My feet are loving me right now; I just keep being so flipping to them. I’ve been exfoliating them, moisturising them and giving them mini-massages. I’ve been to the podiatrist to get them fitted up with custom-made orthotics thanks to my recent attendance at the Hotter VIP event and I’ve been stepping out in not one, not two but THREE new pairs of Hotter shoes. My plan when I went to the event was to come home with one pair but being the indecisive that I am, I just couldn’t whittle it down when I found three pairs that I liked because they were all so different to each other. Since then I have spotted two more pairs of Hotter shoes but that’s a story for a different day!
So, I want to introduce you to my new Hotter shoes, one pair at a time . . .
Hotter Originals – Shake Shoe
My Mum and I are very different in our shoes choices, Mum loves everything ‘pointy’ but I prefer square and rounded toes. These Shake shoes caught my eye and I thought they would look great with thick tights and a denim mini skirt. I always tend to choose a shoe which either fits up to my ankle or has a strap as I tend to walk out of the shoes because of my high arch. The plaited strap on the Shake adds texture and style. I chose my shoes in tan which look great with grey, black, brown and navy (my Autumn essential colours). Made from the softest, premium leather and featuring a ‘V’ throat for added comfort, they have a cushioned sole and removable insole for a personalised fit.
I shall be completely honest and tell you that the first time I wore these shoes they gave me blisters on my heels and toes. In my foolishness I wore them on the morning I decided to walk to school with the Beans and without socks or tights. It wasn’t my brightest move in the slightest BUT once I had let my feet heal, I began wearing them with thick tights for the colder weather and now they are as comfortable as slippers. I even wore them on a recent family day out and my feet were still as good as new at the end of the day.
Annette Shoes
I’m not a regular wearer of heels as I can be unstable around my ankles so I often find it is safest to stay in flats BUT I do like a small heel and I loved the look of the Annette heels as a dressier Autumn/Winter shoe for skirts, jeans and trousers.
The Annette heels feature Pyramid Technology under the balls of the feet which is a pyramid shaped foam pad hidden in the insole which contracts and traps air as you walk which acts a cushion for the balls of the feet, somewhere I feel pain often in heels. On the first day that I wore my Annette’s I was out for a full day of shopping and didn’t experience pain once (brave wasn’t I?).
Another great feature is the Dual Fitting developed to help customise your fit easily. There is a removable top insole and an under sock. By removing the under sock and keeping the top insole, the width of the shoe is increased to give you more space and comfort.
Hampton Boot
If there is one season I look forward to for footwear, it’s Autumn because it means I can break out the boots. This year I decided it was high time that I added a pair of ankle boots to my wardrobe as I tend to stick to calf/knee length. I spotted the Hampton boots in chocolate and it was love at first sight. I tried them on in the shop and go so busy talking and walking around in them that I completely forgot I was wearing them, that’s how comfortable they were. You always expect to have a ‘bedding in’ period with new shoes but these have been bliss from the off. I have worn them for the school run, weekend walks and shopping expeditions with both jeans and skirts, I can’t rave about them enough.
The Hampton boot is a stylish ankle boot with a mix of superior leather and suede with an attractive buckle strap detail. They feature a soft floral lining which is luxurious against your foot, even in a sock. They also have the removable insole which will be even more perfect when my orthotics arrive and if you want to use a gel insole or even just to wear thicker socks for Winter.
Great Customer Service
It’s also worth noting just how good the customer service is in the Peterborough Hotter shoes store. Having worked in retail myself for nearly 10 years I am a real stickler for good customer service. I don’t know about you but I’m finding good customer service harder and harder to come by these days, so when we find it, we need to shout about it.
I have known the Hotter team at Peterborough for a little over a year now and am always impressed with how friendly and helpful they are to everyone. You can tell from the smiles on the faces of their customers just how much of a good job they do, nothing is too much trouble and nobody is rushed into making decisions. Danielle, the Store Manager, is a great example of how to do things right, she has a team who support her and they do it all with ease. A few other stores could do to take a lesson or two from Peterborough’s Hotter team.
