As women increasingly enter trades, especially industries such as oil and gas where physical demands and safety are paramount, the quest for the perfect pair of work boots can rival the challenges of the job itself. Securing functional, safe footwear designed specifically for women’s feet, capable of enduring long hours and harsh environments, can prove to be a daunting task. This is where Juno Jones Work Boots step in: A brand that transcends mere footwear, serving as a symbol of empowerment for women in traditionally male populated fields.
Established by Emily Soloby, whose expertise spans women’s advocacy law, transportation and a passion for shoemaking, Juno Jones Work Boots emerged in 2020. Soloby’s inspiration for launching Juno Jones comes from her firsthand experiences in the transportation industry.
“Our trucking company placed a premium on safety, yet I struggled to find safety footwear that combined proper fit with aesthetics,” Soloby recounts. Confronted with the challenge of securing work boots that not only fit comfortably and looked stylish, but also provided genuine protection, Soloby recognized that there was a glaring gap in the market and began researching and speaking with other women across different industries who also voiced their concerns on the limited access to work boots that could protect them.
Through research and educating herself on the hazards women are exposed to in industry, Soloby has designed a work boot which focuses on addressing the ergonomic and safety needs of women in physically demanding environments like oil and gas fields.
“Many women in these jobs are on their feet for much of the day. If they’re wearing boots made from a men’s footwear “last1,” chances are that the contours of the shoe are going to hit at all of the wrong places on the foot.” This results in the foot having to do too much work to support itself, instead of having the support of the shoe as intended.
With a woman’s footwear “last,” Juno Jones boots are created to properly support and cradle the foot, so that you can stand, walk and work all day in comfort. “Even though we don’t advertise that there is no break-in period, we do hear over and over again from customers that the comfort is there immediately, right out of the box, and lasts all day long,” explains Soloby.
Unlike the “shrink it and pink it” generic boots that often lead to discomfort and fatigue, Juno Jones boots effortlessly provide comfort, durability and protection with features like ASTM composite and steel toes, water-resistant uppers, and slip, oil and fuel-resistant outsole, as well as being heat, abrasion and chemical resistant ensuring women can tackle their workday with confidence.
“Every aspect of our design is crafted to withstand the rigors of the job, keeping women safe and secure every step of the way,” says Soloby.
In addition to designing work boots that are safe and functional, Juno Jones prioritizes aspects of women’s experiences on the jobsite that often go overlooked.
“We want our shoes to be easy to get on and off, and easy to wipe down after getting muddy or dirty. We created our Architecture line, which includes the Meti Boot and the Serpentine Boot, with an angled side zipper for easy on-and-off. All of our shoes now have a high visibility pull tab on the back, with our signature orange color. The reason we added the high visibility tab is to help people get the boots on and off more easily, and to make them easy to spot for safety purposes.” But there was one more reason.
“We found that women in our boots were sometimes getting questioned on the job site as to whether they were “really” in safety boots. The safety orange high visibility fabric signals to any doubters that the boots are indeed safety boots, even if they do happen to look stylish,” says Soloby.
Acknowledging that women in trades also seek gear that reflects their identity and professionalism, Juno Jones creatively blends style with substance.
“Fashion is simply the concept that you can communicate with the world through what you are wearing on your body,” Soloby explains. “We often hear from women who have entered male populated industries, such as construction, STEM fields or the trades, that they resent the outdated notion that they have to conform to masculine aesthetics, or that they have to be “one of the boys” to fit in. Today’s generations of women have moved past those ideas, and have fully adopted the notion that “you can be both.” You can be both stylish and skilled. You can be both feminine and strong. These things are not mutually exclusive.”
For women who wear Juno Jones Work Boots, the experience goes beyond practical functionality. “Our boots have meant empowerment to our customers. Women have shared stories of wearing them during significant moments in their lives.”
For women considering careers in trades such as oil and gas, Soloby has a simple yet powerful message: “You can do it. You belong. You are seen. We want women to know that there is a place for them in these industries, and that they shouldn’t have to compromise themselves in order to stake their claim. They have just as much of a right to be there as anyone else does, they have big contributions to make, and they owe it to themselves to go for it. The world will be a better place.”
By providing gear that celebrates women’s individual identity and professionalism, Juno Jones is breaking down barriers by challenging outdated norms and stereotypes, and championing a new era of empowerment where, with each step, women are reminded of their worth and their place in traditionally male populated industries.
1 The shoe last is the foot form that is used to set the shape of the shoe. Source: Shoemakers Academy.
Photos courtesy of Juno Jones.
Amy Roosa is the founder and CEO of The Safety Rack which works to educate and advocate for PPE equity for women across all industries. During her 19 years in safety, Roosa has worked in the public sector, manufacturing, construction and risk control. She has worked with multiple organization including the National Safety Council, where she help form the Government and Public Sector Division; she is co-founder of the Midwest Women in Safety Conference; and currently is the chapter president of the ASSP Hawkeye Chapter in Iowa.
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Amy Roosahttps://oilwomanmagazine.com/author/amy-roosa/
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Amy Roosahttps://oilwomanmagazine.com/author/amy-roosa/
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