Today, I wore 3-inch patent leather ankle boots. Why? Because by process of elimination it would appear they are the most ergonomically sensitive shoes I own. Not a great deduction of my footwear, I know.I’m a walker. One of those people who would rather walk tens minutes to another bus stop than sit patiently for the next one to drive along. And at five-feet-nine-inches I rarely see the point of buying heals, because I’m taller than most of my friends anyway.
So my shoe of choice has been – for the past few years at least – the trusty ballet flat. This shoe I can slip on in the morning and feel confident that I won’t hold up traffic as I attempt to balance on escalators or rush through the morning and evening crowds around Oxford Circus. I wear them at the weekend too, to the shops, to friends’ places and even on nights out. And up until last week I truly thought they were great. But then my right heel began to ache.
You see ballet flats are bad for feet. I’m not talking about pointe shoes that contort your toes into tiny stumps; I’m talking about those unassuming (relatively inexpensive) slip-ons. This is because, apparently, they offer no support to your ankles and in turn manipulate your toes to curl in a bid to keep said-shoes fixed to your feet. This daily torture results on tired, achy, swollen tootsies covered in bunions and blisters.
So… I’m here to advocate for the Sturdy Sensible Heel (or SSH). Because stilettos cause back pain and shin-cramps, joggers are ugly and in London it’s far too cold for flip flops. But just what is a SSH?
I trawled through the fashion pages of BAZAAR, nothing. While the online fashion bibles of Style.com and Net-A-Porter.com suggest heels less than six-inches high are not worth owning. Must I resign myself to wearing the dutiful court-shoe of air hostesses and secretaries of the 1950s? Say it isn’t so.
No. I’m thinking the answer – this season anyway – comes straight from the Horse's mouth: The Riding Boot. Stylish, slimming, and in black can be worn with just about anything.
Giddy up!
The Granada, £135 from DUO Boots on Saville Row, London
1 comment:
A very entertaining post, my love. As a fellow walker (can't see the sense in driving down the road to the shops, much to the frustration of my lazy husband), I'm always on the lookout for shoes who'll walk the walk with me.
I had a pair of Witchery ballet flats that I wore through in two years (recently binned), which were super-comfortable and fit like a glove, unlike other ballet flats that I've had to do the cripple-foot thing with to keep them from slipping off.
Fortunately in Sydney, thongs are de riguer for almost any occasion, though I can no longer stand to wear Havaianas (so ubiquitous) and instead wear leather ones, which have left an indelible tan mark on my feet!
With autumn fast approaching down south, you'll be happy to know you've inspired me to seek out some riding boots. My feet are never warm in ballet flats, anyway.
Erica/GWAS x
Post a Comment