Letter-from-rose-briony
A letter from Rose, Rowan & Rose, Sydney. October 2026
Every pair of shoes she owns is either comfortable or nice. Never both.
On the six things that made me choose the Briony, how it compares to what you have been wearing, and why it is $79.95 in our Retirement Sale.
This is the one.
I am Rose. For years my husband and I have dressed women who were told, one way or another, that comfort and beauty were a trade.
Nowhere is that trade more obvious than at the bottom of the wardrobe.
There are two kinds of shoes, and you own both.
There are the nice ones. Slim, a bit of shape, lovely with a dress. By two in the afternoon you are looking for somewhere to sit down.
And there are the comfortable ones. Thick, sensible, the colour of a hospital corridor. You wear them for the long days and hope nobody looks down.
So every morning a woman does the arithmetic. How far will I walk today. How long will I stand. And she picks accordingly.
I never accepted that she had to choose.
The Briony is my answer. A cushioned, supportive sneaker that looks like something you chose on purpose. There were six things I would not do without.
A cushioned footbed that meets you halfway
Soft underfoot. Shaped where it matters.
This is the thing I checked first. The Briony has a cushioned EVA insole on a contoured footbed, so the shoe follows the shape of your foot instead of asking your foot to flatten itself against a hard sole. You notice it on the first step, and you notice it more at the end of the day.
★★★★★
"First pair of sneakers in years I didn't want to kick off the moment I got home."
Sara, Melbourne
Made for the long day, not the short walk
A lot of pretty shoes are fine for the walk from the car. The Briony is built for the whole day. Supportive through the arch, with a durable rubber outsole that grips on wet pavement and shop floors. Morning coffee, the shops, a grandchild's sport on Saturday, a slow walk home. Same pair.
★★★★★
"Wore them for a full day at the Easter Show. Still comfortable when we got back to the car."
Angelique, Sydney
Air through the mesh
Breathable mesh, laces that hold.
An Australian spring is no place for a shoe that traps heat. The upper is a breathable mesh with synthetic leather details, so your feet stay fresh and the shoe keeps its smart shape. And it laces up properly. No slip-ons that slop at the heel. You set the fit once and it stays.
★★★★★
"My feet usually swell by the afternoon. With the laces I can loosen them a touch and keep going."
Miriam, Sydney
It wears with a dress, not just trackpants
A midi dress, a coffee, comfortable feet.
Most comfortable shoes only make sense with activewear. The Briony is slim enough at the toe and clean enough in the line to wear with a midi dress, cropped trousers or your good jeans. It looks like you chose it, not like you gave in.
★★★★★
"Wore them with my linen dress to a lunch and a friend asked where they were from. Nobody guessed they were comfort shoes."
Mariette, Palm Beach
Six colours, so you can have more than beige
Off-White, Black, Wine Red, Khaki, Brown and Leopard Print. The off-white goes with everything. The wine red and leopard are for the days you want your feet to be the best part of the outfit. Plenty of our customers come back for a second colour.
★★★★★
"Bought the off-white first. Went back for the wine red a week later."
Lisa, Palm Beach
AU 5 through 11, one price
Every size from AU 5 (EU 36) to AU 11 (EU 42), in every colour, at the same price. Feet change as we get older. Your shoe size should not be the thing that decides whether you get the nice pair.
★★★★★
"Ordered my usual 8 and they fit straight out of the box. No breaking in."
Lisanne, Parramatta
The Briony, against what you have been wearing
| The usual shoes | The Briony | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort | Fine for an hour, then you need to sit | Cushioned EVA footbed for the whole day |
| Look | Either pretty or sensible, never both | Clean, slim line that works with a dress |
| Breathability | Hot and stuffy by lunchtime | Breathable mesh upper |
| Fit | Slip-ons that loosen at the heel | Lace-up, so the fit stays put |
| Choice | Beige, black, or grey | Six colours, AU 5 to 11, one price |
I refuse to sell a woman something that asks her to be uncomfortable in order to look nice. That is the whole reason the Briony is in our shop.
Why it is $79.95
The Briony is part of our Retirement Sale. Rowan and I are slowing down, and we would rather our last pieces go to women who will wear them than sit on a shelf.
And spring is when you will feel the difference. Longer days, more walking, the first warm weekends at the markets and along the water. This is the shoe for all of it.
When a size sells out, it will not come back.
The Briony, in Wine Red.
- Cushioned EVA insole on a contoured footbed
- Supportive for all-day wear
- Breathable mesh with synthetic leather details
- Lace-up fit and a durable rubber outsole
- Six colours, AU 5 to 11, one price
- Free shipping across Australia and New Zealand
Combine pieces and save up to 20% extra. Discounts are applied automatically at checkout.
I have watched a lot of women try on a pair like this. They walk to the mirror and back. Then they walk to the mirror and back again, slower this time, as if waiting for it to start hurting.
It does not. That is the whole point.
You are allowed comfortable and lovely in the same pair. Go and find your size.
With love,
Rose, Rowan & Rose
Free shipping across Australia and New Zealand. 30-day money-back guarantee. Rowan & Rose, Sydney.