Real stories · Step in and go

The slip-on shoes I step into standing up — no bending, no laces, no fuss

Shoes I could step straight into without bending down — that's what my back had been asking for all summer. I'm 67, and it's a little thing nobody warns you about: the bending. Bending to do up buckles, bending to tug on shoes, one hand braced on the radiator in the hall. Some mornings I'd put off popping to the shop simply because it meant wrestling my shoes on first.

What I wanted was a proper shoe — not a slipper — that I could step into standing up, that was light and cool, and that wouldn't pinch my feet in the heat.

Then I found the Marigold slip-ons from a British label called York Boutique — lightweight summer slip-ons, and I chose the sky blue, which is the cheeriest thing in my hallway now.

They're exactly what my mornings were missing. The back is open, so I just step in standing up — no laces, no buckles to fasten, no radiator to lean on — and the little gold buckle on top is only there to look smart. The footbed is soft and gently stitched, the sole is light and flexible, and they come in a wide fit as well, which is why they don't pinch even when my feet swell in the heat. Winnie gets her walk earlier these days; I'm ready before she is.

I step in standing up, and I'm out the door. My back has stopped dreading my shoes.

Shoes this easy, I assumed, would be fifty pounds. But York Boutique sells direct, so they were £24.95 in the summer sale. I very nearly bought two colours.

My neighbour asked about them over the fence — she has the same trouble with buckles that I do. I'll admit I checked before ordering that I could send them back if the size wasn't right — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free — which made it an easy yes. They come in seven colours, in sizes 3 to 10, standard or wide fit.

If the bending has quietly become the worst part of your shoes too, do treat yourself to a look. The Marigold is rated 4.7 out of 5 by more than 300 women, it's £24.95 in the summer sale instead of £50 — half price — and the middle sizes always seem to go first.