I fell out of love with shoe shopping a long time ago!
I used to love shoes, but years of pounding the floor at Tesco and working behind a bar wearing silly wedges took their toll and with psoriatic arthritis added into the mix my choice of shoe for the last couple of years has been fit flops as they caused the least pain.
I haven’t worn heels for a few years now so when I was requited to wear 4″ heels for a photo shoot in London in the summer I could barely stand, let alone walk and was literally crying in agony by the end of the session but then Hotter shoes came into my life.
Hotter have been manufacturing stylish comfortable footwear for over 50 years, starting out with slippers and continuing into the mass shoe market promising to make shoes as comfortable as slippers!! They are now the UK’s biggest shoe maker with a fabulous eye for colour and design and a passion for creating beautiful shoes that feel wonderful to wear!
I was invited to a Hotter event in my local store in Bournemouth and was introduced to the lovely Mel and team who let us try on almost every shoe in the shop and took us through the design process and the secret ingredients they inject into every pair of shoes creating the Comfort Concept!!
The beauty of the concept is that the comfort is hidden, yet the style of the shoe really catches the eye. I have to admit I always assumed Hotter Shoes were the kind of shoe my granny would wear, however, although there are shoes that the older generation would love, they have some up to the minute styles and colours that even my 21 year old daughter would wear – all with pillows of cushioning, air-filled bubble soles and wiggle room for toes to explore!
The best bit of the evening was also the most difficult – actually choosing a pair to take home and review!
I have to admit that being winter, the boots were the most popular option and after trying on almost every style and colour I opted for some sensible Carmen Boots with a cosy faux fur lining to keep my toes snug and GORE-TEX® technology which offers complete waterproof protection – perfect for days out with the family.
For the first half of the evening I admittedly didn’t pay much attention to the shoe range, but having seen the styles demonstrated in Mel’s talk, I am in love with their brogues and a beautiful pair of teal coloured pumps. A sparkly handbag may have fallen into my shopping basket too and it £19 it didn’t break the bank!!
What I like about the Hotter store is that it’s warm, friendly and inviting. Unlike fashion stores there is only one or two shoes on display of any one style and the well-trained staff look after your every need. Just one look at my feet and they said to try a 5.5 instead of a 6 and they were right – the perfect fit!
They don’t mind you trying on numerous styles either, they are there to help fit the perfect shoe for you!
Hotter Shoes were also behind my footwear choice for the MadBlogAwards and I wore heels in comfort for the first time in years with a gorgeous pair of Lauren Wedges.
Hotter Shoes are now my go to place for all my shoes and I cannot wait for a new pair to be added to my growing collection! I can also confirm that my new Carmen boots have kept my feet warm and dry despite the torrential downpours trying their best to soak me from head to toe!
Hotter Shoes comfort concept is the bee’s knees in my opinion.
still loving my Hotter Shoes 🙂 They served me well traipsing around London the other week! My feet felt lush 🙂 #comfortisnotforOAPs
I too am a convert to hotter. I always have sore feet. Even though I am under 5ft I have never worn heels. During my student years in the 90s Doc Martins were the trend so have always preferred comfort. But now want to look stylish. Before I discovered Hotter I had a limited number of shoes. Now I could get in to serious debt to fee my Hotter shoe habit.
I’m off to order Carmen boots and 2 more pairs of shoes, plus some Quartz sandals for my 74yr old mother (that I’d happily wear to a wedding).
I can’t see me buying shoes from anywhere else again.