My Achilles tendon continues to heal, very slowly. And so it has come to pass that after years in flats I have to make a change. For now, and perhaps always on the days my injury bedevils, I need a wedge. I shake my head at past Lisa, so sure she’d figured this out.
Also, I got the COS button-front chinos, I like them very much, but let’s be honest, they’re kind of weird. And weird pants (trousers for you across the various ponds) demand simplicity. Worn with graphic tops and boy-look sneakers, my usual choices, they’d just read messy.
We have to balance the amount of visual interest very carefully in order to polish a casual style without falling over into dowdy
So I’ve ordered a navy tank top, added arm weights to my physical therapy (because I have some vanity goodness knows), and am thinking very hard about that Clegg bag.
What to put on my feet? The butterfly slip-ons are cute but flat. I need reinforcements, literally.
Sue wears some great wedges, in her latest post, here. (Love the Nantucket reds.) Apparently they are really comfortable, good enough to walk all over Paris. And when I was looking at those, I thought I might try these?
They have an actual memory foam layer. Whoa. I suppose it would depend on what’s under the foam.
Or these.
Simple. I’m aiming for that rigorous oddity often interpreted as style. Almost Brutalist. Without any discomfort whatsoever, I mean zero. Except what’s surfaced by the meaning of life and the burden of consciousness because we’re human.
Alternatively, I could relent and go with something more normal, more Sturdy, less Artsy student.
Nah, I’ll probably veer weird.
And yes, please have a nice weekend, I’ll be thinking of you fondly.
Some links may generate commissions. All opinions are so clearly my own it’s almost annoying.
Edited to add: I spent the day shoe-shopping, and as it turned out, I need the higher wedge. As it also turned out, those Mephistos that Sue shows are the most comfortable shoes for my particular injury that could find; I now own a pair in cognac leather;). Comfort>Brutalist aesthetic. I also met a reader at the shoe store who was absolutely lovely and I want to wave hello! Hi Martha!
57 Responses
The Gabor ones look lovely-I’ve had their ankle boots many years ago
Check some Mephisto’s,they look nice and are comfortable indeed
I had to wave goodbye to flats a couple of years ago-with regret…. (Tod’s ballerinas,Repetto’s…..),but I’ve never looked back
Have a lovely weekend
Dottoressa
@Dottoressa, Ah, good to have your endorsement of the Gabor brand, they are unfamiliar to me! Sigh. Flats for fancy only. What on earth is going on:).
Ooooh! I like the Gabor – looks stylish. I’m not familiar with them but they also look comfortable for walking. Hope the Achilles heel resolves soon. Have a good weekend.
@Jane, I couldn’t find them in the store, I bought the Mephistos because I needed SOMETHING other than hiking boots with heel wedge inserts for the warm days;). But I can’t wear my Birkenstocks at all, so I may go back for them.
I love both of those choices you show. I had some Gabor shoes a while back and loved them. I can’t wear flats all the time, although I veer toward flats for most things, with some support, not ballerinas anymore either, alas. For me it is my back, and especially on days where I have a lot of standing, I need a wedge or a low block heel. Just when I think I figure something out, something else changes.
I hope your Achilles heel recovers soon, but when I injured mine, and I was much younger then, it took a good six months. Not trying to be a pessimist or anything
@Mardel, I appreciate the Gabor endorsement, I’d never heard of the brand. And six months, at this point, seems very likely. But I was out in the garden today for a couple of hours and the joy and sense of accomplishment in that was worth the half an hour of lying down with ice that faces me now.
All classic contemporary choices and easy to wear. Pain is the devil! I hope you heal soon.
Luci
@luci, Thank you. Pain is pernicious, and immobility a monster.
Your blog is showing Not Secure. Should I unsubscribe?
@mary, To the best of my knowledge my blog is just fine. These things are kind of mysteries…:)
@mary, In this case, it just means that it’s http:// instead of https:// – so anything you see or enter is not encrypted.
Since you are presumably not entering your bank details or other sensitive information, this is not a worry.
A decade or so ago, the only sites that *were* input/output encrypted were the ones that absolutely needed to be (where secure methods of payment are needed)… and then not always quite all of those. So, if your bank site or utilities site or Amazon or anything else like *that* shows up with a “Not Secure” warning, then yes, high-tail it out of there and contact the company.
But blogs? Encryption not necessary (unless, I guess, one is sharing Highly Confidential information in the… publicly viewable comments. Which I’d also recommend against. :-) ). Hope this is helpful!
I really like those Gabor’s for the “Scandi meets jolie laide” aestetic. I’m tempted to try them myself. ;-)
And I do swear by those Mephistos. Thanks!
@Susan B., You’re welcome. SO COMFORTABLE!
I have had the same footwear issues for years now. I like the selection at Garnet Hill and especially like these https://www.garnethill.com/b-26-23248-3brn-park-sandals/shoes-accessories/shoes-boots/sandals/521636?listIndex=31
Thank you for the tip on the chinos.
@Teddi Carbonneau, You are so welcome! And to you for more comfortable wedges!
