Real stories · The flat that finishes an outfit

Heels hurt and flats looked like an afterthought — these bow loafers finally ended that

The flat that finishes an outfit — that's what these turned out to be. I'm 67, and shoes have become the annual compromise: heels look lovely and hurt by eleven, and most flats are so plain they make a good outfit look like it gave up at the ankles.

What I wanted was a shoe that looked deliberately chosen — and felt like nothing at all.

Then I found the Seravinnia from a British label called York Boutique — black loafers with a bow detail, in a croc-textured finish with a big glossy bow across the front.

The trick is that they're dressed-up on top and sensible underneath. The pointed shape, the croc-textured finish and that glossy bow do all the talking, which is why they pass for far dressier shoes than they are — while under your foot there's a supportive insole and a low, steady heel, and they simply slip on, no laces, no bending, no fuss. With black trousers they look sharp; with a navy dress they look positively considered.

The glossy bow and the croc-textured finish make them read as 'proper shoes', while the low heel and supportive insole mean I can do a whole day in them — dressed-up on top, sensible underneath.

Their first outing was coffee with my daughter, and the shoe got noticed before my haircut did — she pointed at them under the table and said 'those aren't your usual'. They then did a full afternoon of errands without a single complaint from either foot, which no pointed shoe has ever managed before.

They were £49.95 in the sale — the usual price is £110, so that's more than half off — and I'd checked I could send them back if they pinched, which you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free. One thing to know: they only come in UK sizes 2 to 6, so if you have smaller feet this is rather your moment — and if your size is there, it won't be for long.

If your shoes also make you choose between elegant and comfortable, do treat yourself to a look. The Seravinnia is rated 4.7 out of 5 by more than 260 women, it's £49.95 in the sale instead of £110, and with sizes only to UK 6 the range genuinely does sell through.