This post started life as an entirely different subject.  I have been considering the huge use of lycra in exercise wear, and why we feel safe to use it for ‘exercise’ but we would never wear skin tight clothing the rest of our daily lives. But it is such a hot potato, that I am just not going to go there for now! Instead I will focus on the one thing we all need when we exercise (and I am mostly talking about walking in my case) – fabulous footwear. The line for sports wear is seriously blurred with labels like Chanel and Balenciaga putting be-jewelled couture sneakers down the runway this season. I am all for this, and would wear sneakers pretty much every day if convention would allow (who am I kidding?  I pretty much do anyway) I am all for comfort, and especially for my feet. I live in my Converse and Palladiums in my day to day, but for slightly more specialised needs, I have added a couple of pairs of sneakers I am quite keen on at the moment.

These trainers from ECCO are possibly my favourite walking shoes at the moment. They are ridiculously comfortable – but this is par for the course with ECCO’s commitment to well made, and comfortable shoes. These are from their Summer range (I like to test things a bit before I comment on them), but they have some similar coming through for winter. Most of my Husband’s shoes are ECCO now after me being introduced to them last year. He has had trouble with uncomfortable shoes for years, but now lives in his birkenstocks and ECCOs. There are worse things than uncomfortable shoes – but not many…

I have a friend who spends most of her weekends at the family bach while her surfing mad Husband gets his fix of the waves. She walks every morning with friends and swears by a pair of Skechers she keeps by the back door. Called GO – I guess they are just that, sneakers to get up and GO (I think that was probably what they were going for).  Coming in a miriad of colours, of course we would choose the black. Skechers also have a Memory Foam range which I got to test recently, but which never made it to my wardrobe as Madeleine made sure they diverted her way… also in basic black. If I was going for a colour I would be going for either the Turquoise or Hot Pink Serengeti with its Leopard print design.

Flex Appeal – Love Your Style

Skechers GoWalk

New Balance were the sneakers to own when I was a teenager.  Please dont try and work out when that actually was, but it was a good few years ago. Their re-release of the classic 574 has left me wanting them even more than I did as a dizzy-headed teenager.  I understand their timeless appeal much better than I did at 16… New Balance Knockout 574 RRP $160.  Find them online here.

NIKE has two fabulous black pairs out at the moment – my favourite being the NIKE Air Max Thea Print which retails for $160. The NIKE Free Run 2 EXT comes in black with just a hint of colour, and a pricetag of $160 too.