May 18, 2013

What Type of Shoes to Wear with Your Costume

July 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment
shoe

Image by pinprick via Flickr

The costumes for Halloween are often a time to use your critical thinking skills as you determine just what to wear with that costume. It’s not always easy. Sure, the traditional costume requires the traditional attire, but some of the other costumes require far more thinking and planning. So here is a little helpful list to get you to the right shoes.

Comfort First

Yes, it’s nice to wear the sexy shoes or the really cool looking shoes, but it’s all for nothing if it turns out that those shoes are going to be taken off halfway through the night as you can’t stand the way they are hurting your feet. So, if you can’t come up with a good idea for what kind of shoes you should be wearing, always look to comfort first. You cannot go wrong there.

Flats

Unless the costume is rated R, you are probably good wearing flats for your feet. They will go with almost anything, plus you are likely to find a cheap pair of flats at a discount shoe store that you can use and color to match the outfit. It’s a cheap way to design a funky pair of shoes for your costume. The bottom line here is that most of the focus of your costume will be the clothes itself. Unless you have a color that completely clashes, you’ll be fine with a pair of flats.

Shoes are not the biggest part of the costume in most cases so don’t be afraid to go a little off the beaten path. You’ll find that you are a lot happier with comfort over style.

Filed Under: Fashion, Shoes Tagged With: , ,

What you don’t know about those shoes can wreck your feet!

June 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Yes your new high heels are super sexy and they make your calves look amazing but are they healthy? Very few women equate the word “healthy” with what they put on their feet but it is an important question to ask. Are there any consequences to oh-so-high high heels?

Sexy calves that don’t work so well

High heels lack the support and structure feet need putting excess pressure on the balls of the feet. High heels also push the heel upwards for long periods of time which causes the muscles to lock and become stiff. Once high heels are removed the tendons are then stretched causing pain.

woman in high heels

Ugly Feet

Due to a tendancy for high heels to squeeze the toes together, bunions and hammertoes are some of the ugly consequences of  regular use.  It’s ironic that something designed to make feet look beautiful can actually cause unsightly damage over time.

Pain

It is said that “beauty is pain” but young women who live in high heels may regret putting their body through bottom of the foot (ball) and ankle pain, not to mention the damage to the Achilles tendon that can make the simplest task unbearable. 70% of older women visit a doctor due to foot pain undoubtedly caused by past poor choices in footwear.

Even though tennis shoes are the healthiest option for feet few women will throw away their stilettos. If you must wear high heels save them for special occasions and even then, limit the number of hours of wear. Inserting gel cushions and can help to offset pain, discomfort and future damage.

 

Filed Under: General, Shoes Tagged With: , ,

Exercises to Strengthen Fallen Arches

May 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Foot Arche 

Image via Wikipedia

If you have fallen arches then you are well aware of what a struggle buying shoes can be. Having fallen arches means that a person’s foot over pronates when they walk, causing the foot to roll too far inward when stepping down and thus stretching out the muscle in the arch of the foot. This cause it to look like there is no arch (or very little arch) when the person’s foot is flat on the ground.

Unfortunately fallen arches are permanent, and no amount of exercising will give you arches. There are however exercises that will help to strengthen the muscle. For those with fallen arches this is beneficial as they can get quite painful sometimes. Strengthening the muscle that runs along the bottom of the foot may relieve such pain and prevent it. If left untreated, fallen arches can get quite painful and can lead to other foot problems such as joint problems.

The following exercises can help to strengthen the arch of your foot.

  • Practice grabbing something with your toes, this will give your foot a work out and to help build strength
  • Practice placing more of your body weight on the outer area of your foot. Those with fallen arches tend to place more weight on the inner foot, which can help cause the arch to fall.
  • Building the strength in your calf muscle could help fallen arches. Simply stand with your tip toes on the edge of a stair with your heel hanging over and lift your body up and down with your toes. This will help to strengthen your ankles as well as your feet.
Filed Under: Fashion, Shoes Tagged With: , ,

Matching the Perfect Shoes to any Outfit

May 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If anyone has ever wondered how women can accumulate so many pairs of shoes, the answer is very simple. The stylish lady will have a shoe that goes with every outfit. When she is dressed up for work, she has the business heels to match her suits and dresses. A night on the town requires a different style of heel or maybe sequined sandals and don’t forget the tennis shoes for those casual days and working out.

