Despite my best intentions, I’ve been a little clumsy in doing my 10,000 steps over the past few months. All that rain put a stop to play, and when I was walking my dog Grenson a few times a day, albeit briefly, it was necessary to wear my trusty Blundstone boots (or more often my very old long boots) to walk my local footpath, which has renamed itself a river during the months of February and March.
But now that the weather is starting to improve and the sidewalks are drying out, I’m happy to welcome my comfortable summer shoes out of storage. I write about fashion, and I’ve even written a few books about flat shoes, so I like to think I know my onions (know my bunions?) when it comes to shoes. I also don’t want sweaty sneaker feet, nor am I a fan of brown ankle sock lines, because we all know that a good non-slip trainer sock is hard to find.
And that gave me an idea: I thought it was time to test out my best summer shoes for walking 10,000 steps, by actually walking 10,000 steps with each pair. (I know, groundbreaking.) I have a pretty good idea of which shoes in my wardrobe are best for running long distances and still keeping my style mojo intact—and I also know which pairs I wouldn’t dream of spending hours in. to walk – but I’ve never done a real, scientific experiment. This counts as science, right?
Here are my findings from walking (at least) 10,000 steps in five different pairs of my own shoes for five consecutive days, and where you can buy similar styles this season to move in comfort and style. And yes, I really did wear all of these pairs the entire distance. I have added the number of steps as proof.
Relaxed London moccasins
Total steps: 10,316
Seating comfort: 4/5
Style: 4/5
Komo moccasins, £130, Relaxed London
This is the only pair of shoes I’m testing that are actually new, but I felt confident because I have a similar pair from the same brand in leopard color that I’ve been wearing all winter (and last). There’s something about a crepe sole that adds that extra level of bouncy comfort, and that neon flash feels perfect for late spring days.
As much as I like the look of a pair of ankle boots with shorts, in reality I won’t be wearing these when it’s really hot, but they are great for cooler days and evenings and can also hold a colorful sock. As with all suede shoes, I gave these a spray with a protective spray before wearing them
Worn with The Well Worn top, made from vintage fabric, £125, The well worn; Aligne denim skirt and straw bag (Hannah’s own)
Moshulu pink cork footbed sandals
Total steps: 10,497
Seating comfort: 4/5
Style: 4/5
Pink cork footbed sandals, £55.20, Moshulu
It’s 2024: everyone probably has a pair of cork sandals with a footbed in their repertoire. And with good reason, because they are super comfortable and only become more beautiful with age if you take good care of them. Cork is also an amazingly sustainable material: it can only be harvested once every nine years, and a cork tree can live up to 300 years, sequestering carbon along the way.
The reason cork is such a popular material for making footbeds is that once you wear it a few times, it molds to the shape of your own foot, creating a completely unique shoe for you. It’s also antimicrobial and even shock-absorbent – perfect to wear when you want to count your steps. I like the slightly more delicate proportions of the straps and the light color of this particular pair, which I’ve had for about five years and breezed through the 10k test.
Worn with upcycled flare jeans from ELV Denim, £300, Elv Denim; The Well Worn Luna Blouse, made to order from deadstock fabric, £125, The well worn; Kit + Clogs Studio linen waistcoat (Hannah’s own)
Grenson leather sandals with T-bar
Total steps: 15,298
Seating comfort: 4/5
Style: 5/5
Grenson Willa ginger nubuck sandals, £195, Grenson
Even though I’m here with Grenson on the beach (yes, he’s named after the exact same shoe brand), I often consider these my city sandals and wear them when I’m working in London in the summer. I feel a little safer with that back strap; no chance of one slipping and getting lost in the hole during rush hour on the Jubilee Line.
It’s a rare breed of leather sandals that are comfortable from day one, but these were just that and they have served me well for the past three summers. They are no longer available in white, but you can still get them in dark brown and ginger.
Worn with Rapanui Organic Cotton Striped Tank Top, £50, Rapanui Clothing; Colorful Standard Blue Organic Cotton Shorts, £60, Colorful stand; Rhe Amore orange leather phone bag, £24, Rhe Amore
Northern Cobbler leather fishing sandals
Total steps: 12,358
Seating comfort: 4/5
Style: 5/5
Ida fisherman sandals, £195, Mafalda
I’ve had these shoes for over a decade and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have risked walking 10,000 steps in them when they were brand new. But now, in their worn-in soft leather glory, they are one of my all-time favorite pairs that I know I can trust and look great anywhere. If you like this look and are investing in a new pair, I recommend starting with smaller spacings and always having a few emergency patches on hand, just in case (I prefer cloth patches for better grip on warm feet).
It’s also helpful that fisherman sandals look great with socks, so you can start with that extra layer to get your 10k in before you run the risk of your bare feet rubbing against potentially stiff leather. It’s even an option to warm the inside of the shoes with a hairdryer and wear them around the house a few times with thick socks, just to soften them.
Worn with a Cape Cove cotton blouse, £99, Cape Cove; Beaumont Organic Linen Trousers in Pecan, £170, Beaumont Organic
Keen Uneek woven sandals
Total steps: 14,639
Comfort: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Keen Uneek sandals in khaki, £105, Schuh
It was a no-brainer for me to include these shoes in this section since I wore them almost every day between June and October of last year. I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea aesthetically, but that’s what we used to say about Birkenstocks and look how far we’ve come. Turns out comfort really wins, and these are second to none in that regard. But I really like the way they look: they add a cool edge to any outfit.
They are made from recycled materials and have a sneaker-like sole. They can also withstand a dip in the sea (essential if you live on the Isle of Wight, like me, and have a tendency to misjudge the tide) and I even put mine through the washing machine to freshen them up. Not that they needed it in terms of smell: they have built-in anti-odor technology.
Worn with Roake Studio linen Elsie T-shirt, from £60, and Saffron skirt, from £105, both made to order in different fabrics Roake Studio