At 54 I Thought Heels Were Behind Me. Then I Walked the Whole Sunday Markets in These

They didn't look like comfort shoes. A wide band across the toes, a soft panel that runs up the front of the foot to a thin strap around the ankle, and a back that wraps the heel.

Underneath sits a wedge, so the height is spread along the whole foot instead of balanced on one little heel.

They come in black, grey, red and brown, and I could picture them with my summer dresses and my cropped trousers.

What made me hesitate was the height. But the page talked about orthopaedic support and a non-slip sole, so I ordered a pair.

When the parcel arrived I wore them while I cooked Sunday lunch. That's my honest test: hours standing at the bench, back and forth to the oven.

Normally that's when my knees and lower back start to complain.

The product page says they're designed to take pressure off the knees, back and joints. I can only tell you what I noticed: I got to the end of the washing up and I wasn't counting the minutes until I could sit down.

The real test was the Sunday markets. Grass between the stalls, a gravel car park, a long loop with a coffee in one hand.

That's exactly where a heel usually lets me down. Wobbling, sinking, watching every step.

With the wedge under the whole foot I felt steady the entire morning. The strap around my ankle and the closed back kept my feet where they should be, no shuffling.

I walked the whole loop twice and never once wobbled.

A week later it rained all morning and I had lunch at the club. Wet tiles at the entrance, the kind that make me grab the railing.

The sole is described as non-slip, with a secure grip on any surface. I still took it slowly, but my feet stayed put and I didn't feel that little lurch I dread.

My friend looked down at the table and asked where I'd found such pretty sandals. When I told her they were orthopaedic she didn't believe me.

When I went back to the Scott & Daughters website, I read the story behind the boutique.

The founder has handed the business to her daughters, Emily and Charlotte, and to mark the new chapter they're running a New Chapter Sale across the online collection.

The Ysabela was part of it, in all four colours.

If you miss a bit of height but you're done with shoes that wobble or leave you sore, it might be worth a look while your size is still there.