Many of you will be only too aware of the ritual. You’ve stepped out in killer heels to match a gorgeous outfit only for your feet to start murdering you by the end of the night.
Rather than suffer in silence as you lose the will to live, alongside the sense of feeling in your toes, you ditch the stilettos for flats.
What they lack in style they make up for in comfort.
However, few of us would have dared to do this on the red carpet at Cannes, the most prestigious film festival in Europe.
Hollywood superstar Jennifer Lawrence had no such qualms. She sent showbiz and fashion writers into a frenzy when she made her grand entrance on the Croisette in a crimson Dior dress teamed with, shock horror, flip-flops.
And not just any flip-flops. They were cheap black rubber ones more suited to the beach in Southend (no shade intended, Southend) than at a glamorous film premiere.
It was a bold step in more ways than one, especially as The Hunger Games star knew the eyes of the world would be watching.
As a showbiz columnist I walked more red carpets that I can remember. And the common theme, for even the biggest A-list stars, is how much they can’t wait to change out of their shoes or dress they can barely breathe in as soon as they can.
Being trussed up like a turkey seems to be part of the job description for female celebs. But us mere mortals going anywhere fairly glam often go through the same rigmarole.
I’ve poured myself into dresses designed to hold me in and give me the ultimate body shape. Who cares if I had to breathe in the whole night or couldn’t eat in case I popped a button.
Jen’s mini flip-flop rebellion is a reminder we don’t have to grin and bear it for fashion’s sake and it is OK just to be who we are. I bet the late Karl Lagerfeld will be spinning in his grave.
