"Are you wearing, er, Sketchers?"
Lately, I've been asked this question a handful of times and, admittedly, I always brace myself for mocking and jibes. Because I'm with you- Sketchers aren't sexy, or status-y, or cool. This is a city full of women and men who boast of thousands of dollars spent to walk thousands of miles in impossible looking designer footwear, but you know, sometimes the suffering is just silly, overdone, and too much. Bunions, people, not pretty*. Initially, Mr.GoMet and I balked at the prospect of wearing in Sketchers Shape-Ups, but, when we we saw the Sketcher's Shape-Up shop,**we were also feeling spent from a day lugging bags, with him in pesky flip flops and myself in a pair of punishing ballet flats. He was also fresh from a visit to the podiatrist, who had told him that his affinity for a certain brand of English men's shoes was causing his bones undue pain and pressure. When we tried the shoes on, the relief, the actual pleasure of wearing them was instant and impressive. On the shoe spectrum, they are not Oliver Sweeneys or Paul Smith's, but they are a skosh better looking than the lauded but too unflattering MBTs. I ended up buying what is probably their most simple and subtly designed pair- the XF (extended fitness) "Dash" sandals, for $100 (pictured, mine are silver), and he chose the Resistor Runner trainers for $150. We have had the shoes for over a month, and I wear mine a bit more than he does, but we both love them. When we went to Las Vegas, we walked between five to eight miles a day and, while we can't vouch for them as a weight loss aid, we did feel some good stretching in our leg muscles, less back and knee pressure, improved posture, and they were supremely comfortable. Considering how many our shoes have caused blisters, broken, or just exhausted us from the soles upward during long walks, they are really worth the money. Since we're not without vanity, we swap the Shape-Ups when even a little bit of dressing up is called for and find other shoes feel more comfortable, and bearable, after the lovely break. Oh, and the people who ask about my shoes? Turns out they all want a pair.....
*After seeing some of the women in my family suffer for the sake of impractical shoes - right into a fate of medicinal footwear- I'm all for products that might limit the sexy style time each day, but could keep in me stillettos well into my Elaine Stritch years.
**which members can add to their customizable itinerary
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