Oh yes, do take care of that tendon. My husband has very flat feet and, as a result, ruptured the posterior tibialis tendon in his left foot – it’s the tendon that starts under your arch, wraps around your ankle, and then attaches your calf muscle to your tibia. His surgeon said when you have flat feet it’s like pulling down on a drapery panel (love that a man came up with that analogy!) for years and eventually the fabric is going to tear. Anyway, he just had surgery two weeks ago and can’t put any weight on it for 4 more weeks – so you want none of that!! The surgeon suggested Vionic shoes because they have great built-in arch support. I immediately ordered two pair for my husband and some house slippers and sandals for myself (I have a tendency to pronate). They are super comfortable and they have really cute wedges and flats, as well as other styles. Hope your feet and legs feel better soon!
@Cynthia, Thank you! It’s so eye-opening to see what our feet do for and to us over the years. I suppinate, which is pronating to the outside, and have a stupidly instep, so I actually avoid arch support. I suppose it makes sense that feet are so varied, so many bones…
@Cynthia, Ohhh we of the stupidly high arch! Do you suppose we high archers are going to age toward pronation, or suppination, one or the other? I of the high arch division # am a pronater, so I like your wedge Rx better than mine, my Rx came in the form of a hideous plastic orthotic to fit into my existing shoes [fat chance], yours in the form of a very sexy shoe!
Now wait, don’t I remember a wedge you bought/wore some ____ years ago, a summery Sperry number that laced up the ankle? Can you pull those out and put them to summer use? xo
Catching up on last week’s post too, as I’ve been away for work. I love my bag from The Umbrella Collective – it’s an LA company, small, beautiful simple leather bags. @grechenscloset told me about them! I have the Day Bag but looking for other options that might appeal.
As for shoes, I tend to fall off wedges and platforms. I need arch support and I’ve been wearing “comfortable” shoes for many years now. Just a little lift with good internal support – that’s what I look for! Those sandals are cute though – agree with the “jolie laide” comments. I enjoy that vibe!
@Kelly, The Umbrella Collective makes lovely simple stuff! Thank you for sharing – I hadn’t seen them. Small note, they say they are in Portland? Not that it matters. And their prices I think are much more what many think is reasonable for a bag.
Eek, must have been confused with a different company (or, everything on the West Coast blends together to an Easterner?) Apologies! But I adore the simple bags – the leather is so nice! It wears in nicely – I think the patina after 15 years will be perfect!
As the contrarian in the bunch… I like the other ones, the Alida sandals. Are the Gabor ones not too flat, even though they’re platform? I see in the shot that they say size 31/2 and I’m trying in imagine them in a size 81/2 on my twiggy leg. Ha … Olive Oyl has nothin’ on me.
Hope the healing continues apace, Lisa.
@Sue Burpee, Thanks. Yes, after trying on some of the flatter wedges, I think the Gabor is too flat for serious days. But I can’t wear Birks at all, so, maybe to replace my white Gizehs?
I prefer the Alida as well. The Gabor looks like they’ve co-opted the classic Teva sandal. In that regard I say stick with the classic, not the gussied up designer copy.
I have not one but three pairs of Cole Hahn sandals of a similar sole, that I love. Not sure if they’re wedgie enough to suit your needs but I shoe glued my silicone arch support into them and they’re extremely comfortable.
https://www.colehaan.com/womens-zerogrand-crisscross-sandal-black-leather-black/W09127.html?dwvar_W09127_color=Black%20Leather-black&dwvar_W09127_width=#cgid=womens_shoes_sandals&start=38
@RoseAG, My feet are usually too wide across the metatarsal for Cole Hahn, which is a pity, as I have always liked their look.
COS clothes are often weird. I have one shirt from there I absolutely love, a few others I probably shouldn’t have bought, and a very purple-violet dress. I agree that weird has to be balanced with simple, and if the weird FITS right, then the whole can be very effective. But COS trousers never fit me. Congratulations on your successful shoe shopping expedition!
@Rebecca, It seems like COS pants do fit me – lots of brands don’t. Maybe trouser makers should have “lasts” the way shoemakers used to…
I like the Alida also – the verticality of the sole is interesting. Hope your recovery goes smoothly.
@MJ, Thank you:).
I hope your foot problem only temporarily dictates shoe choices. That said, if the right shoe will accelerate healing as well as provide comfort that’s a win win.
@Susan, Win win:).
You might check out https://www.barkingdogshoes.com/, a blog that reviews shoes for problem feet.
I hope you continue to heal.
@Wendelah1, Right! I’d forgotten about Barking Dogs. I should go check them out again, thanks.
Waving back at you — hi Lisa! Such an unexpected pleasure to cross paths with you at the shoe store today. I wish you many stylish and pain-free hours of walking in your new cognac Mephistos.
@Martha, Thank you and to you in your ballet flats!
All of those are so much more stylish than the therapeutic “boot” (with an adjustable wedge) that my son-in-law wore for most of the last year as his Achilles ruptured and healed, ruptured and healed, ruptured and healed (Three times in total, seriously!) You’re very wise to give in on this and care for your tendon now — and you’re still managing to ooze style. Really. xo
@Frances, You are very nice. And your son-in-law, wow! So hard to go through this for so long. And with repeated setbacks:(. Hats off to him for coming out the other side.
