Lifespan of the shoe featuring Mist by Hotter

I am a huge shoe junky. If given a choice of handbags, jewellery, make-up or any other tempting goodies I will always go for the shoes… but I also have high standards… I love shoes but not just any shoes. For me a pair of shoes must have “soul”; they must be comfortable, well made, friendly for my feet and yes, they must look good too.

When we moved out of London I still wanted, indeed needed to fit my love of shoes into our new countryside lifestyle. Unfortunately this did mean replacing some of my brightly coloured and funky footwear with something more suitable for a “village” life, something that would be more in line with my age and the new type of activities that you do in the countryside; Yet something still classy, still comfortable, and yes still good quality and funky looking.

My search for such footwear had led me to Hotter.

I found myself a pair of Mist shoes – flat shoes with a breathable lining, cushioned insole and lightweight soles. When I tried them on I knew that these shoes will become my best friend and I just had to buy them.

At first they were just a going out daily shoes but very soon they became my go to shoes and once we got Lilly they turned into my walking shoes. I could walk in them for hours and hours either sun or rain; no matter the weather conditions my feet were dry, warm and comfortable.

I have had my first pair of Mist for 6 years now. During this time:

I lost my insoles or at least a top part of it

The soles have developed visible signs of usage but are still intact and in perfect order

The shoes became a bit out of shape

And Bunk from time to time has had a chew on my shoe laces

That’s all… 6 long years of wear and tear and these are the only things I have to report. Yes, they might not look as nice and fresh as a brand new pair but they are still fully usable shoes; they still keep my feet dry and warm and provide the same comfort as they did the first day I tried them on (maybe even more as they have moulded to my feet over the years).

Last year I’ve got a new pair of Mist, exactly the same, also in brown. I have had them since February but I didn’t put them on until this October. I knew that I had this lovely, comfortable pair of shoes in my cupboard but I simply couldn’t say goodbye to my original pair… and I still didn’t. Now I use my 6 years old pair for the dog walking and any “dirty” work (like gardening) and my new pair are have now became my “go to town” pair of shoes 🙂

I’ve just checked the Hotter website and they no longer make Mist in brown, they do however have a beautiful red version now. I know I will not “need” a new pair for a long, long time yet I am extremely tempted by the new red ones.

Mist by Hotter are currently sold in a choice of four colours: black, navy, sangria (aka red) and smoke / limestone. They have an RRP of £90 and come in sizes from UK 3 up to UK 9. You can pick a standard or wide fit version. They feature GORE-TEX lining, have lace-up fastening and are built to last! I can personally vouch for all these points!

If you are in the market for a new pair of walking shoes, look no further!

What’s your favourite pair of shoes?

Do you go for comfort or looks when it comes to footwear?

GORE-TEX – What is it and is it worth it?

Normally I try to stay clear of advising others what to buy when it comes to clothing (except for Mark… I have to shop for him as well as he is one of those males that has no clue about what to buy and wear) but sometimes I am met with people who I just do not understand.

So the conversation is taking place about getting a pair of school shoes…
I say “I am going to look for some leather shoes, ideally with GORE-TEX, if I can find it”
Her: “Really? Why? I do not spend more than £10-£12 for a pair of school shoes”
Really? Why? Are your kids not worth it? I didn’t ask these questions because I wasn’t really in the mood for a lecture but maybe I should have.

Lately I was met with the response “Oh, but I couldn’t justify spending money on good quality shoes”.
How silly is that!

Ok, so maybe I am a little sensitive when it comes to footwear, I love my shoes but most of all I love good quality comfortable shoes.

I do not see myself as a snob. I do not buy things because they have a high value price tag, I do not buy things just because of the branding (oh, ok maybe sometimes)… I try to buy things which represent a good value for money but at the same time are of a good quality.

I think that shoes are very important part of our wardrobe. We spend hours every day wearing them and very often our well being and good mood depends on them.
Have you ever worn a pair of too small or too tight shoes? Or a fairly new pair of shoes which you are just wearing in? How painful and uncomfortable were you feeling? I do not understand why some people do not pay more attention to what they put on their feet.

That is one of my issues; my other issue is why some people must insist on criticizing something when they really have no idea what they are talking about. One of my friends once told me that GORE-TEX is an advertising gimmick and it doesn’t work… when asked “did you have a bad experience with it”, the answer was “no, I’ve never tried it”. So how can you say it is bad if you have never had a chance to test it?

I did try GORE-TEX shoes and clothing and I think these items are worth every penny.

Imagine a pair of shoes which can be worn all year round – hot summer day or a wet winter one – your feet will be dry and warm without sweating.

Years ago when you wanted to purchase some GORE-TEX clothing or footwear you needed to have a bit of extra money comparing to other similar pieces, today this is not really the case. Just a few weeks back I bought some GORE-TEX shoes from Clarks for £12 – yes they were on sale… but my point is – something good does not necessary mean expensive.

If you have never tried anything made with the addition of this fabric then I have copied a bit of the explanation of its history from the GORE-TEX site.

The origin of waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX outerwear, footwear, and gloves starts with five little letters: ePTFE. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, or ePTFE, was created by Bob Gore in 1969 when he rapidly stretched PTFE under certain conditions. The result was an incredibly strong, microporous material with an amazing list of characteristics including low water adsorption and good weathering properties. By 1978, GORE-TEX fabric was introduced and the world met the first truly waterproof, breathable outerwear.

