Feet change as you age. There’s less fat padding, thinner skin, less natural cushioning. That is why shoes that felt fine at 50 hurt now, and why I now know more about “toe boxes” than I ever planned to.

The other thing about foot problems: they don’t wait. Bunions, plantar fasciitis, corns…all those glamorous conditions just get worse if you ignore them, and suddenly they’re the reason you skipped the walk. A podiatrist helps…But so do better shoes. And shopping for shoes it a lot more fun. Just be sure to look for real cushioning, arch support, and a toe box roomy enough for feet that have earned some irregularities.

Here’s what’s on my feet:

(And this is coming from an almost 70 year old who just walking 15,000+ steps a day in NYC recently.)

Birkenstocks. I’m a fan. I have friends who refuse them because they think they make your feet look like two slabs and they want something sleeker. My fix is color: silver, rose, patent leather. Slabs, but with pizazz.

Kiziks, my newest purchase, because of the hands-free slip-on feature. The white leather pair is a classic sneaker. I tweaked my back a few weeks ago and these earned their keep immediately. Imagine the luxury of putting shoes on and taking them off with zero bending! I cannot overstate the value of zero bending.

The granny orthopedic shoe era is over, or at least it should be. It takes some hunting, but trendy, classy shoes exist even for feet like mine.

I am a firm believer that you can wear anything as long as you wear a nice pair of shoes with it.