At 64, I was invited back to the school where I taught for thirty-one years. The children used to call my shoes "Mrs Brooks's boats". This is a letter about the pair I wore instead
Six things these bow-trimmed, low block-heel boots get right that three decades of flat, sensible lace-ups never did, from a retired Shrewsbury teacher who'd forgotten shoes could be fun.
Nancy Brooks · 64 · Shrewsbury · 5 min read
I'm 64, and for thirty-one years I taught at the same little primary school on the edge of Shrewsbury. And for thirty-one years I wore the same shoes: flat black lace-ups, sensible soles, polished every Sunday night. The children called them "Mrs Brooks's boats". One year a boy in Year 2 drew them in his family portrait, standing on their own next to me, like a pet. This autumn a letter came from the head: the school was turning 150, there'd be an afternoon tea in the hall, and would I come back and present the prizes? I said yes before I'd finished reading. Then I looked at my feet. I'd retired four years ago, and somehow I was still in the boats. So this is not a review. It's a woman who walked back into that hall in something entirely different, telling you what it was.
The shoes I'm writing about are the Marcella from Mavira London, a small British boutique that dresses women our age. They're soft taupe ankle boots with a big, floppy bow at the ankle, a peep toe and a low, chunky heel. My sister Jean found them, of course, and sent them with one line: "Nance, the boats have sailed." When Mavira London later asked if they could share my letter, I said yes, on the condition I could be completely honest in it.
Here's what I worked out, standing in the hall of the school where I'd spent half my life. Sensible shoes were right for thirty-one years of playground duty, wet play and running after a child with a nosebleed. But I don't do playground duty any more. I'd just never stopped dressing as if I did. Retirement had given me my days back, and I'd forgotten to give my feet anything to look forward to.
I'd retired four years ago, and somehow I was still in the boats.
The Marcella is the first pair of shoes in thirty-five years that I'd describe as fun, and having worn them to the school's 150th, to lunch in town and to my book club, I can tell you it comes down to six things.
A low, wide heel I can walk in all afternoon
The heel is about 5 cm and wide, a proper chunky block rather than a spindly little thing. That gives you some lift and makes the boot look elegant, but it's steady underneath you. I stood for the whole prize-giving, walked the length of that hall more times than I could count, and went home without any of the misery I associate with "a nice pair of shoes".
Three hours on my feet, a parquet floor, forty prize-winners and a lot of tea. Walked out to the car without once wishing I'd brought the boats.
A bow that makes everyone smile
The bow at the ankle is big, soft and a little bit playful. It's the reason I bought them, and it turned out to be the reason everyone spoke to me. It's grown-up enough for an afternoon tea and fun enough to make a seven-year-old point. After thirty-one years of boats, I'd forgotten that shoes could make people smile.
A little girl in a red cardigan came up to collect her prize, looked down and whispered, "You've got presents on your feet." Best review I've ever had.
A peep toe and cut-outs that keep them airy
They're an ankle boot, but with an open peep toe and cut-out sides, so they're light and airy rather than hot and heavy. That makes them perfect for the in-between days we get so many of: too warm for proper boots, too cool for sandals. With bare legs and a dress in September, or with tights and a skirt in October, they've looked right every time.
Bare legs, my navy dress and the Marcellas for lunch at the Market Hall. Felt about ten years younger. Possibly fifteen.
A cushioned insole for long days
Inside there's a cushioned insole, which I noticed the moment I put them on. It's the difference between a pretty shoe you can stand in for photographs and a pretty shoe you can actually wear for an afternoon. I can only speak for my own feet, of course, but mine were very content.
One of my old pupils, now 38 and a dad of three, said, "Mrs Brooks, you've got new shoes!" Twenty-nine years on, and he still noticed. Of course he did. He was always the observant one.
A soft taupe that goes with everything
Mine are the colour Mavira call khaki, which in real life is a soft, warm taupe, somewhere between mushroom and stone. It goes with navy, black, cream, camel and denim. It's the most useful colour a shoe can be, and the bow stops it ever looking dull. They also come in black and in a deep ruby red, which Jean is now eyeing up.
Nobody discussed the book for the first ten minutes. They discussed my shoes. I've decided that counts as a literary event.
An honest word on sizing
I promised I'd be honest, so here it is: the sizes on the page are Australian, from AU 4 to AU 12, with the European size beside each one, but there are no UK sizes. The good news is that there's a size guide with the length of your foot in centimetres, and it says that if you're between sizes, go for the larger one. I stood on a ruler on the kitchen floor, matched my foot to the guide, and they fitted first time. I'm a UK 5 and I needed an AU 7, which is an EU 38, but please measure rather than take my word for it. If you're unsure, ask Mavira London's team before you order. They're happy to help.
The boats are still in the cupboard, for gardening. The school sent me a photo from the day: me, forty children and two enormous bows. It's on the fridge.
These, against thirty-one years of sensible shoes
Most of us didn't choose sensible shoes. Life chose them for us, and then we forgot to stop. Here's the difference, laid out plainly.
Flat, black and built for playground duty
Comfortable, and completely forgettable
Hot and heavy in between seasons
Nothing anybody would ever comment on
"Mrs Brooks's boats"
A low, wide block heel you can walk in
A soft bow that makes people smile
A peep toe and cut-outs that keep them airy
A cushioned insole for long afternoons
"You've got presents on your feet"
About the price
The Marcella boots are £44.95 at the moment. The website says they're usually £147. I won't pretend I know what a pair of shoes like this ought to cost, but I can tell you I've spent more than that over the years on sensible shoes that never once made anybody smile.
You can pay securely with PayPal or a card, whichever you prefer.
Delivery was free and tracked across the UK, and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if they aren't right. For shoes, where you can't try them on first, that's what got me to press the button.
block heel
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If you're 55, or 64, or 70, and you're still wearing the sensible shoes your working life chose for you, these are the shoes I'd hand you myself, while your size is still there. Retire the boats. Wear the bows.
Nancy
Marcella · Elegant Heeled Boots
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- Low, wide block heel, about 5 cm
- Soft decorative bow at the ankle
- Peep toe with cut-out details to keep them airy
- Cushioned insole for long days
- Khaki, black or ruby red
- AU 4 to 12 (EU 35 to 43) · foot-length size guide on the page
- FREE tracked UK delivery & 30-day money-back guarantee
Find the Marcella in the collection, alongside our most popular shoes.
About the writer. Nancy Brooks is 64 and lives in Shrewsbury with her husband Geoff, a spaniel called Biscuit, and a sister, Jean, who never lets her get away with anything. She taught at a primary school for thirty-one years and is now, in her own words, "saying yes to things," including shoes with bows on.
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