Shoes and clothes to go with a rollator – and still look like you

The four shoe rules

• Closed heel. Mules, backless slippers and slides come off on the first kerb and let the foot slide inside the shoe. A closed heel keeps the foot steady behind the rollator.
• Flexible sole with a little grip. The sole should bend at the ball of the foot and hold on wet pavements. Very thick cushioned soles feel soft but roll the ankle; very thin ones tire the feet.
• A fastening you can do up sitting. Laces are fine if you can reach them; otherwise hook-and-loop straps, elastic laces or slip-in shoes with a stiff heel counter.
• Room for the toes, hold at the heel. Feet widen with age; a wide fit at the front and a snug heel prevent both blisters and slipping.

Three shoes we would point to

The Skechers GO WALK family is the light everyday shoe: flexible, grippy, with slip-in versions you put on standing up. The ECCO Soft 7 is the leather sneaker that looks right with a good coat and takes an orthotic insole. The Vionic Walker is built around arch support and a stable heel. All three come in widths and in colours beyond black. Buy in the afternoon, when feet are largest, and walk a few steps with the rollator in the shop.

Coats and jackets

A coat that ends below the rollator seat gets sat on, pulled and creased, and tugs at your shoulders when you stand up. The right length ends at the hip or just below – a short wool coat, a quilted jacket, a car coat. Sleeves should stop at the wrist so they do not catch on the brake levers; wide bell sleeves are the worst offenders. A hood is more practical than an umbrella until you have an umbrella holder. Light colours are easier for drivers to see at dusk than navy and black.

Trousers, skirts and dresses

Trousers that end at the ankle do not catch on the wheels; wide palazzo legs and long skirts can. Midi skirts and dresses that end mid-calf are fine and sit well on the seat. Pockets you can reach standing are worth more than pockets at the back. Compression tights, if you wear them, are easier to put on sitting with a sock aid – see the fall-proof home page for the reacher that pairs with it.

Gloves and hands

Thin leather or knit gloves with grip dots keep the brake levers in control in winter; thick ski gloves do not. Fingerless cycling gloves with padded palms are the secret of women who walk a lot: they take the vibration out of the grips. For the coldest days a pair of handlebar muffs – the kind cyclists use – turns the grips into a warm pocket.

Four outfits

• Market morning: ankle trousers, a hip-length quilted jacket, Skechers slip-ins, a cross-body bag, the canvas rollator bag for the vegetables.
• Café with a friend: a midi dress, a short wool coat in camel, ECCO Soft 7 in nude, a silk scarf tied to the rollator handle.
• Church or concert: a tailored jacket, straight trousers, Vionic flats with a closed heel, a folding cane in the bag for the steps to the pew.
• Family lunch: a knit dress, tights, a cardigan instead of a coat for the car, soft leather sneakers, the rollator in champagne because the grandchildren like it.