's World.

                                                                                                                    - Sofi Newmyer

Our Values

We are committed to product quality, value and consistency.

We are dedicated to building a community of women who feel good – both  physically and emotionally – in our products.

We believe that business has the power to make the world a better place and support the professional, social and civic advancement of women through our products.

We are a Los Angeles company and committed to local and sustainable manufacturing and production.

We measure twice, and cut once.

We trust our discerning eye. 

Shoes For Activists

Sustainability

We’re committed to protecting both the planet and its people. For us, sustainability means a conscious effort to source, produce, consume and dispose of resources ethically and responsibly. We’re committed to ethical local manufacturing in Los Angeles - working with production facilities that pay fair wages, reduce waste from the manufacturing cycle, and provide a healthy working environment.  Here are just a few ways we’re committed to sustainable craftsmanship:

• Local Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Ma’am Shoes are made in Los Angeles. Local production is at the heart of our brand, and every pair of shoes we make pass through our warehouse for quality testing and approval. We are also proud to employ local manufacturing talent throughout the city.

Freight shipping is responsible for 18% of air pollution in the world.  We limit international cargo shipping by working exclusively with our LA-based factory.

• Reducing Waste

We use environmentally responsible packaging.  Our shoe boxes are recyclable and strong enough to be shipped on their own. No box-in-a-box shipping, allowing us to cut down on unnecessary waste.

• Partnerships

As a brand, we are committed to the professional, social and civic advancement of women.  Every season, we will release a new product to support and highlight a progressive issue important to empowering women. 

We're celebrating the beauty and resilience of motherhood this fall by partnering with Baby2Baby. For every pair of the Shirley boots sold, $10 will be donated to Baby2Baby, a non-profit organization that provides children living in poverty with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves.  

Previous partnerships include i am a voter. and United States of Women.