The trouble with being self-employed at this time of year is that the Christmas parties are lonely affairs. Luckily for some of us in Brighton, Hotter Shoes recently arrived in town and invited lots of local bloggers to help celebrate the launch of their new store.
Here are some of the assembled blogging hordes of Brighton, getting ready to have a #HotterMoment at our nearly-Christmas, not-quite-office party:
This is what they used to lure us into the shop. They’re not daft, the Hotter PR team.
And they’re not just doing this so that we will be forced to leave the house in clothing that isn’t a onesie. Hotter as a company knows that its shoes have a bit of a frumpy/comfy/elderly reputation and they want to get a wide range people like us bloggers into the stores to see that (a) the range is more stylish than you might expect and (b) there is something here for all ages.
The new Hotter Shoes store is as central as it gets in Brighton – on Western Road, very close to Churchill Square, directly opposite New Look. The store is pretty spacious and deliberately not rammed with stuff, so you have room to strut around when trying on the footwear. Check out the vintage Brighton prints on the wall from the vantage point of one of the comfy chairs.
What do you think of this lot?
I like the sparkly ones and the Chelsea boots a lot. And the leopard-skin loafers. Think I’m going to go back to try those on.
So it’s not so frumpy after all, but comfy is another thing entirely. Comfiness is something Hotter Shoes will never abandon, since comfortable shoes is what the range is all about. As a business, Hotter launched in 1959 as a manufacturer of slippers, and their aim is still to make all their shoes as comfy as slippers.
So you will find heels, but they will be chunky rather than spindly; and all of the shoes are great for walking long distances. Given that I’m still doing 5 miles a day (thank you FitBit), a shoe you can walk up and down the hills of Brighton in is an absolute must for me.
I tried on quite a few of the pairs above before opting for the space pirate boots you see below, or Belle Boots as Hotter call them. They’re made from super soft nubuck leather and have an adjustable calf fitting, extra cushioning, extra grip sole and full length inside zip for easy wear. The calf is definitely wider than usual because most boots are too narrow for me, whereas these fitted even over jeans. If you too are chunky of calf these babies are for you.
I am so chuffed because the only time I had boots like this before that actually fit, I had to order them from a specialist store. What’s great about the design is that it doesn’t look like your calves are wider than normal, it just all looks nice and streamlined and elegant. The lining makes them very warm and great for winter. I’ve been wearing them for about three weeks now and they still look like new. (BTW I just noticed that the Hotter sale has started and these boots are reduced by £30 to £95 – bargain).
Back at home, my space pirate boots have received the ultimate compliment – the teenager is planning to steal them.
Thank you to the lovely Hotter Shoes social media team for hosting the Brighton bloggers and for turning me into a space pirate, a definite highlight of 2015. Make sure you check out the store next time you’re in Brighton.
Hotter Shoes have over 70 stores around the UK and at Western Road in Brighton. You can also see the range on their website here.