Comfortable shoes new secret weapon of celebrity stylists
By Elizabeth Paton
Helen Mirren declared herself to be “in love with them,” and Gabrielle Union said that “they might be the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn in my life.” Julia Roberts, Viola Davis and Drew Barrymore have worn them to Hollywood premieres.
Queen Camilla owns 13 pairs and wears them at almost all of her public engagements.
Sole Bliss, which began in 2017 making shoes for style-conscious women afflicted by bunions and other foot conditions, is not a brand that conspicuously screams red-carpet glamour. But in recent years, the small British label has attracted a fan base among celebrities and royalty who are turning to its shoes for high-profile events that require them to be on their feet for hours on end.
Now, as awards season revs up, Sole Bliss has taken a big step into new territory: collaborations. Its first is with Elizabeth Stewart, a longtime stylist for Roberts, and other Hollywood heavyweights. Stewart started offering the shoes in fittings as an experiment after coming across them online in 2020.
“Some of my clients are prepared to suffer for beauty, some aren’t,” Stewart said. “But when I started offering Sole Bliss as an option, it was notable how many were coming back and saying they really worked for them and that they were very comfortable.”
The shoes are now a key tool in Stewart’s tool kit.
“It made sense to put my own stamp on some of the designs I was using the most and make them red-carpet ready,” she said. Which meant raising the razzle-dazzle with skyward heels, brighter shades and major sparkles.
Stewart designed two styles: Royalty, a sky-high platform style in four colors with a block heel and straps that cross at the ankle and a glittering sole ($399); and Premiere, a patent leather sling-back with a pointed toe that comes in six colors and is more suited to daytime events ($349).
The footbed technology that Sole Bliss employs involves three layers of foam, hidden stretch panels and wide toe boxes.
Lisa Kay, founder of the company, spent five years perfecting the design with podiatrists and testing it through market research. A veteran of the leather-accessories industry, she started Sole Bliss after developing a painful bunion and finding few options available for women who still wanted to wear heels.
“It was madness to me that millions of women were being relegated to traditional comfort footwear with no fashionable alternatives,” she said. “I felt confident that there would be massive demand given the gap in the market and how many people suffer from foot problems.”
With the first lockdowns of the pandemic (when the company started a line of sneakers), the Sole Bliss customer base expanded well beyond those with corns, bunions and hammer toes, Kay said. The shoes were embraced by those who prioritized comfort over glitzy brand names, including many celebrities.
Stewart has no qualms about bringing Sole Bliss more fully into the spotlight.
“There is no greater test of a high heel than a Hollywood awards ceremony,” she said. “Very few people get to wear the couture gowns seen on the red carpet, and this is an ordinary brand with shoes designed for regular women. I like to be the decision-maker who gets to put them together when the eyes of the world are watching.”
Luckily, I don’t have a reason to visit a dentist very often — usually only for minor things and a semiannual cleaning. But I was blown away when I took one of the kids to a dental appointment and was stunned by all the incredible developments in dental equipment.
The X-ray and camera technology. The cleanings that are twice as good and take half the time. A filling that’s zip, zap and it is done. A TV on the wall in front of every dental chair — with good shows. How did I miss out on all these developments?
Dear Claire: Count your blessings for your good teeth and lack of familiarity with the latest dentistry techniques and technology.
All those contraptions cost plenty and you are more likely to find them in the offices of more recent dental graduates setting up their new practice. All that stuff is ghastly expensive but increasingly is a requirement for attracting patients.
You probably also have noticed that dental practices are turning into cosmetic wonderlands of whitening and straightening, youthifying injections and sleep advisory clinics. Shop around and you will see what I mean.
But you pay for all this, so be a smart consumer. Compare price lists for the various services from fillings to root canals to Botox treatments. Prices can vary dramatically from one practice to another. In addition, for the vast majority of us who are not fortunate enough to have dental insurance — including seniors who rely on Medicare — be sure to ask if the practice honors any discount programs that you also may not be familiar with. For under $150 per year, they can save you up to 20%, and for expensive items like crowns and root canals that can save you thousands quickly.
One more thing: Ask if there is a discount for payment by cash or check. That can save you another 5% or so. Remember, health care is a business. You are the buyer, so shop smart! You are in charge.
Dear Answer Angel Ellen:
I love to follow fashion trends and I spend too much time online looking at the latest red carpet styles and photo spreads in magazines. I am not a prude. Really. But what is with all this new near nudity? Lingerie as evening and even street daytime wear. Sequins and spangles that pass for coverage that leave nothing — I mean nothing — to the imagination.
Dear Maya: This isn’t new. It’s just gone wild at the moment. Remember Madonna in her pointy bra (in the ’80s) and Britney Spears (in the early 2000s)? The internet, Photoshop, the glory of the new, fashion cycles. All that is in play here to get our attention. And, as your question makes clear: It is working. We are paying attention to which celebrity is embracing the “Free the Nipple Movement.” Answer: Doja Cat, Kendall Jenner, Florence Pugh, Dua Lipa, Chrissy Teigen. As an example closer to the real world: Check out what high school girls are wearing to the prom and other special events: Sky-high hems that make it literally impossible to sit down without showing way, way too much.
— Claire K.
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Is there any reason a man couldn’t wear a woman’s sneaker if he knew what size to order? Why don’t they publish conversion charts?
— Maya T.
— George P.
Dear George: It’s not just sneakers that are unisex. Many women’s and men’s shoe styles are unisex and it is especially simple if your size is in the midrange. Yes, an Internet search will turn up conversion charts and many women are wearing men’s shoes — oxfords and loafers are especially popular. The reverse also is true.