A New Shoe Review

Dear Jessica Brennan,

Generally speaking, I don’t write reviews on this blog.  However a few weeks back the good people at Therafit Shoe contacted me to see if I would review their product.  I thought about it a bit, and decided to go ahead because they were really nice people, and who doesn’t love a pair of comfortable shoes?

The truth is, if I lived in a place like Hawaii I would never wear shoes. Given the chance, I am barefoot even in temperatures where most people are wearing wooly socks. I like to feel the earth under my sole.  It feeds my soul.  

One thing I know for sure though, is that there is nothing worse than having sore feet. I have had holidays almost destroyed by blistered heels, galas where I thought my feet would die in stilettos, and days I couldn’t concentrate because my feet were pinched into pointed toes that made them raw and cramped. You Dear Jessica, are no help whatsoever because you forbid me from wearing most shoes that are deemed comfortable.  

So in choosing the shoes I wanted to review, I knew they would have to be Jessica-approved and as we perused the site, several styles caught your eye my dear daughter.  I opted for the one called Chloe in black. It is a Mary Jane with a strap along the back as opposed to being a totally closed heel. 

How we stand in our shoes is how we stand in our body, and of course good posture not only gives us self-confidence, it is a key factor in keeping us pain-free. I will tell you exactly what I discovered about my new friend the Chloe shoe, but first, here is something I was thinking about as I was writing this review.

Well-worn shoes are romanticized in art and poetry because the concept exudes comfort and marks the amount of life that has passed-by during a journey.  It seems we love the imagery of shoes. William Wordsworth I’m sure would not have written “Sweet Was the Walk” if his feet hurt, and Katrina and the Waves wouldn’t have been “Walking on Sunshine” if they were getting corns and calluses from their 80’s sneakers. 

I like the symbolism associated with shoes. They are the liaison between the pavement and us no matter what mountains we climb in a day. Our shoes help us find stability in uncertainty. They ground us to the earth and keep us balanced, and to that end, once we put them on they are the last thing we should have to worry about.  We need to be able to trust our shoes.

I trust Chloe. This shoe has adjustable shock absorption and a removable insole with arch support. The gel inserts add to the comfort so it is no wonder Therafit Shoe boasts being a 12 hour shoe. At first glance they look like a well-constructed shoe. The pebbled exterior gives it a trendy look and the sole is bouncy. I could see myself wearing these with jeans or a casual dress, to a movie or to a conference.

I must admit that I initially said yes to this review for one reason. The person who contacted me from Therafit Shoe was a happy, helpful, interested and enthusiastic person, who made the process totally enjoyable and simple. Throughout our communications she did exactly what she said she would do, and that’s something that gives me confidence in buying from the company online and also suggesting that others might do so too.  She was honest with me and told me that while I live in Canada, their online store only ships to US addresses. I assured her that most Canadians have an American buddy happy to receive their shoes! Hopefully in this case, a friend that doesn’t share a shoe-size with them. She’s offered us all a 15% discount if we place an order on this season’s shoes. Just use the coupon code dearjessica15. 

All of this efficient and friendly correspondence really set the stage for me prior to receiving the shoes. I don’t know about you, but confidence in a company and feeling like they know you’re a real person, is pretty important to me. 

Also important to me is that Therafit Shoe is a Certified B Corporation, a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. They join a community of leaders, driving a global movement of people using business as a force for good. 

No wonder they seem so happy.

All of this matters to me as a human and a consumer, and it impressed me even before I had the opportunity to hold a pair of shoes in my hands.

Then I opened the box and put the shoes on, and I was so glad I did. That shock absorption and arch support is great to talk about, but even better to experience. Comfy, cushiony and cozy. I test-drove the Chloe style for 12 hours and it didn’t let me down. The shoes were as comfortable in the 11th hour as they were in the first.  I broke my foot a few years back and now have a bump on the top that makes fitting shoes a bit difficult at times. Chloe’s two adjustable straps for width and length really help in this situation. I now believe the company’s claim that you will make your whole body healthy by wearing them. I feel better already.

So my final analysis of Therafit Shoe is this. If you are running to the grocery store for milk or running to catch a plane to Milan.  If you’re in the standing-only section of a concert or want some cute footwear for attending a Sunday brunch, these are comfortable and stylish and just my kind of shoes. 

The kind that you forget you’re wearing.  

Love,

Mum xo

PS – Jessica – these are my shoes not yours. Dear Readers, don’t forget to go to the Therafit Shoe site and use the coupon code dearjessica15 to receive a discount.

Also, why not follow them? @TheraFitShoe on Facebook and Twitter and @Therafit on Instagram