At 67, I Stopped Choosing Between Shoes That Hurt and Shoes That Looked Like Hospital Issue
A LETTER FROM A READER
AT 67, I STOPPED CHOOSING BETWEEN SHOES THAT HURT AND SHOES THAT LOOKED LIKE HOSPITAL ISSUE
Margaret PembertonBoston · August 6, 2026
I almost didn't write this, because they're only a pair of shoes. But my daughter noticed them straight away, and then a friend at lunch asked, and I've said it enough times now that it felt easier to put it down properly.
For years my feet gave me the same miserable choice every morning. There were the nice shoes that looked lovely and had me aching by lunchtime, and there were the "supportive" ones — wide, spongy, the colour of a sticking plaster — that looked like they'd been issued by a hospital. I'd more or less decided that comfort, after a certain age, simply had to be ugly.
"I wanted my feet to stop aching. I just didn't want to look like I'd given up to get there."
HOW IT HAPPENS
Nobody decides to give up on nice shoes. It goes one sore evening at a time. The pretty pair hurts, so you wear it less. The comfortable pair doesn't, so you wear it always — even though you don't much like the look of it. Before long the whole rack is sensible and a little sad, and you tell yourself that's just what feet need at your age.
WHAT I HAD WRONG
I'd assumed real support had to look orthopedic. The Patricia is the first pair in years that proved me wrong. They're from Bennett Boston, an American label that's been quietly looking after women our age for a good twenty years.
They're a proper orthopaedic shoe in disguise: a shock-absorbing, cushioned sole that takes the pressure off my feet and joints, a thick, stable base that keeps me steady, and an adjustable closure so they fit a narrow or a wider foot without pinching. But they look like a soft, neat everyday sneaker in premium vegan-leather — not a medical appliance. All the support is hidden underneath where nobody sees it.
WHAT HAPPENED AT LUNCH
I wore them round town all morning and stood chatting at lunch without once thinking about my feet — which hasn't happened in years. A friend asked where they were from, and my sister, who has never complimented a thing I've worn in fifty years, said they looked smart. The next morning I had them on to walk my dog, Biscuit, and felt just as good. That's the whole thing at 67 — a shoe for town or for the dog, and your feet forgive you either way.
THREE THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE
Support belongs underfoot. All the cushioning is in the sole, where nobody can see it, so they look neat and feel kind.
An adjustable fit is a mercy. My feet aren't what they were, and being able to loosen them off a touch has made all the difference.
The right shoe gets you out the door. I say yes to the walk and the errand now, instead of dreading how my feet will feel by three o'clock.
ABOUT THE PRICE
I'll be honest about why I'm writing this rather than just telling my sister. The Patricia is currently $49.95, down from $100 — half off for their summer sale — and when I checked this week the middle sizes were already going. They do them from a size 4 to a 12, in beige, black and brown.
Patricia | Ultra Comfort Walking Shoes
- Orthopaedic support with a shock-absorbing, cushioned sole
- Thick, stable base for steady, confident steps
- Adjustable closure for a narrow or wider foot · premium vegan-leather
- Sizes 4 to 12 · beige, black & brown · free delivery via USPS
Due to high demand for our summer sale, the middle sizes are selling first.
My feet don't ache, and I don't look like I've given up. Finally.
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.