efore I start my review of the Earth Spiritshoes I recently received, I need to issue awarning first: these shoes will bring youunprecedented amounts of compliments

when worn. This may not sound like something tobe wary of, but unfortunately being raised inEngland seems to have rendered me completelyunable to take a compliment.

I either go bright red, start giggling nervously,or, most embarrassing of all, start stuttering, ‘yes,yes, they are lovely shoes, but look! Look at theterrible condition of my feet! I’m so sorry that mypretty shoes have drawn your eyes to my feet,and you have now glimpsed my un-manicuredtoes!’ So really, the compliments are more botherthan they’re worth.

Now you are sufficiently warned, let mecontinue. I was recently sent the Earth Spirit Renosandals to road test. Between you and me, whenEarth Spirit shoes were first mentioned, all I couldthink was, ‘Oh dear. Hippie shoes. Like what mumused to wear back in the seventies,’ (I’ve seen thepictures mum, you can’t deny you went throughthat phase). But after having a look at thecatalogue, I started to feel the first stirrings ofexcitement. These were…pretty! Summery! Dare Isay…stylish!

So upon arrival I unwrapped the sandals with afair amount of glee. And by glee, I mean tore openlike a child at Christmas – it was carnage, therewas duct tape and ‘earth-friendly’ packagingeverywhere. After dismantling the package, andbreaking a nail in the process (I hope theFootwear Today editor appreciates the casualtiessustained in the grueling reviewing process) mynew shoes were ready to wear.

Too bad the English weather foiled my plans.Rain, rain and more rain. Even when I escaped toGermany, determined to wear my sandals there,the bad weather followed me! Luckily, the sandalswere comfortable enough to wear around thehouse as slippers, but oh how I yearned for somesunshine to properly show them off! Until, at last,a miracle happened – a glorious bout of sunshinejust as May was ending.

I always find it funny how whenever the UKgets a little good weather, we think we’re the newCaribbean of Europe. Newspapers were suddenlyinforming us that we were not only hot, but hotterthan the rest of Europe! Hotter than Egypt! Hotterthan Australia! It seems we conveniently forgotthat Australia is currently having its winter…

So, reveling in the tropical British sunshine (aparadox if ever I heard one), I finally stepped outin my Earth Spirit sandals. They were just madefor the sunshine. While the shade is called‘Platinum’, the colour of these is definitely moreof a beautiful pale gold that is not only a perfectsummer colour, but the perfect compliment to thegorgeous turquoise stones used in the beadeddesign. Whether we were on a par with theCaribbean or not, in these, I felt like I was treadingon white sandy beaches.

At this point I should probably mention thecomfort of the shoes, as they were designed forcomfort, with an, ‘over-padded anatomic arch andimpact-absorbing cushioning’. However, wheneverI start to reflect the comfort of these sandals, Iwill inevitably become distracted by just howpretty they are. Like a magpie, or a small toddler,I’ll end up wiggling my legs and watching how thebeading glints in the sunlight.

So unfortunately I don’t really have anythingprofound to say on the sandals’ orthopedictechnology, other than that they are comfortable!

I can say this though: anyone who haspreviously assumed orthopedic footwear couldnot and would not be attractive, think again! I’lladmit, I have, on occasion, gloated to friendsabout being able to road test shoes, only to say,‘ah yes, and Footwear Today really cares aboutfoot health too, so most of the shoes I’ve beensent are orthopedic!’, and have my previouslyagog friends lose interest, assuming comfortableshoes could never be nice-looking shoes.

So after waltzing about in these to multiplecompliments from said friends about my‘beautiful new sandals’ (and after recoveringfrom the aforementioned reactions this broughton), it was with some pleasure that I announcedthat my sandals had brains as well as beauty –they were orthopedic!

16 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • SEPTEMBER 2012

FOOTWEAR FOCUS ROAD TEST

B

Details:

Reno sandal.Available in Platinum, Black and White. Pig skin leather upper, Gelron 2000 insole.TPR flexible sole. Highly recommended.

Cost £16.95. - RRP £49.95.

West Midland Shoe CompanyTel: 01889 561 790

Email: enquiries@wmsc.co.ukWeb: www.wmsc.co.uk

Emma Cooke, discovers that her Earth Spirit Renosandals are blessed with brains, as well as beauty!

14 FOOT JUNE12 Road Test:Footwear_Jan10_p30 23/08/2012 14:42 Page 16