There are several things to consider in matching your shoes to your outfit. Color is of course one of the most important considerations, the shoe should complement the outfit. You also must consider:

  • the length of the heel
  • whether the toe is open or closed
  • how comfortable the shoes are on your feet

Heels that hurt or are too slick should not be paired with your favorite jeans for a night out at the club dancing.

What shoes do look good with jeans? If you like the look of skinny or tapered jeans then you need to match them up with a nice pair of boots. Try several different heel heights so that the cuff of the jeans doesn’t gather at the bottom or catch in the heel. The heel height can also give your bottom a little lift to fill out those jeans just right. This is definitely true if you wear the low rise jeans that are so popular today.

Choose a shoe with a heel or wedge that will make your legs look longer and flatter your figure.

Filed Under: Shopping

3 Shoe Styles You Must Have

May 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment
highheels with a blue background 

Image via Wikipedia

Women across the world are always wondering what type of shoes they need to have. The choices are limitless, and the options within those choices make the decision even harder.

Finding shoes that are comfortable, multi-faceted and of course stylish are essential to every woman’s wardrobe.

Low Heeled Black Pump: A low heeled black pump is that versatile shoe that fits the bill for multiple occasions. It’s a no-brainer that black goes with just about everything, but these shoes will make you stand out for a night on the town, a school function, or even a casual dinner. Stay away from heels that are higher than 2 inches, as the strain higher heels put your feet can cause joint and back problems. You can find black pumps in various styles at sites like Offers.com.

A Semi-Casual Flat: One of the general rules for shoe choice each day is evaluating if you’re going to be standing for more than an hour. If so, the flat is the way to go. Flats can work with jeans or even slacks during a busy day at the office. Flats are also relatively inexpensive and come in a wide variety of colors and textures.

Neutral pump: Add a beige pump to your collection and your style choices will be complete. They won’t go out of style and you will have a shoe that can be worn with just about any outfit and at just about any occasion. Adding this versatile pump to your collection is a must in the ever-changing world of shoe fashion.

Filed Under: Fashion, General Tagged With: , ,

Men’s Shoe Tips

May 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Acorn colored captoe oxfords.
Image via Wikipedia

Yes men do care about shoes as much as women do. Most people do not realize it but men have different styles in shoes too. Just like some women do not care about the type of shoes they wear, most men do not care but the ones who do, care more than women about the styles they wear. Hence the stereotyping of men who do not care about what kind of shoes they wear needs to go.

Men have an extensive list of styles in men’s foot wear. Most men’s shoes unlike women’s shoes are comfortable and are mostly used as practical necessities rather than an obsession. Even though men have an extensive number of designs to choose from, they limit their taste to only a few shoes. Men hardy experiment with new shoe designs. What men wear for office, the same foot wear will be found on their shoes after office. Some men can’t wear anything except sneakers.

Choice for the type of shoes is dependent on the type of pants. Socks don’t have to match the shoes. Socks can be a complement to the tie. The belt can be matching with the shoe color. With jeans try sandals, loafers, sneakers, boots, lug soles, etc. The foot wear can complement the top worn on the jeans. For casual pants such as dockers, khakis or chinos, you can wear loafers and oxford shoes. For dress pants, the color of shoe needs to be the same as the suit. Shoes need to be darker than the pants to a lesser degree. Black shoes work great with grey, black and navy pants. Brown shoes go great with green, brown and beige colored pants. Tan shoes go great with blue, beige, and earth tones.

Filed Under: Latest Trends, Shoes Tagged With: , ,

What Type of Shoes to Wear During Pregnancy

May 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A high-heeled ladies shoe. 

Image via Wikipedia

If you’ve been keeping up with your pregnancy week by week, and really paying attention (making sure you notice the little differences that are occurring), then you know that even in your third or fourth month, before you really start showing, you’re probably already having to consider which shoes you can wear.

This decision can come as a result of a number of factors. You may already be experiencing swelling of your feet. (If you are, mention it to your doctor. Early swelling can be a sign of a problem.) Or, you may have already noticed that your center of gravity has shifted or disappeared all together. Or, you may have noticed that wearing shoes that are too high make your back hurt even worse.

