Best Shoes For A Hot Day

 

Keep a cool head on warm days, with cool feet!

We've all been there: it's hot, we're uncomfortable, sweaty, our feet have ballooned and our shoes feel like vices! You just can't wait to take them off for that sweet, sweet release! It's enough to make you lose your head!

Read on to discover how we're helping you to keep cool feet on hot days with our range of sandals and shoes made from breathable materials or cleverly designed to maximise air-flow, so you can keep a cool head.

What are the best shoes for keeping feet cool?

Our methods for keeping your feet cool fall in to three main categories: open style design, like sandals, breathable materials and cut-out “air-flow” design.

By using breathable materials, air can reach your feet through the material to keep them cool, whilst air-flow design means ensuring the shoe design itself allows for air-circulation around the foot, through punched designs or a sandal design.

Of course, every foot and every need is different. Some people prefer, or require, a full shoe design to offer protection for problem feet and toes and so may require a full shoe design that is breathable, whilst others may love the freedom and natural exposure of a strappy sandal.

That’s why we offer styles across the spectrum!

 

Sandals for Cool Feet

 

Whilst sandals are the obvious choice for keeping your feet cool on warm days, there is such a vast range of designs on offer that we need to highlight!

And not just because, by their very nature, in terms of being an open style of shoe designed for summer, but they can also include a host of features for all different tastes and needs.

For instance, there are strappy sandals with minimal material like Tundra, with a low, flat heel, that’s perfect for meeting friends in the day or balmy evenings out, right through to sandals like Wigeon, a full-fronted style with open toe, cut outs for circulation an open back.

There are flat sandals like Halford and heeled sandals for occasions, like Lapwing, sporty sandals with padded uppers for active feet, like Selena, and stylish footbed sandals like Raja.

There are also fashion sandals like Scooter, Wedge sandals like Tuft and so many more to choose from!

These styles come with combinations of the features you’d expect from our shoes, like air-bubble soles, removable insoles, stretch panels, cut-to-fit straps and a selection of fastening types to suit your need.

What’s more, they’re all available in our wide 2V(EE-4E) width fitting and most are also available in our extra wide 6V(6E-8E) variable width fitting, meaning they’re perfect for keeping even the widest of feet cool this summer.

You’ll also find some of these features in our men’s range, with stylish sandal Adam and sandal-cum-shoe Barney, with open side design for circulation.

Browse our range of wide and extra-wide fitting sandals >>

 

Breathable Shoe materials

 

If you’re looking for a full shoe, perhaps a trainer for leisure activities, a smart flat for smarter occasions or even just a full shoe to offer protection for your feet, then a style in breathable materials is just what you need.

What are the most breathable shoe materials?

Our breathable styles fall in to two main categories: leather / suede and breathable mesh.

Wide-fitting real leather and suede shoes

You may not realise this but real leather and suede are the ultimate breathable materials! Being natural materials that work similarly to our skin, they allow air to pass through, which is perfect for keeping your feet cool.

Soft leather is also malleable to some degree, allowing it to offer a little give so that, if your feet swell, or you have lumps and bumps on your feet, the soft leather will expand a little to offer the room for your feet or to reduce rubbing.

Most of our shoe styles are made with real leather or suede uppers, from our trainers and casual styles, like leather Shelduck and suede Scaup, to classic casuals like best-selling design Rory in stunning soft leather and loafers like Diana and Bow.

So for naturally breathable feet, our huge range of wide and extra-wide soft leather and suede footwear has you covered for cool feet.

 

Wide-fitting shoes with breathable mesh

 

For many trainer styles particularly, lightweight breathable mesh styles have been popular over the years, with the mesh generally coupled with a sturdier leather, suede or synthetic material base.

Our range comprises clever usage of such materials to ensure lightweight yet supportive footwear for a range of needs, even including fully vegan-friendly offerings.

Not only can such materials offer a lightweight, breathable solution for footwear but, because they’re also very soft, they can be used very effectively in creating bunion and hammer toe friendly shoes.

Trainer styles like Barrow, Coot and Lexi feature extensive use of our breathable stretch mesh fabric that moulds to the shape of your foot and they also include square toe boxes, ensuring enough room for toes.

We also offer classic trainer styles like Pheasant and Echo, that feature a mix of leather / suede and breathable mesh with a choice of fastenings to suit different needs.

It’s not just our trainer styles that feature breathable mesh. You can also find it in good use on sandal styles like Bobbie, where there’s additional side-support through a breathable mesh panel, and on everyday styles like Hawaii.

Men’s casual shoes like Archie, trainers like Dawson and even house shoes like Cairo and Desmond also feature our lightweight breathable mesh.

 

Cotton / Canvas

 

Another natural material has wonderful properties for keeping feet cool. It’s no coincidence that canvas shoes are so popular in summertime! Made from cotton textile, these styles are super lightweight and breathable, so just what you need on warm days.

We have a range of canvas styles like bumper sole styles Mira, Libra, Yoko and Hudson (to name but a few), classic canvas like Tara, canvas loafers like Alpha and sandals like Madonna, Oracle and Cora.

Natural, lightweight and vegan-friendly, these styles are perfect for summer days.

Browse canvas & active styles >>

 

Punched design

 

If you like a full shoe but need that extra air-circulation then look no further than our punched design styles. Leather uppers with punched holes or cut out areas that allow air to flow directly to and around the foot, for that extra fresh feeling.

For casual days with a modern feel try Shelduck, a bumper sole style with soft leather uppers, punched for air-flow, or for a classic feel, everyday shoes Fran is resplendent in silver or soft gold.

Perfect for meeting friends or even for dressing up is smart flat Emmental, a cute pump in leather with cut out pattern or Driffield, a sleek loafer that is sure to turn heads.

Ready to take it up a notch with something a little different for your next occasion? Then be the snazziest dresser with the coolest feet with outlandishly stylish Canterbury.

Gemini and Halford may be sandals and so benefit from an open design anyway, but they’re designed with fuller tops for greater protection to the top of your feet, so we’ve added punched detail to these areas to ensure maximum air-flow and maximum comfort on warm days.

Gemini Halford

So there you have our guide to keeping cool on warm days through a combination of clever design and breathable materials.

 

VAT Free Footwear

 

Did you know, if you need 6E, 6V or 8E fitting footwear and have a qualifying condition, that you might be eligible for VAT relief?

This means that you could essentially benefit from a discount of 20%. And what's more, our promotional discount codes still apply, meaning you can gain further savings.

We make it easy to claim your VAT relief by clearly listing the VAT exempt price against qualifying products, and provide a very short form to fill out as part of the checkout process when ordering your 6E, 8E or 6V fitting shoes. Qualifying conditions for VAT free purchases include physical or mental impairment that affects your ability to carry out everyday activities, for example, blindness; conditions treated as chronic sickness, such as diabetes, arthritis or lymphedema; and long-term illnesses.

Look out for the link underneath our available fittings on each product page to claim your VAT exemption.