I don’t know whether it’s because I’m getting older, whether my feet have changed shape, or whether it’s because I’m absolutely done with tottering around like a broken puppet, but I am so ready to ditch the heels for flats this Christmas.
We’re rapidly heading towards party season and so my thoughts are turning to what to wear for the upcoming festive soirees I’ve got booked in. I’ve got a fair few pairs of heels tucked away under my bed, and my go to in the past have been a pair of silvery glittery heels that are possibly the most beautiful shoes I have ever owned. But comfy they are not. They give me blisters, they make the soles of my feet feel as though I have been walking across hot coals, and I basically cannot walk in them properly. Give it a couple of hours (if I’m lucky!) and I’ve kicked them off and I’m on that dance floor dancing barefoot. Beautiful they may be but considering they spend more time off my feet than on them, they have a bit of a cheek calling themselves shoes.
As an adidas blogger and a massive lover of trainers I’ve been keen to explore what trainers for women adidas have that could replace my glittery heels. Now, I’m not daft, I know that you’ll never find a trainer to go with full on posh evening wear. However, I have stumbled across 5 pairs of trainers that I think could definitely switch up my party look and I know my feet will be a lot happier about it too.
Before I get onto the trainers though I’d like to look at 5 reasons why we should ditch the heels for flats this Christmas:
5 Reasons To Ditch The Heels For Flats This Christmas
1. Comfort
There’s no denying that heels are uncomfortable. And if you’re someone like me, who avoids them all year and pretty much only braves them for special occasions, the discomfort is even more so. I’m totally not used to it and my feet are literally like, “what are you doing to us!!!”.
High heels are the cause of many an injury during the festive period. From twisted ankles, foot sprains, back pain, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, blisters, and bunions etc. there are many a problem associated with wearing high heels. And yes, flats may have a bit of a fuddy duddy reputation surrounding them, that they’re what middle aged-women wear (*cough* um well yeah, I do happen to be a middle-aged woman), but do you know what, I personally think it shows more self-confidence and self-assurance to wear something on your feet that looks good and is comfortable. Because why should we fit into these societal beliefs that heels are sexier? Why should we care about elongating our legs for the male gaze? Why shouldn’t we wear footwear that feels nice and doesn’t shred our skin to bits?
2. Safety
Aside from the risk of injury that comes from the act of wearing heels on a night out, there’s also how restrictive they are in terms of speed of movement. Now, I know in an ideal world us women wouldn’t have to worry about how we get home from a night out. We shouldn’t have to plan our route, be looking over our shoulder every 5 seconds, and phoning a friend for safety. But such is the world we live in. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t wear heels to walk home in because it might attract the wrong attention or because it could hinder us in some way, but sadly this is the circumstances we find ourselves in. Flats and trainers make for a better get away. Simple.
3. Better Posture
When we wear heels our whole physical alignment goes out of whack. Because let’s be honest, it isn’t exactly natural walking on tippy toes with a spike attached to our heel is it!?! Wearing high heels forces us to put extra pressure on our toes and the balls of our feet, which forces the rest of the body out of alignment, including the spine. Good posture relies on evenly distributed weight and this simply isn’t possible when wearing heels. Flats on the other hand, offer way more support and ensure we keep ourselves upright, stable, and as aligned as we can be.
4. You’ll Be Able To Get Them On Again
You’re at a Christmas party, you’re in heels, your feet are throbbing, and there’s a dance floor that’s got your name on it. So, you do what any sensible woman would do in that situation, you kick them off and dance bare foot. Which is fine, we’ve all done it, right? The problem arises however, when you go to put your shoes back on. You see during that time of reckless shoe abandonment, your feet have taken the opportunity to breathe and expand. Plus, throw in the fact you’re dancing and they’re no doubt getting a bit hot and sweaty, it means by the time you go to put your shoes back on your feet are having none of it. You don’t have to worry about this problem with flats. Mainly because you won’t have to take them off in the first place as your feet will be more than comfortable and you’ll easily be able to dance in them, but secondly you’ll likely be wearing socks with trainers which means your feet will be even more padded out.
5. Convenience
Oh my goodness flats are just way more convenient than heels. So much so that it’s barely worth me explaining this one really, but I will for all those naysayers out there. Ever had to run to catch the last train home in heels? Blinkin’ nightmare, isn’t it! They’re also a lot less maintenance than heels, for example you don’t have to worry about breaking a heel. They are safer in wet or icy weather. They don’t make a clicky clacky noise when you walk across a room. Oh and did we mention they’re usually cheaper too.
5 adidas Trainers I’m Ditching The Heels For
If those aren’t reasons enough for you to ditch the heels for flats this Christmas, then take a look at this lovely lot…
1. Gazelle Shoes
If you’re wearing trainers instead of heels on a festive night out I personally think it’s a good idea to go all out with a big pop of colour. Especially if you’re wearing clothes that are black or quite muted in colour as this helps lift an outfit and really takes ownership of what you’ve decided to wear on your feet. You’re basically screaming in technicolour that you don’t need to wear heels to look awesome!