If the latter is the case, you may be tempted to run out and buy the flattest flats you can find. But that can be a bad move, too. As your pregnancy progresses, which you’re going to notice since you’re tracking your pregnancy week by week, you may start experiencing pain in your feet and legs from the additional weight and pressure. Surprisingly, too-flat shoes may aggravate that. You want shoes that have a good arch support in them, as this will help with some of the discomfort.

As for how high is too high, anything that threatens to throw you off-balance or poses a greater risk of making you fall is too high. You’ll have to put the stiletto heels away for a while. But, that’s all right, because you can start wearing them again not too long after you bring your new baby home.

 

 

Filed Under: Fashion, Shoes Tagged With: , ,

How to Host a Runway Fashion Show

May 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Hosting a runway fashion show for teens or for your favorite charity can be both a worthwhile cause and one that can boost the fragile self-esteem of teens. The following are the steps required to host a fashion show.

First, consider your location. You need to have plenty of room for both the models to prepare as well as to walk the runway. There should be a separate private space so that the models can dress, and plenty of room for the guests to sit.

The runway itself doesn’t need to be fancy. You can rent a collapsible runway from a local rental company, or even just roll out some red carpet. The idea is that you have a specific central location for the models to strut their stuff and the latest jeans.

Rent or borrow spotlights and aim them at the runway to illuminate the models. Provide sufficient lighting to not only create a dramatic scene but also to provide safety for the guests and models.

Canvass the local high school or spread the word through the neighborhood to recruit models. You can have the models choose clothing from their own wardrobes or ask local clothing stores for the loan of clothes and jeans in exchange for free advertising.

Marketing is the key to just about any endeavor. Print up flyers to distribute, advertise in the local paper and spread the word through church networks. If you charge a nominal fee at the door to give to charity, you’ll find that you get a great turnout.

Most importantly, have fun. Arranging a fashion show should be fun and a great learning process for all those involved.

Filed Under: Shopping

Shoes Built to Hurt

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Some shoes are just not made for any woman to wear. They crush your toes together or set your feet at an unreal angle or provide no arch support.

Pointy toes boots, heels or shoes tend to come to a point at the toe and the problem comes when the shoe tries to do this too quickly and pushes your other toes into your foot. Your toes, all of them, need to be able to move around and breathe in your shoes. Shove them against each other and you have the potential for pain and discomfort.

Stiletto high heels can look awesome on women but the small heel print of the stiletto on the ground makes for danger waiting to happen. One moment of not paying attention to the ground around her and she can place her heel in the wrong location and the heel will slip sideways and pop goes the ankle. Doctors have warned against stiletto high heels for years and women continue to be injured.

The shoe that hurts the most women’s feet is the simple flip-flop. It was designed for short trips to the beach or the pool and still works well that those purposes. The problem is that women like to wear them everywhere and they give no support and no protection to the feet.

Do not wear flip-flops to run or jump. They offer no protection and often come off, thus throwing off the stride of the wearer. Shoes without backs, like Crocs, also fall into this category.

For your health, wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe and have some kind of strap across the back to keep them on as you race to catch that train.

Filed Under: Shoes Tagged With: , ,

Happy, Healthy Feet

March 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Most people wear shoes for 8 to 15 hours a day. Ask yourself: when was the last time I had my feet measured? Our feet change shape and size as we age, just like the rest of our body. Is your waist the same as it was five years ago? It is very likely that your feet have changed as well.

Improper fitting shoes can cause many problems like your heels constantly in pain, deformed toes from being squished together, bunions and nerve damage. The feet are excellent gages of your health. Congestive heart failure can have an early warning signal sent by your swollen ankles. Diabetes can be indicated by feet that are insensitive to pain and to changing temperatures. A chronic respiratory disease can be indicated if you have clubbed toe nails.

Often knee problems are related to problems with shoes that are improperly worn. Purchase shoes that are the right size. Often one foot is larger than the other. Buy for the larger foot as most stores will not allow you to buy two different sized shoes.

Go shoe shopping later in the day when your feet are likely to be more swollen. Allow 3/8” to 1/2” from the end of your toes to the tip of the shoe when you are standing up. Expecting a pair of shoes to stretch to fit your feet is asking for pain. Would you hit your feet with a hammer every day? Of course not, so don’t force your feet into a tight environment.

Purchasing the right shoes for your feet can help you to feel great in many ways. So kick up your heels and enjoy life in the right shoes for you.

Filed Under: General, Shoes Tagged With: , ,
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