Real stories · Taller, steadier, nothing hurts

Taller, Steadier, And Nothing Hurts

Taller without a heel, steadier than my old flats, and nothing hurting at the end of the day — I didn't think one pair of shoes could manage all three. The Sereliane manages all three.

Here's the little indignity nobody warns you about: at some point the sensible flat shoes take over, and you quietly shrink. Coats look longer, trousers pool at the ankle, and in group photographs you're suddenly the short one at the end. Heels would fix it, but my knees ended that conversation years ago.

Then I kept noticing these chunky-soled shoes — on my neighbour Pauline's daughter first, then on half of York — and thought: that sole is doing quietly what a heel does loudly. The Sereliane, from York Boutique — a British label I trust — is that idea made for my generation: a smart lace-up with a thick cushioned platform sole that adds the height evenly, under the WHOLE foot.

Because the lift is under the whole foot rather than perched under the heel, you stand level and balanced — which is why there's no wobble, no calf-ache, and no careful walking on York's cobbles. The footbed is soft and cushioned, the shoe itself is surprisingly light, and the laces hold everything exactly where it should be. I was taller AND more stable, which frankly felt like cheating.

An inch and a half taller, and my knees never noticed a thing.

I'll admit I hesitated — partly the price, partly whether they'd look too young on me. On the price: it's listed at £80 and sells for £39.95 because York Boutique sell direct with no middleman. On the age question: with dark trousers they look smart, not teenage, and I did check before ordering that I could send them back if I felt silly in them — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free. I did not send them back.

They come in black, brown or white, in sizes UK 2.5 to 9. Mine are the black. If you've quietly shrunk into your flat shoes, this is the politest way back up.