0013: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes Pt.I
Three stylish commuters and I share our favorite shoes (and bags) made for walking
Greetings from this ominously warm day we’re experiencing. Some weeks ago, New York experienced unsettlingly-warm weather, and I, fresh from a post-winter pedicure rather optimistically and entirely foolishly, decided to wear sandals for the first time since last September. What ensued was a delightful array of blisters, chafing and swelling of the feet that left me hobbling for days after. What was I to expect? I’d spent an inordinate amount of time over the past few months pottering about the house in slippers, and ever so briefly outside in a cocoon of stack-heeled boots and sneakers. The girls had become a little too…relaxed.
Spring arrived reluctantly, and for the occasion I brought out my Cute Little Shoes™, only to realize that they weren’t fitting or feeling quite like they used to. As a young 20-something who could only afford to wear $7 ballet flats to 8-hour long retail shifts, I have a high threshold for pain (though I may or may not have developed sciatica in the process). The tides have changed and now I am a 34 year old woman with all the requisite aches and pains of someone who has worn inappropriate footwear for far too long and who has learned that beauty is pain has its limits. Unfortunately, it turns out that its too much to ask of shoes to be Cute and Comfortable. Though it seems that there are more shoes than ever available that are quite literally down to earth and don’t resemble stilts, a modicum of comfort – a little cushiony insole here, a rubber sole there – even when paying ludicrous amounts for them is expecting a lot.
As someone who earned her official New Yorker badge earlier this year, I walk almost EVERYWHERE. Living downtown has afforded me the great privilege of being able to walk many places, and additionally, with our current mayor I refuse to desecrate this space with his name too concerned with which restaurants and events to attend, the horror that is the subway is something I try to avoid as best as I can. This means I need shoes that can get me through the day without wincing and limping, all while looking like the city is my runway. Two years ago I bought the Ava mary-jane flats by The Row and have worn them around the clock until it becomes too cold to wear them with socks.
These shoes served me so well until I subjected them to one too many torrential, monsoon-levels of rain in Milan last spring, and shortly after the photo on the right was taken, the mary-janes had filled with rainwater causing them to shrink, the exterior tarnished, and it took two days to dry. It was the absolute most money I had ever spent on a pair of shoes, and I was also devastated because they went with almost everything in my wardrobe and could be worn just about anywhere. Several months and some agonizing later, when I came across them at a closing-down sale very marked-down, I bought them again. I regret nothing!
To save you some physical and emotional distress, I’ve compiled a few guiding notes and consulted with a few achingly stylish commuters for tips on shoes and bags made for walkin’.
If you’re looking to buy shoes that are going to get some good mileage on them, size UP! I learned this from an associate at the Marni store in Milan while testing out some sandals after seeing women in Milan flying through the city in their Marnis (comfortable sandals are on the menu for the next newsletter!)
Get them resoled. I know it seems absolutely insane to have to resole shoes especially when you pay a small fortune for them – why is it that the more expensive the shoe, the less conducive they are to real life? – but you’ll be extending their life and your’s.
Buy vintage/secondhand. The more worn-in shoes are, the more comfortable they’ll be. If it gives you the ick, look for insoles that can be easily clean, sanitized and/or add inserts (bonus comfort). The majority of my most-worn pairs are secondhand.
Also a Marni associate tip: when contemplating a purchase, try on long-haul shoes around late afternoon, when are feet are wonderfully swollen. Fun! If the shoes feel comfortable then, she’s the one.
Espadrilles don’t get enough recognition for how great they are. Rubber soles? Breathable fabric?? I bought my first pair at a grocery store in Formentera after slipping and sliding on rocks and cliffs in Cute Little Shoes™.
Now enough about me:
Naomi Accardi is an editorial consultant and writer living and working between Palermo and New York
Her go-to shoes for support and style having lived and worked in so many different cities and countries (Palermo, Milan, Dubai, New York, the list goes on!): Ha, I have definitely lived in many places! I would say my go-to shoes are mostly my Wales Bonner Sambas (second edition, in red), but they don't offer much support after a few kilometers. I recently discovered how comfortable New Balance 991 V2 are and I have been wearing them as much as I can. My boyfriend got a pair now though, so we have to coordinate who wears them when (lol)..
