Last month, Harry Styles was observed walking eight miles from Brooklyn to Manhattan in loafers, just before his 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden. This choice of footwear for a long walk has drawn attention from podiatry professionals.
Dr Helen Branthwaite, chief clinical advisor at the Royal College of Podiatry, explained that loafers, by design, have a smaller forefoot volume compared to shoes with substantial fastenings. This narrowness is necessary for slip-on shoes to stay on the foot, but it may lead to toe compression if the shoe's shape does not match the wearer's foot.
Christophe Champs, an orthotics specialist and founder of the Podo clinic in London, highlighted that pounding hard city pavements in insubstantial shoes like loafers can cause problems. He noted that his clinic saw a fivefold increase in patients with plantar fasciitis during the recent hot summer, an issue he attributes to such footwear choices.
While Styles' specific Prada "Shuffle" loafers are described as soft and flimsy, costing £910, Champs believes that wearing running shoes with high, light, and overly cushioned soles for daily commutes can be a more common and significant problem, as they may not provide proper support.
Dr Branthwaite suggested that if Harry Styles is comfortable walking and dancing in loafers, it indicates he likely has strong feet with a shape complementary to the shoes. She added that others wishing to emulate his eight-mile walk in similar footwear would need comparable training and practice.