The Older Women In My Life Love These Comfortable Sneakers

In my house, we honor the ancient custom of keeping shoes in a chaotic pile on the floor of our vestibule — and I recently noticed something that made me do a double-take. There were not one but two pairs of bouncy-soled sneakers from the runner-beloved brand Brooks, in identical navy blue-and-turquoise colorways. Had they… cloned themselves? While such technology would certainly be an exciting development for this shopping enthusiast, the answer was much more predictable. It turns out my mom and my daughters’ nanny — both active older women in their 60s — rely on the exact same pair of Ghost 14 running shoes to stay light on their feet while they garden, run after kids (and grandkids) and do a whole lot of walking.

My mom, who has undergone bunion surgery and has hammer toes, told me that she likes that the shoes are available in wide widths to accommodate her custom orthotics. She finds the toe box to be roomy and well-constructed enough to comfortably accommodate her feet. (She’s actually on her second pair; the first lasted her almost four years before she needed to replace them a little under a year ago.) While there are a whopping 39 colors available on Amazon, she chose the navy combination on the basis that it felt “a little snazzy” while still complementing a lot of her clothes. “I wear them every day,” she told me, “and I do a fair amount of walking.”

Speaking of walking: I personally don’t know many women in their 60s who log