Putting my foot in it

There’s a new report in the news almost every day about one thing or another that’s going to be affected negatively by the fact that the Baby Boomers are turning 60. Personally, I can think of at least one industry that could get richer by paying attention to the older segment of society.
So here’s a heads-up to the designers and manufacturers of ladies’ shoes: Our feet hurt!

We wore our share of stilettos and pointed toes and we loved ‘em. We even danced in Roman sandals in the 1970s, for heaven’s sake, their long laces threatening to come untied with every step. But enough is enough. Most of us just don’t want to do it anymore.

Our feet hurt, and we still want to look pretty. We want more shoes, pretty shoes, dressy shoes, shoes in colors other than black, brown and beige, and we want them with good arches and thick, flat soles. Not stiff, rigid platforms, mind you, but soft soles that provide a cushion between our tender tootsies and the cold, hard ground. And we want a little room in the toes, too.

Please don’t think I’m suggesting that you stop what you’re doing. There’s always going to be a market for the kind of gorgeous footwear that makes a woman’s legs look curvy and sexy. Young women will still buy plenty of them, and we still like to look at them. It's just that we've realized curvy, sexy legs don’t make a woman look better if her face is contorted in pain.

We’re tired of wearing sneakers, sturdy nurses’ shoes, and manly-looking loafers when we plan to be on our feet for hours. We want styles and colors that suit the way we see ourselves, and we want them to feel good when we wear them.

Are you listening, Payless? Can you hear me, Jimmy Choo?