Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1184458
Jen Mooney, 47 | West Hartford, CT Owner, Paula's Perennials, a garden design and landscaping company What's an average day like for you? It's all seasonal. Yesterday, I was overhauling a garden — we redid beds and had trees removed. There was a huge plant order delivered, so I loaded the truck with all the 5-gallon pots then spent the whole day in mud getting the soil ready, pre-planting, spreading mulch and raking out, then removing all the waste. Today I'll be beginning to cut back hostas and baptista, and raking waste and then dragging the tarp its on, then doing fine pruning on boxwoods, which is all standing. The job is very athletic: It's pushing, squatting, lifting and pulling. What footwear do you wear to work? A couple of years ago I discovered hiking boots, and they're amazing: They're rugged, withstand the conditions for years, and keep out dirt. And they have the support you need. Right now I wear Oboz Bridger Mid boots, and Merrell hiking shoes. I also have two pair of Saucony Excursion trail run- ners that I wear if I know it'll be a dry day and I'm weeding. What qualities are critical in your footwear? They need to be athletic and supportive: I used to wear ON THE JOB REAL WORKERS 42 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2019 footwearinsight.com Real workers sound off on the footwear that takes them through the day. By Jennifer Ernst Beaudry, Cara Griffin and Bob McGee. Lawn and garden workers, delivery drivers, restaurant work- ers, nurses and doctors are on their feet day in and day out on the job. But these hard-working consumers aren't looking for a traditional work boot. While their needs vary by job — slip resistant? Stain resistant? Washable? They're look- ing for shoes that work for them, and that will keep them comfortable for a full shift and beyond. So we went right to the source to discover what they're looking for. Here, real end users tell us what they wear, where they shop and what they're looking for in their on-the-job footwear. Jen Mooney owns a garden design and landscaping company.