I was asked to attend a blogging event at the Hotter shoes store in Bath but I have to admit, I'd never actually been in a Hotter shoe shop before. I knew they were there but I always carried on walking as I honestly thought I was about 30 years too young to wear their shoes!
My first reaction, therefore, was to politely decline the event. However, I ask the women I work with to challenge their perceptions every day. To think differently about themselves, to change up how they dress and to have a freer view of style. It seemed a little hypocritical of me then to pass up the opportunity to see whether Hotter could change my own views.
So off I went to Bath and ventured into the Hotter shop to see what the PR team had to say. I learnt that the first shop was opened in 2002 and 15 years later there are now 80 of them so they have to be doing something right. I then learnt that their shoes are made right here in the UK (all 2.2 million pairs of them!) making up half of all the shoes that are made locally. And then there's the comfort angle. All their shoes come with comfort features - hidden cushioning, supersoft leather, memory foam insoles etc. They also stock shoes in sizes 3 to 9, offer half sizes, different width fittings and they have removal insoles so perfect if you need to wear orthotics or have different sized feet.
All well and good but were there any shoes that I'd actually be prepared to put my feet in that didn't make me look and feel like an octogenarian?
The answer was YES!
Surprisingly, I was drawn to a number of pairs - the leopard print Tara flats, the stripy Daisy shoe (think Toms), the tasselled Charm loafers and most of all, the Donna heel. The Donna has a real vintage vibe with a curved heel and cute bow. I tried on a pair in a dark aqua suede and as soon as I put them on I was in love. The suede was super soft, there was underfoot cushioning and the shoes had so much wiggle room I had to go down a half size to find the perfect fit. If you like the shoes by Irregular Choice, the Donna is in the same vein but SO much more comfortable.
I'm not going to lie, there were still many pairs I wouldn't consider, but there were at least half a dozen pairs that I would. I even found a pair of ballet flats that were suitable for my feet - something I'd never achieved before due to a pesky bunion on my right foot.
So if you've previously walked on by when you've seen a Hotter shoe shop, I challenge you to go in and try on a pair. Maybe you'll experience your "Hotter Moment" and surprise yourself! x
THE DONNA HEELS - IN AQUA