May I be presumptuous enough to recommend an additional brand? The ghastly brandname aside, I can’t praise my Fitflops highly enough. Certainly they saved my feet and legs through the demands of twin pregnancy this summer (and in the middle of a record-breaking, varicose-vein-inducing heatwave, no less).
They are a gentle wedge with the most comfortable heel imaginable, and a soft, flexible upper. I have these: https://www.fitflop.com/us/en/shop/skinny-leather-toe-thongs-p-O67#615 but perhaps in a sandal would better suit your needs? For example, https://www.fitflop.com/us/en/shop/bon-ii-brushed-foil-suede-sandals-p-N05#615
@Elizabeth, I had no idea those could be so pretty! And on sale! Thank you.
Can you find a pair in cognac? I think that color would be better for your overall look. I love Golden Goose sneakers, aesthetically as well as for comfort. There’s an internal wedge. I know..pricey.
@KSL, I love the way Golden Goose sneakers look. Perfect LA cool. They have an inner wedge?!?!
I have large (11) and difficult feet. I mostly wear Merrell trail shoes although I have plain black buckled Mephisto ankle boots I bring out for dress occasions. They are ridiculously comfortable. The only reason I don’t wear them more is because the soles are not replaceable and I can’t find the exact style now.
Having teen & early 20s years in the 70s combined with this post reminds me of the Kork-Ease wedges we all wore. SO comfortable I’m tempted to try another pair this summer, maybe after my knee replacement surgery just gone thru is finally healed. But I know I couldn’t walk all over Paris in them!
@Charlotte K, These Mephistos, in cognac, really remind me of Kork-Ease! I remember them so well, I didn’t have any but a girl in my dorm did and I LOVED them.
I’ve never torn an achilles tendon, but I’ve had foot problems since early childhood thanks to off-the-charts high insteps. I’ve *never* been able to wear flat shoes without suffering; as a kid I wore heel lifts, and now, like you, I prefer wedges, usually 1.5 inches high. Gabor and Mephisto are great brands; I own the slide version of the Lissandra sandal you ended up with, and agree that it’s super-comfy (and not bad-looking!). I see no one here has recommended the Fly London brand, so I’ll put in a plug here. Any style that begins with “Y” is what you’re looking for. I own three pairs of the Yala style and just ordered a pair of Yorl lace-up sandals (also sold as Yeki), which definitely qualify as jolie laide.
@Nancy, Any style that begins with a Y…there is a joke here but I am not good at jokes:). Thanks for the recommendation, sorry you too have high insteps, that’s what has caused most of my soft tissue injuries over the years.
P.S. If you need a wedge, sneakers can seem like the impossible dream. I’m curious about this style, which is way flashier than I generally like, but oh, that wedge: https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/hispanitas-ruth-sneaker-women/5143799
I own two pairs of Hispanitas ankle boots and can vouch for the brand’s excellence.
Please veer weird, Not that I truly endorse your use of that word to describe your style, which I find eclectic and very polished. Love the pants, a big yes to that lovely bag and I do hope the black wedges are comfortable because they most certainly are gorgeous. I adored you fashion posts in years gone by and am delighted with this post.
Best wishes for a full tendon recovery.
@Maria, “Eclectic and very polished.” :) Thank you!
My husband has the delicate Achilles, as well. After the month in a boot, he was graduated to Hoka One Ones. They’re a very cushioned shoe, and a roomy shoe that will accommodate a heel wedge. He’s a high arched supinator, I’m a no arch pronator, and we both love the shoe. They’re not the best looking shoe in the world, but I’m to the point that I’ll buy anything that doesn’t hurt.
@Allison who is in Tucson, Jack Sprat and his wife come to mind! But seriously, in the end we ARE our feet if we walk and pain is the devil.
Shoes that don’t hurt: gold.
Shoes that don’t hurt *and* that look nice: well-designed gold.
I wish gold were not quite as rare as it is. I do not have anything of substance to add to this discussion, but thank you for talking about it! It is good to know that wedges may, someday, be in my future – I had always assumed that as you age, safety and comfort lead invariable to flatter and flatter heels, but: apparently not!
@KC, Apparently not! Who knew! And you are very welcome!
Eek, must have been confused with a different company (or, everything on the West Coast blends together to an Easterner?) Apologies! But I adore the simple bags – the leather is so nice! It wears in nicely – I think the patina after 15 years will be perfect!
@Kelly, Not to worry or apologize at all! Really good to hear that the leather is nice:).
When in need of medicinal-ish shoes that are still aesthetically pleasing, you can’t go wrong with Mephisto. If budget is an issue, Clarks (for me) are almost as good and about 25% of the cost.
And those trousers are LOVELY, but I see what you mean about simplicity for the rest of the outfit. That bag… *swoon*
@Ros, Clarks are good, I agree, they were my second choice when I settled on the Mephistos. I decided to spend the $$$ because I am still in a fairly acute phase and I was going absolutely stir-crazy being unable to be out and about. With these, I can do errands as long as I walk slowly.
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