February 22, 2012

What Type of Shoes to Wear with Your Costume

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.

Shoes – An Inevitable Part Of Dressing

Shoes in shoe covers

Image via Wikipedia

When clothes and dress fashion developed through the years, foot wear also was an important part of common dressing. Clothes helped in protecting the body and skin of human, whereas shoe has the role of protecting our foot from sharp stones, thorns, cold and heat. It forms a barrier between the soft skin under our feet and the rough surface of the earth. Men have always progressed by observing the surroundings, learning from the different experiences in life, be it good or bad.

The most common material used for making shoes is leather. But now, with the innovation of new types of footwear that suits several occasions like fashion wear, sports and during adventures like hiking, trekking, etc. other materials started coming into foot wear manufacture like plastics, rubber and synthetic cloth. It is an interesting fact that due to the extensive use of shoes that fit our feet, the shape and size of bones of human toe started varying. Actually, tight foot wear led to toes becoming long and pointed, sometimes to absurd proportions.

The types and styles of shoes that is worn, differed with place, climate, gender, social status, profession or activity, just like clothes. Along with fashion of cloth, designing of new shoes also gained grandness. A shoe has a sole (insole, midsole and outsole), which is the lower part where our whole feet rests, a heel which is lower part that gives support to the heel of our foot,  vamp- the upper part that helps in holding our feet to the shoes.

Earlier, most of the population around the world did not use shoes mainly because they could not afford it. And now it is not an irony when we say everyone uses at least a sandal even at home, starting from a one year old who just started walking!

Get Clothing That Fits You Properly and You’ll Feel More Comfortable

Sami shoe.
Image via Wikipedia

When it comes to finding the right clothing, you don’t want something that looks pretty but doesn’t fit well. It’s much better to find clothing that’s designed to fit you – instead of the other way around. With Apple Bottoms, that’s what you’ll get. They have great jeans, but they also have boots and shoes that are comfortable and classy. If you haven’t seen their clothing lines, it’s time that you took a good look at what they have to offer. It’s no fun to cram yourself into clothes that don’t fit you well and that you won’t care for. When you want to look good, you should also be able to feel good. Finding clothes that give you both is great.

Especially if you walk around all day or you have a job where you’re on your feet a lot, it’s important that you purchase the kind of shoes and boots that are going to fit your feet and their natural curves and contours. Too many shoe makers produce things that women are expected to stuff themselves into, instead of offering them options that they can enjoy and be comfortable in. What good are great looking shoes if they make your feet hurt after just a few minutes? You can’t look your best and have a great time if it hurts to walk around. Don’t sit things out when others are having fun.

Also, keep in mind that it’s not just footwear that should feel good. If the clothing that you’re putting on your body doesn’t fit your curves, you should find some that does. That’s part of the reason that Apple Bottoms are so popular – they fit you, instead of you having to try to fit into them. Enjoy the comfort that they give you, and now that you can look good and feel good at the same time. It’s hard to get more from clothing than that.

Shoe Gift Ideas

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - DECEMBER 22:   Ramazan Bayd...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Shoe lovers love shoes!  Shoes are not a good choice to buy as they need to be fitted to be comfortable but there are numerous novelty gift ideas to give the shoe lover.  Gifts can be classified into three main groups, practical, whimsical and elegant.

Practical ideas include gift certificates, calenders and books featuring shoe themes and key chains with shoe charms.   There are purses in shoe shapes and scarves or sweaters with shoe designs printed on them. Practical ideas are good because they have a useful function as well as catering to the zany charm of shoes.

Whimsical ideas cover the novelty range.  Almost anything goes here and if the gift is meant as a token or intended for the collector, then this is a great way to go.  From collectable miniature shoes to gourmet chocolates in shoe designs,  these cute little  replicas will find a home in any shoe lover’s  heart.  Consider cell phone charms or even a phone in a shoe shape. Jewelry boxes and jewel stands are a firm favorite.

Finally there are the elegant choice of shoe gifts.  These are for those who want to buy something of value and with a more sentimental and lasting flair.  Jewelry with shoe themes are very popular such as the Roberto Coin designer collection featuring a number of different shoes on a necklace.  More pricey than novelty gifts they have the classic style and endurance that will stand the test of time.

No matter what you budget or the reason for the gift, you can always find an appropriate gift in a shoe theme.  They can be both fun and practical at the same time or just amusing novelties.  Whatever the occasion, there is a shoe gift idea to match it.

Tips For Prom Shoes

A typical gathering, with boys in tuxedos, and...
Image via Wikipedia

Choosing a dress for a prom is never easy. Be it choosing for yourself or your daughter or even your granddaughter. It is like a puzzle which can only be solved after about a few hundred dress try outs where only the last dress is the perfect one. But you can make the part of choosing a pair of shoes easier by following these rules that will help you make the right decision and avoid a fashion faux.

For a prom dress the dress, nails, make-up, hair, all need to be perfect. And the shoes need to complement them all. A wrong pair of shoes can ruin the rest of the things, no matter how perfect they are. Without a decent pair of matching shoes, the entire preparation is not just worth it. What you need to prioritize while looking a pair of decent shoe is “YOU”. Rather than going for the ongoing fashion and style statement, you need to look for what looks best on you. Trends and fashion keep coming and going, what stays timeless is “YOU”. Trends although are widely acceptable, they do not mean they suit you perfectly. First thing when choosing a shoe no matter what kind, is for it to be of your feet size. Do not try to squeeze a 7 in a 4 or vice versa. You do not want to fall on your face trying to balance in those uncomfortable shoes and ruin your entire evening. If your dress ends till your feet, you can go for formal shoes, no will notice. You need to make a statement with an ideal pair of shoes that add to your appearance without taking anything from it. Everyone comes to a prom with the intention of judging. So with your shoes and dress, you can show what you stand for.