The secret of GORE-TEX products — which are both completely waterproof and completely breathable at the same time — lies within its revolutionary bi-component membrane. The membrane contains over 9 billion microscopic pores which are approximately 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water, but 700 times bigger than a molecule of moisture vapor. So while water in its liquid form cannot penetrate the GORE-TEX membrane, as moisture vapor it can easily escape.

Waterproof, windproof and breathable: The GORE-TEX membrane makes garments durably waterproof, windproof and breathable so that you stay dry and comfortable.

Durable: Waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX outerwear is made of the very toughest fabrics and is thoroughly tested to guarantee performance even after serious wear and tear. Easy care: Just because its high tech doesn’t mean it has to be high maintenance. GORE-TEX fabric is extremely easy to take care of and won’t lose its effectiveness even after repeated washing.

Do you have any experience with GORE-TEX?

Do you like it?

Would you recommend it?

If not, do you think it is worth spending a little bit extra for a quality items which will be waterproof, windproof and breathable?

I really would love to know what you think.

Giveaway – £20 Hotter Shoes Gift Card

We all dream about comfortable shoes. After all if our feet aren’t happy we aren’t happy.

One of the Hotter slogans is “Comfy shoes deliver Happy feet” and I totally agree with it! Our happiness starts with the shoes 🙂

Hotter was created in 1959 and ever since they have been designing and making comfy footwear. I actually own a pair of Hotter shoes and I was and still am wearing them for the last 5 years… yes, they have seen better days but they are still going strong and they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned – I will bring you their review within the next few weeks.

In celebration of my pending 1 year blogoversary, which is tomorrow I have for you one £20 gift card to spend on Hotter goodies. It will be a “real” paper gift card, so you can shop online or pop to one of the Hotter Shoes stores which are all over our lovely country.

To enter this giveaway:
Please follow my blog and leave a comment: I would like you to describe your dream pair of shoes – either a pair you own and love or an imaginary one, you wish someone would create just for you.
Additional entry: Please follow Hotter Shoes on Twitter and leave me a comment that you have done so.
Daily additional entry: Follow me on Twitter and RT the competition message as stated below, and then please leave a comment telling me that you have done so.
Happy feet start with @hottershoes and I want to #win a gift card with @AgataPokutycka enter at http://wp.me/p3l2gI-Qu end date 14/04

Good Luck!

T&C
1. Open to UK entrants only.
2. One obligatory entry per reader + 1 additional entry + 1 additional daily entry allowed.
3. There will be 1 winner in total. The winner will receive 1 x £20 Hotter Shoes gift card.
4. Hotter Shoes will be responsible for the delivery of the prizes.
5. Winner will be picked at random and informed within 7 working days from the close of the competition via email or Twitter.
6. Winner will then have 7 working days to claim their prize, after this time, a new winner will be automatically selected.
7. Closing day is 14-04-2014 at 23:59pm, an entry made after this time will not be counted.

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions
SuperLucky Blog Giveaways Linky

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UPDATED 8/05/2014

The lucky winner was picked at random and it was Annie C.!

Well done Annie!

Annie accepted her prize and hopefully will receive her voucher shortly.

Thank you all for entering!

Review – Cheekyshoes

Lately I was reading a lot of glorious reviews about Cheekyshoes all over the internet. As a shoes junky I got a little jealous. I decided to write to Marcin from cheeky shoes in the hope that I will be given the opportunity to try them out as well. To my surprise he said yes. I could pick any shoes I wanted! That’s the way to make girl happy.

I browsed their website in search of my perfect pair. For this moment there is a choice of 6 lovely vibrant colours sold in 6 sizes UK3 – UK8:

–          Electric Blue

–          Luscious Lemon

–          Sparkling Orange

–          Sumptpous Cerise

–          Tomastic Red

–          Zesty Green

Cheekyshoes have polyurethane coating insole and lycra laminated neoprene upper.

I picked pair of Electric Blue, but Tomastic Red came as a very close second 🙂

Shoes are priced at £19.99 +pp … not too bad.

So I ordered my favourite pair and waited for the Post Man.

Few days later a lovely parcel landed on my door step.

Wooot my shoes were finally here. I just couldn’t wait to try them on.

cheeky parcel = cheeky shoes

First thing which hits you about Cheekyshoes is their weight – they are so unbelievably light. They are soft and pleasant to the touch; more like slippers, then shoes. When you put them on they blend in with your feet, and after a while you really forget that you are wearing shoes at all. There is no restrictions, they “mould” to the shape of your feet. The strap is extra flexible and doesn’t put any pressure on the bridge of your foot.

I was really over the moon with them.

At first, I wore them around the house as it was raining outside and they really aren’t shoes for big puddles 🙂 … but within a few days the weather cleared up and I was able to test walk them outside. It really doesn’t matter where you wear them; they still feel the same soft and comfortable. They have very soft sole, which bends easily making walking a pure pleasure.

They work well as a slippers as well

Perfect summer shoes. I just love this colour.

To sum up Cheekyshoes are the perfect summer shoes. Lightweight, soft and fabulous looking!

And there will be some new designs coming out soon. Each design will be made in tiny amounts, so make sure you subscribe to cheeky shoes newsletter if you don’t want to miss out!

I just wish sun was out for longer so I can enjoy my new shoes

* Product was provided free of charge for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are honest and my own .

Related articles

• Review: Cheeky Shoes (knackeredhousewife.com)
• Cheeky Shoes Review & Giveaway (susankmann.com)