Shoes just happen to be my ultimate weakness. They’re the one thing that you can guarantee I’ll pick up come sale time, but despite my obsession, practicality has only become a real deciding factor for me in more recent years. It’s easy to equate a stylish shoe with something that’s uncomfortable, especially if it’s a pair of pointed toe courts with a 7cm plus heel. So, I’ve made it a bit of a mission of mine to find shoes that bridge the gap between looking chic while still being comfortable enough to wear during my 45 minute commute to and from work (each way!). Enter FRANKiE4.
I was pretty excited to be introduced to the brand, especially as I often receive questions on my YouTube channel about footwear options which are sensible, work with orthotics, and look smart, and FRANKiE4 seemed to tick a all the boxes. So before we get into it, a quick disclaimer; the brand were kind enough to let me pick out a couple pairs of shoes, which I quite promptly put to the test (all in the name of fashion!).
What is FRANKiE4?
FRANKiE4 was born out of Caroline McCulloch’s desire to create a shoe for women that supported your feet, in styles that you’d actually feel confident wearing. As a Podiatrist and a Physiotherapist, Caroline kept the body’s mechanics at the forefront of each design element, and the result are shoes that look more modern and on-trend, as opposed than something you’d have recommended by your Orthopedist. Plus, each shoe is embedded with heel support, arch support and forefoot cushioning.
But the thing that I was most curious about was the customised fit. Each pair of shoes comes with a little dustbag, which contains a full-length footbed, a half-length footbed, and forefoot cushions. You can utilise the footbeds to create your own personalised fit, and depending on the combination these can work for a narrow, standard, wide or even an extra wide foot (assuming you don’t put a footbed in at all!).
Wearing Everlane cheeky straight leg jeans (first photo) & RUBY turtleneck and RE/Done skinny jeans (second photo)
So I put FRANKiE4 to the test…
I picked out two different styles, the ‘JACKIE’ in White/Navy and the ‘MiA’ in tan, in my usual size, AU9 (this is the equivalent of an EU40). Both fit me perfectly, but what I was most struck by when first trying them on was just how much support they gave my feet.
The JACKIE sneakers are ultra lightweight, and made with a supersoft squishy leather. I have a bunion on my left foot, so usually I tend to opt for suede shoes just as I find the material is a lot more forgiving than leather. That was one thing I didn’t need to worry about, plus I found them incredibly easy to pair with my wardrobe – they add a bit of a Scandi-cool vibe when worn with some trousers and a bit knit sweater. The MiA boots are a little sturdier, and they’re a bit thicker in design than the other boots I have on rotation – something that I’m not entirely used to so I’m still figuring out how best to style them.
I’ve been wearing the JACKIE sneakers during my commute to work, and there’s a lot that I like about them. They feel comfortable on the foot, I love the arch support (this is very new for me), and aesthetically, to look at them you wouldn’t know that they were an orthopaedic shoe. To me, I feel like they look a lot like the Adidas Stan Smiths (also here), just more comfortable. They have, however, required a little bit of breaking in, so I thought I’d flag this as I perhaps a little naively expected that they’d be comfortable off the bat. It’s one of those rites of passage when getting a new pair of shoes, so isn’t a deal breaker for me – I just like to be prepared with some thick plasters if needed. The first time I wore them, I experienced a little bit of rubbing on my left heel, and also found that the tongue on the right shoe was a little stiff, so it dug in just a little. The leather has since softened up – blisters are no longer an issue – making them a great all round shoe, and one of the first pairs I’ll reach for if I know I’ve got a lot of walking ahead of me.
All in all, I think it’s a brand worth getting excited about, especially if comfort (and arch support) is king when buying a new pair of shoes. It probably goes without saying that casual, smart-looking shoes are FRANKiE4’s forte, but they’ve also got some cute heeled sandals and boots in their line up too. Are you familiar with the brand?
