These shoes...

I have been suffering from a shoe dilemma for a few weeks now.

The warmer weather poses women a distinct footwear problem. We like to wear pretty skirts and forego tights. This also gives us the possibility of getting some colour onto our legs - mine resemble uncooked chicken ten months of the year.However, most of us cannot wear flip flops to work, and in any case, they are not the best shoe for foot health. Long term wear of flip flops not only gives me a thong shaped tan on my foot, it also seems to make me walk with my toes digging in and hanging onto the shoe for dear life.

The flat pump would, to all intents and purposes, seem to provide a perfect solution to the balmy weather. You can walk in them all day and a variety of pretty shades are available to co ordinate with our summer finery. However, the wearing of flat pumps with no tights leads to an unmentionable female problem.

Foot odour.

None of us likes to think we have it, but those cheesy smelling pumps we need to throw out tell a different story. No amount of febreeze in those pumps is going to rescue those shoes now.

Enter our saviour, the strappy sandal.

This week I bought possibly my favourite general purpose shoe ever.

This is the perfect compromise shoe. The brown is a good match with most outfits, the gladiator style toughens up a skirt or looks great with leggings or jeans. They zip up at the back, behind the heel, and the flexible straps hold and support the foot very well. They rose to the challenges of yesterday - a 15 minute walk uphill to work from the train station, and then a busy day's teaching all around school and another walk at the end. No rubbing, no achiness. And best of all, air circulates around the foot all day, meaning no nasty pong. I think I'm in love.

The Low Wedge Crossover Gladiator Sandal in Brown is available from Matalan instore and online