The one bag she couldn’t do without for a long day of commuting: Easy answer! My A.P.C. Demi-Lune in Black leather. No matter how many bags I buy, I keep coming back to this one.
On the most uncomfortable shoes ever worn: I think any Zara heel I wore to go out in high school? Not sure how I have ankles! Long gone are the days of me wearing heels to go out. My early bedtime helps with this.
Jalil Johnson is a Fashion Office Coordinator and pens the newsletter Consider Yourself Cultured, and is based in New York
For trekking to fashion shows and market meetings, the perfect shoes: Inspired by an article from The Cut about Emily Bode Aujla., I invested in a pair of Martiniano shoes, and they exceeded all expectations. Crafted from glove leather, they mold effortlessly to your foot, though their delicacy became apparent during a surprising encounter with a torrential rainstorm. I’ve worn these on ten hour shoot days, and Saturday strolls through the city. THEY ARE THE PERFECT SHOE!
Sadly I think the Emme Parsons sandals I have have been discontinued (here is a similar style), but it is the perfect shoe that epitomizes comfort and style. The heel height strikes the perfect balance between elegance and wearability, ensuring you feel polished without having to suffer through hobbling after wearing them for a few hours. This may be controversial, but I find The Row shoes surprisingly comfortable. I have a penchant for very flat shoes,, and Horn sandals feel as if you are walking barefoot with an unexpected level of comfort. They even braved a torrential rainstorm during NYFW without breaking!
Fool-proof (and undoubtedly chic) bags for busy days: I'm devoted to my L.L. Bean Boat and Tote. I use it for workdays and weekend getaways alike. When it comes to bags, a non-negotiable for me is their ability to carry a spare pair of shoes. Though I love wearing heels, sometimes after a full day at the office, I crave a break for my feet before hitting up an event. My Louis Vuitton Speedy 30, is a perfect example of another bag that can work for an event, and is also practical due to how much can fit inside.
Disaster on the dancefloor: I've truly tested the durability of my shoes, encountering mishaps ranging from a slingback snapping mid-stride to a heel becoming ensnared in a wooden plank, resulting in the plastic heel breaking. By the time I registered that my heel was broken, I was halfway to a party that I couldn’t miss, so I had to awkwardly dance while the metal rod was making that horrible thud sound on the floor.
Aydha Mehnaz is the Manager of Celebrity and Media Relations at Mugler, and lives in Paris
Shoes to get her through hectic days so Zendaya and Beyoncé can serve: I bought a pair of Mango boots a few years ago. They’re pointed-toe with a kitten heel, and they look great with a sari or with a tailored suit. They’ve become my “workwear” boots and I wear them to all the events I run and organize. I’ve started wearing loafers from Jonak, and they make me feel very Parisian. In general, I don’t spend a lot of money on shoes because with all the running around I do, I know they’re going to get destroyed.
Do you remember the Bata ballet flats from when we were kids? I bought three pairs last year in different colours and wore them all summer. They’re the best summer shoes.
It’s in the bag: If I’m on a work trip or at an event for Mugler, I’m carrying a Mugler bag. Otherwise I carry a bag from A.P.C. with a gold buckle or a bucket bag from Acne made form a kind of synthetic material that’s really great for rainy days. And then I carry an Issey Miyake tote to carry things like my laptop.
Never again: I would never wear strappy stilettos ever again. It’s hard enough to tie your own shoelaces, and then you have stilettos that have to be tie up and around your ankles? No. No. Last year I wore a pair of pumps to a wedding, the kind that give you blisters at the back of your feet, and I come home to find…three blisters at the back of my foot.
Until next time, with more stylish commuters and my favourite all-day sandals!
Me and my swollen feet thank you for your service 🫡😌
Thank you!!!