At 67, I Stopped Choosing Between Sore Feet and Shoes That Looked Like I Had Given Up
A LETTER FROM A READER
AT 67, I STOPPED CHOOSING BETWEEN SORE FEET AND SHOES THAT LOOKED LIKE I'D GIVEN UP
Margaret PembertonBoston · August 2, 2026
I have never written one of these before, and I nearly didn't, because it's only a pair of shoes. But three different women asked me about them at my sister's birthday lunch last week — my shoes, of all things — and I've now explained it enough times that it seemed easier to write it down properly.
For about ten years, getting dressed has ended at my feet. I'd have the outfit right, then stand at the shoe rack choosing between the pretty ones that hurt by lunchtime and the comfortable ones that made me look like I'd stopped trying. There didn't seem to be a third option for a woman my age.
"Comfortable, yes. But every time I caught sight of my feet I thought, when did I start dressing like I'd given up."
HOW IT HAPPENS
I don't think anyone decides to give up on nice shoes. It happens the way most things happen after sixty — one sore afternoon at a time. A heel pinches, so you stop wearing it. A flat gives you nothing underneath, so your feet ache by three. Eventually the only pair you reach for is the sensible, slightly sad one by the door, and you tell yourself that's just what comfortable looks like now.
WHAT I HAD WRONG
I'd assumed comfortable and elegant couldn't live in the same shoe at my age — that I had to pick one. The Romy is the first pair in years that doesn't ask me to choose.
THE SHOES ARE CALLED THE ROMY
They're from Bennett Boston, an American label that's been quietly looking after women our age for a good twenty years. The Romy is a cushioned wedge ballet flat — closed-toe, a soft padded footbed, and just a little bit of a wedge under the heel. It slips on, which my hands are grateful for, and it stays put once it's on.
The footbed is properly cushioned, so my feet aren't aching by the afternoon the way they used to. The wedge gives me a small lift — enough that I feel a touch more put-together — but it's steady, not a heel I have to think about on the pavement.
WHAT HAPPENED AT MY SISTER'S LUNCH
I wore them to my sister's birthday lunch, and three different women asked where they were from — including my sister, who has not once complimented anything I've worn in fifty years. I had them on again the next morning to take my dog, Biscuit, round the block, and my feet felt the same at the end of both. At 67, that's the whole thing really.
THREE THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE
Comfortable doesn't have to look comfortable. These are a proper closed-toe shoe. Nobody would guess they feel like slippers.
A little lift changes how you stand. The wedge is small, but it's enough that I don't shuffle the way I'd started to.
Your feet decide how long you last. I stay out longer now — errands, church, a walk — because I'm not counting down to sitting down.
ABOUT THE PRICE
I'll be honest about why I'm writing this rather than just telling my sister where I got them. The Romy is currently $40.95, down from $81.95 — half off for their final summer sale — and when I checked again this week the page said only a few pairs remained at that price. They do them from a size 3 up to a 9, in black, brown, red and blue.
Romy | Cushioned Wedge Ballet Flats
- Soft cushioned footbed that reduces foot fatigue
- Stable wedge for a gentle lift and steady balance
- Closed-toe, easy slip-on fit · sizes 3–9
- Free delivery via USPS · 100% Happiness Guarantee
Due to high demand for our final season sale, only a few pairs remain at the current price.
I haven't reached for the sad pair by the door since.
Margaret Pemberton lives in Boston with her dog, Biscuit. Bennett Boston has over 20 years of experience delivering timeless fashion rooted in American heritage.
This page is a paid advertisement for Bennett Boston.