Comfy shoes – a sign of middle age?

The wife keeps telling me to buy some new trainers as my old ones are knackered. But when I go into some of the ‘trendy’ shoe shops the price of them is just silly!

Now, I don’t think twice about spending my hard earned on decent bike kit. But £90 for a pair of Nikes, or £50 for a pair of Vans, neither of which looks like they’ll last more than a few months I just can’t part with my cash over.

Comfy walking shoes are much more appealing. Cotswolds has a nice range of sandals.

Help. Is this middle life? What can I do to prevent it getting worse!!

You’re at the stage of life where you have to decided – who do you want to look like:
Kevin & Perry
or Bear Grylls?

Buy yourself some Haflinger slippers for indoors; they’re completely middle-class and extremely practical.

Trainers != shoes

if you want to look like you;re desperately hanging onto your ever dwindling youth, buy trainers.

If you want your feet to be in reasonable shape as you get on in life, get some nice shoes that will offer your feet some support. Loakes or Barkers might be worth looking at.

My wife solved my identical dilemma (Vans? Merrels?) by just buying me a pair of leather loafers.

To be fair, they are very comfy and work well with jeans. They are also a bit more smart looking than the Vans or Merrels that I have worn for the last ten years.

It comes to us all brother. I’m sorry, but anyone over 40 sporting some bling 90 quid Nikes just looks like….

And thats not good look

BOOM!!!!

trainers for ‘middle aged’ men especially skate/mtb/outdoors ones worn when not doing the activities they were designed for isn’t a sign of middle age it just means you are resigned to dressing like an audience member of top gear, if you add a flowery shirt then you have just elevated yourself to presenter level. either look is a sartorial travesty.

the comfiest shoes i’ve ever known:

£10, decathlon.

they’re almost indestructible too.

My work shoes are Salomon running shoes, most comfy shoes I’ve found. Do look a bit odd with a suit mind.

Ecco Bioms are truly geography teacher comfy!

i bought some Dolomite Cinquantaquattro low shoes from sports pursuit, comfy and relativey cheap compared to the usual retail price online.

these ones here

Salomon FTW.

(Sartorial disclaimer, I’m Northern.)

trainers for ‘middle aged’ men especially skate/mtb/outdoors ones worn when not doing the activities they were designed for isn’t a sign of middle age it just means you are resigned to dressing like an audience member of top gear, if you add a flowery shirt then you have just elevated yourself to presenter level. either look is a sartorial travesty.

Depends if the shoes have noticeable ollie wear or not IMHO.

<Disclaimer – I wear my Gonz Adidas quite a lot, and am far too old for them>

“Approach” shoes are superior to “Training” shoes as every day casual footwear. You have to be prepared to bend over whilst paying though. £100 for my Haglofs on sale. But, I’ve had a pair resoled for £38 as the uppers are still perfect. Trainers tend to just fall to bits all at once.

I thought ‘approach shoes’ was just a middle class term for ‘trainers’, with the product being very similar, but sold in GoOutdoors rather that SportsDirect 🙂

Roamers desert boots are tops if you ask me.

Comfy shoes for the middle aged win. I binned my last pair of vans a couple of years ago, them having gone horribly smelly as all trainers do, and now have desert boots, Hush Puppies and Clarks comfy shoes which do for work and general use, don’t smell at all, and nicely complement my loose round the bawbag Gap chinos. Oh how I bask in my superior imaginary maturity when my slightly older colleague strolls in with his muffin top peeping over the waistband of his designer jeans, the hems of which nestle on top of a prison white pair of Puma ballet pumps. In addition, my teenage daughter is delighted that I no longer gleefully pull out a dusty old pair of whatever shiny new skate shoes or trainers she comes home with!

I suffer like mad with sore feet and ankles.
I wear 5 ten sam hills to ride and work in everyday. but I bought some spesh 2fo which I am wearing today at work. they are very comfy.

for pub duties I find dm dealer boots comfy.

when you wear different shoes to drive in, thats when you are in trouble.

I must say though that I lean towards you can wear whatever you want at any age (with a few exceptions, like baby grows for example).

However ugly shoes are ugly shoes, bad dad jeans are bad dad jeans etc regardless of the age of the wearer.

while we’re on, all old, and ranting.

why is it so hard to buy shoes that don’t have a raised heel?

i’m 6’2″, i don’t need any ‘help’ and find raised heels very uncomfortable for walking around in.

i’d like to wear brogues for work, but refuse to buy shoes that aren’t comfy.

I thought ‘approach shoes’ was just a middle class term for ‘trainers’, with the product being very similar, but sold in GoOutdoors rather that SportsDirect

Ah well, you were mistaken.

You’ll need them for the next phase.

Y’all

MBT /end thread.

Wearing proper shoes is giving up. ‘Made in England’ New Balance are your friend. Durable, comfortable, and available in various muted tones for those of a nervous disposition. And made in Flimby.

I still wear skateboarding trainers. Guess I’m in denial 🙂

They’re definitely more comfy that ‘proper’ shoes though. Any place I have to wear normal shoes like work meetings, weddings, funerals etc, I usually take some trainers along to change into once the formalities are done with.

Wear trainers when you’re training and at no other time! Might as well go on Jeremy Kyle with all the other sports weared up “guests” if you do

No sane person should wear uncomfortable shoes voluntarily.

The style of said comfortable shoes should be left to the conscience aesthetic sense of the individual concerned 😉

But whatever happens NO UGG BOOTS!!!!!! There is no excuse for that sort of behaviour under any circumstances.

😯 The horror.

42 here. Currently wearing my New Balance 577’s. I’ve dressed the same for the last 25 years, I’ll be dressing the same for the next 25. Also have some air Max’s when I’m not wearing these.

I know I must be middle aged as I can now address policeman as ‘son’…

I’ve dressed the same for the last 25 years

Smelly sod

Salomon XA Pros are, basically, me everyday footwear. I’m 56 and don’t give a shit if someone thinks it’s inappropriate. They’re comfy, well cushioned and even come in waterproof variants. What more do you want in footwear?

Wear trainers when you’re training and at no other time!

Any other fashion advice grandad?

My Dr Martins are the most comfortable shoes I own, have them on in the office as I type this ! (Smart shoes in drawer in case they are needed for a client meeting)

I’ve just bought some Universal Works x Walsh City Runners. Made in Bolton.

I was wearing a pair of Vans to work today, I’ve got a couple of other pairs, all plain black, absolute minimum amount of decoration, and I will continue to do so. I also wear Merrell approach shoes, a pair of German para boots, a pair of Meindle Desert Fox army boots, and a couple of different styles of Five:10’s, and a couple of pairs of Oakley shoes/boots.
I’m now 60, and anyone expressing disapproval over my choice of (very) comfy footwear, will get, at the very least, a truly withering look.
Hell will host the next Winter Olympics before you see me wearing loafers, or any other ‘Grown-up’ footwear.

Much prefer proper leather shoes and have done for a lot of the time since my late teens 20 years ago.

My feet thank me for it. Trainers, cycling shoes and walking boots for gardening, diy and sports.

Leather or similar for everything else means less sweaty, less sore, less stink

I do not qualify as sartorially gifted although I can dress properly!

leather or similar for everything else means less sweaty, less sore, less stink

I’ve never struggled to find leather trainers.

Where have you been looking, market stalls ?

Lots of leather trainers have nylon linings. I don’t know why, probably to piss people like me off.

Go hard or go home

sweet creps. from ‘not lycra’ thread!