These incredible brushed pink suede Gazelle’s with accents of burgundy on the three stripes, laces and tongue are just the thing. The Gazelle trainer is a classic in itself. A little bit retro, 100% classic, but also seamlessly modern, its versatility knows no bounds. Wear with leather leggings and a glittery blouse for a totally rock chick vibe or with an indigo denim jumpsuit for a kind of evening sports luxe look. And if you don’t like the pink, don’t worry, these come in a whopping 24 different colourways so you are guaranteed to find a pair that go with your Christmas party outfit of choice.
I have a mid-length denim dress, a black and white star print jumpsuit, a black leather skirt, and a burgundy jumper dress that these trainers will go perfectly with. All of which can be styled up for a night out, so that not only will I feel as though I’m hitting the dress code, but I can also be safe in the knowledge that I’ll be perfectly fine walking home in them afterwards!
2. Superstar Shoes
I love anything with animal print on. It is my all-time favourite print. And so, when I caught sight of these classic off-white Superstar trainers with three suede leopard print stripes, I knew I needed them in my wardrobe. Now, because I love animal print so much it means I have a lot of dresses of varying colours and with various animal print patterns. So, having a versatile pair of trainers with just a hint of leopard print means that these shoes will pretty much go with I’d say at least half of my wardrobe.
I always used to be a short dress kind of girl, but these days I tend to sway towards a more flattering midi or long length, which I also think looks better with trainers. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, I certainly have, that a long dress and trainers seems to have become a bit of a uniform for women of a certain age. You see, we want to look cool, but we also want to dance and move around freely. And these trainers allow me to do both.
Comfortable, super versatile, and stylish enough for a night down the pub, a mooch around a Christmas market, or even the office party, I know for a fact I will be wearing these all the time this Christmas.
3. Run 60s 3.0 Lifestyle Running Shoes
You can’t go wrong with a classic black trainer and what smartens these up and makes them, in my opinion, more of an evening trainer are the silver stripes. I mean come on, metallic oozes evening, right? The soft synthetic suede on the toe, heel and eyestay create textured areas of interest on the shoe and it’s these little features that help stand them out.
Described as ‘lifestyle shoes with a running pedigree’ you will be able to dance the night away, run for the last train, walk home from the station, and your feet will still feel as fresh as a daisy. Imagine if you tried to do all that whilst wearing heels!
The Run 60s come in a range of different colours, but for me the black and silver option is the best choice for a night time look. Wear with a black dress, a silver jumpsuit, long skirt, tapered trousers, honestly the list is endless with what goes with these trainers. And yes, you’ll be shorter than your mates in their towering heels, but I think we all know who’ll be most smug come the end of the evening.
4. Znsored Hi Shoes
These are my new go to evening trainers. The high-top style gives them a smarter feel, like a cross between an ankle boot and a trainer and they instantly glam up an outfit without the need for a heel. Completely classic in design, the black premium leather upper goes with most outfits I own but work particularly well with cropped or tapered trousers. And I think the key with this is to go more glam with what you’re wearing on top. Because you can totally mix your styles up like that. Think glam on the top, slightly more casual down below, and accessorize as though your life depends on it!
The durable rubber outsole provides extra traction, which means if the dance floor is a little bit slippy or the pavements are icy outside, you can feel way more confident you won’t fall over than those women wearing heels. These are your classic day to night trainers – sleek and professional looking for a smart casual office look, modern and stylish for a night on the tiles. If there’s any pair of trainers that will convince you to ditch the heels for flats this Christmas, it’s these.
5. Hoops 3 Mid Lifestyle Basketball Classic World Friendship Day Shoes
The Hoops 3 are the most casual of the bunch that I have chosen and whilst they won’t suit absolutely every festive night out, I felt they were worthy of a place on my list none the less. These fun trainers were originally brought out to celebrate World Friendship Day, the idea being that the detachable logo patch on the heels of the trainers can be swapped with your besties. A really cute idea, right? They come with four patches (white, magenta, pink, aqua) which match the stripe colours of the trainers. So even if you don’t want to go for the whole swapping thing with your mates, it means you can switch them up a bit to match your outfit of choice for the evening.
If these candy colours don’t do it for you, I mean arguably they are a bit more spring than winter, the classic Hoops 3 come in more neutral tones of black, white etc. I love the pops of colour, and they fit in so well with what I have in my wardrobe. Any type or shade of denim works really well with them – a denim jumpsuit, dress, flares, stretch leggings all go amazingly and if you pop on a blazer that matches one of the colours on the trainers, it’s a really strong look.
These basketball inspired trainers are the epitome of playful and I can’t think of a better time to bring them out than the most playful month of the year.
Final Thoughts
Listen, heels are lovely there’s no denying. They lengthen the leg, look super elegant, and well they’re beautiful, aren’t they? But there’s no escaping the fact they’re just plain uncomfortable. Why is why I plan to ditch the heels for flats this Christmas because I literally cannot bear the thought of squeezing my poor trotters into those instruments of torture any longer. I’ve been there, done it, worn the heels, experienced the blisters. This girl is a trainers girl through and through and with this lovely lot now gracing my wardrobe I reckon I’ve got more than enough alternatives to choose from
*All adidas products gifted for review purposes.