Fashion

Hotter Shoes recently invited me to a blogger event at their Solihull store.  I was interested to learn more about Hotter as they are a British success story, which is always nice to hear about.  Hotter are based in Lancashire, who have been making footwear for over half a century. Hotter started off making slippers, but before too long they had moved onto shoes designed to feel as comfortable as slippers.  Doesn’t that sound amazing?  To do this they use something known as the Comfort Concept.  The comfort concept is hidden away within the shoe itself and includes features like wiggle room, soft cushioning and flexible soles. This means that your shoe or boot can look fashionable and stylish, but it doesn’t need to take that out on your feet.

Alex Longmore, who works with celebrities such as Jerry Hall and Jodie Kidd, has been taking a look at the Hotter range and she thinks that they have really hit the nail on the head with their combination of style and comfort. The new autumn collection from Hotter features fashion trends like the 1960s, it takes its inspiration from the catwalk.  I’m loving some of the fur designs with their folky twist to bring them right up to date. Wedges are back and they are so much more comfortable than normal heels. I’m loving some of the colours too with purples, teals and burgundys all competing for my attention.

Wandering around the shop I felt really spoilt for choice.  There were some gorgeous designs and I really liked the colours.  I decided that I should go for something that wasn’t too safe.  As a busy mum, I often go for classic choices when it comes to shoes or boots.  Black or brown shoes or boots go with pretty much everything and are real wardrobe staples for me.  That said I do tend to find that a bit dull and I like to add a bit of colour to my life. So I started looking at shades of leather or suede that I haven’t worn for a while.

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Shall I go for these? #shoesietuesday #comfortconcept #shoesie @hottershoes

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I initially picked these lovely knee-length boots out.  They are the Hampshire style and these are the taupe ones.  I thought they looked amazing and I could imagine getting some envious looks in the school playground when I wore them on the school run.  However, having discussed various styles with the knowledgable and helpful Hotter staff, I settled on these gorgeous teal Seville boots.  I’ve been wearing them on the school run for the last couple of weeks and have had some nice comments made about them.  The key thing for me though is that they look great and they feel great too as you walk along.

I’ve recently come across a brand that was new to me: Your Dreamcatcher.  The idea behind the company is that they design clothes that are comfortable to wear, but which look great too.  Leisurewear is increasingly more popular and I think people enjoy feeling comfortable in their clothes so much that the trend is likely to continue.

Your Dreamcatcher clothing all uses their attractive logo which features a stylised dream catcher.  Most of you will probably know that a dream catcher is a hoop which is decorated with feathers and other objects and that it comes from various native american cultures.

I’ve been putting the T-shirt to the test by wearing it to my weekly yoga class to see how comfortable it is.  I found it easy to carry out all my poses in the T and liked the fact that it didn’t fall down, when I turned upside down to perform a head stand.  So far it’s stood up to washing and ironing well too and looks good despite having gone through the machine a few times.  It’s priced at £15.99 and is available in sizes 8 to 16.  It’s got a fitted, flattering style and is made from comfortable cotton and elastane.

Lisa Tucci are a brand to be reckoned with this season, that’s for sure.  They have created the most divine collection of shoes for summer.  Now their collection is a little bit quirky and will appeal to those with a strong sense of their individual style.  You can certainly find shoes that will help you stand out from the crowd.

I tried Lisa Tucci’s Venezia shoe.  Coming in classic black, it will go with virtually any outfit and it’s the sort of shoe that can take you seamlessly through the seasons.  It’s light and strappy enough for a summer’s day, but it wouldn’t look out of place at a Christmas party either.  Buffed black leather gives the shoe a matt look, with the inside being leather lined for comfort as you’d expect from a quality shoe.  Across the front there are three elasticated straps to help you put them on and hold the shoe in place. All around the shoe there are little diamond shaped cut outs.  These create much of the distinctive look of the shoe, but will also keep your feet cool on a hot day.  As you can see from the picture, there’s a sculpted heel which is two inches in height.  Lisa Tucci think of everything and even provide a set of replacement heel tips.  Easy and comfortable to wear, they won’t punish the wearer.

I’ve been taking a peek through the rest of the collection and my eye was caught by the Lisa Tucci Sark Shoe.  Aren’t they simply gorgeous?  I’m really loving the red suede, the red heel and even the red sole.  The intricate, cut away curves of design show off that soft, red suede.  Think how good these shoes would look teamed with a white, lace dress.