The More Conscious Footwear Edit
When I send out the monthly newsletter the footwear is the thing people click on the most! For a lot of us footwear is quite the cost with no guarantee that it will be comfortable or last well.
Did you know that the shoe industry is one of the most wasteful and unsustainable industries? Plus because of cheap manufacturing and fast fashion it is also incredibly wasteful and unethical with the use of harmful chemicals, forced labour and environmental impact. So it’s pretty important that we take our show buying seriously and do it consciously. This is where recommendations can play a big part, having some try and test before investing is helpful so I thought I would write a post on my go to footwear.
I have wide feet, high arches and a fused right ankle (it is fixed in what is essentially a right angle) so let’s say my choice is limited! My right ankle is pretty wide because of all the surgery on it so pull on boots are out and walking boots can rub. Add to that I try and buy from conscious brands, it’s not easy to find footwear from ethical companies but everyone I recommend here score pretty high on the Ethical Consumer database. I’m not stating these are the most conscious footwear brands out there but it is a step in the right direction.
I always wear shoes that are comfortable, I’m an active person who likes to move about a lot so it’s important to me my shoes aren’t causing discomfort so you can be rest assured these make the cut in terms of wearability.
This post contains affiliate links and gifted products but my recommendations are no way depending on this. I only recommend products I truly believe in and the recommendation always comes first and links added afterwards.
The Day Sandal.
These are a recent addition to my modest collection. I had been planning to buy a pair of TEVA originals as I needed something a little less bulky than my Hurricanes (below) but the fact there wasn’t much support on the sole was bothering me. As someone who has mobility issues support is everything.
I spotted these Camper Match sandals in a boutique in Brighton and I fell in love with them. I was lucky enough to get them in a sale because the colour way is an older one but you can get new colours here.
The Every Day Trainer.
It was a mission to find something comfortable to wear every day that goes with dress, jeans and anything else I want to wear that wasn’t too narrow for my feet. Add to wanting something produced in a more thoughtful way and these Primury Dyo were the result of a few years of searches and some misses that got resold on ebay. I’m delighted with them, they go with everything and the first day I wore them was in London racking up 30k steps and I had no pain from them.
Hiking Boots.
Ah, now this has been a mission to find a pair of hiking boots that will fit me! I’ve had many brands that I’ve had to sell on. I’m not going to gloss over the fact that these Scarpa’s took some breaking in and I had to remove the insoles and put in some Superfeet too. But now they have stomped some hills with me they’re broken in and I fully intend to look after them so I don’t have to go through it again! When I was researching which walking boots to buy the general consensus was Scarpa take little reading in so think I am a unique case. Anyhoo, I love these boots - check out my conscious hiking boot care here.
The Wet City Boot.
I do a lot of walking round Brighton - from running Monty to the park, heading to a spin class, running round meetings and going to my coworking space I needed something that would keep my feet dry, keep me not slipping down the steep hill I live on and allow me to stomp around in the rain to my hearts desire. I found these lovely Timberland boots after hours of searching and they are like a trusty friend waiting for me by the front door. I would buy these over and over again but use Liquiproofs Protector to keep them waterproof.
The Hiking Sandal.
Ooooh I love these Teva Hurricane sandals! They have seen me hiking to Sharrah Pool, dancing at a festival, wading through seawater, stomping through mud - the list goes on. If you’re looking for an active, comfortable sandal that you can rely on again and again these are for you. Buy buy buy!
The Workout Trainer.
Ok, so I’m going to be super transparent here and say that I haven’t actually got a pair of workout trainers yet I’m happy with (currently using an old pair of Adidas trainers I got from TK Maxx years ago) but I’m super keen for a pair of Allbirds since I saw celebrity trainer James Daly wearing them on a shoot we did together. These shoes have been rigorously tested and are available in a number of colour ways. Everyone I’ve spoken to who owns a pair loves them. I can’t wait to order a pair!
Natures Shoes.
I try and go bare food as much as possible, there are numerous benefits including increased balance, joint mobility, foot flexibility and connection to the earth for mental health. Obviously you’ll need to watch out for broken glass and things like snakes if it’s a consideration where you’re walking. If you’d like to try barefoot walking and want to build confidence try first on a well trodden path in the woods or along a sandy beach and then build up.
If you’re not quite ready for that, I hear great things about Vivo Barefoot.
Coveting my favourite indigo jacket on today’s blog post.