Posts Tagged: shoes

Try these quick fixes to make shoes fit (and feel) better

By IN Less Frantic Mondays

Foot Petals - Tip Toes 6-Pair Pack Combo (Combo And Safari) - Accessories

Have you ever bought a pair of shoes that felt fine when you tried them on in the store, but discovered that they weren’t quite comfortable–after you’d worn them and could no longer return them?

Less Frantic Mondays: Tips and tricks for getting dressed and creating working mom outfits with less hassle and more fun.Don’t give up yet! Before you toss them in the giveaway pile, try these quick fixes to make uncomfortable or loose shoes fit and feel better:

  • Moleskin. If your shoes are rubbing against part of your foot, try easing the spot with moleskin, found in any drugstore. Moleskin is a soft felt-like material on one side, and super sticky tape on the other.
  • Heel inserts. If your heels are sliding up out of the back of your shoe, make the fit a little tighter with a heel grip. (These helped me keep a pair of pumps that seemed OK when I bought them, but started slipping off my foot once I really walked in them.)
  • Insoles. If your shoes aren’t comfortable to walk in after a few hours, try slip-in insoles with padding or arch supports. They can extend the wearability of many types of shoes.
  • Ball of foot pads. If you find that your feet slide forward with every step you take in a pair of heels, stop the slipping (and reduce the friction on the ball of your foot) with pads that stick on at the front of the shoe, like the TipToes cushions from Foot Petals (above).

Where to get them: You can find these products online or in any drugstore, and often in shoe stores, too (I’ve seen them at Payless and DSW).

  • Fab mamas: How do you keep your feet happy?

Get fabulous. Be fabulous. Declare your right to discover and manifest your personal style with the Fab Mama Style Manifesto.

[Affiliate links disclosure]

More Fabulous Fridays: Carry your commuter shoes in style

By IN More Fabulous Fridays

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BhKX-kjd-A

More Fabulous Fridays: Wrap up your work week with a style treatThose of us who are fortunate to live in cities with public transportation systems that allow us to ride, not drive, into work have a dilemma that car commuters don’t. Call it the Two Pairs Problem.

Because there is a fair amount of walking involved in getting to and from the bus or subway (or Metro, as we DC dwellers like to call it), the shoes we wear to work aren’t necessarily the ones we wear on the commute.

The dilemma: Since you’re only wearing one pair of shoes at a time, what to do with the other pair?

Usually the answer is “schlep them around in a tote bag.” Practical, yes, but not always so sightly. That’s what intrigued me about the solSak, a new line of handbags created by a local designer here in the DC area, Georgina Agyekum.

She conceived of the solSaks–handmade Italian leather bags that cleverly conceal compartments to slip your shoes away when you take them off–while on her own daily commute. Launched last month, Gallery Place Designs was born.

(And I’ll have to admit, I’m a little bit in awe. The only thing I do on my daily commute is listen to podcasts or read ebooks!)

Fellow queens of public transport: How do you tote your shoes to and fro?

How to choose the right shoe to wear with a dress

By IN Advice, Style Q&A

Choose the right shoe for a dress

Reader Marni writes to ask, “I never know exactly which shoes to wear with a dress. How do I know what will look the best?”

Great question! I sometimes have this same dilemma myself, so it’s a great opportunity to refresh both of us on some of the guidelines.

(And–as is true of the Pirate Code–they’re really just guidelines. A true fashionista knows how to break every rule in style!)

So here are some tips for choosing the right shoe to wear with a dress.

  • Style. Let the style of the dress be your first guide. Is it a summery, spaghetti-strapped sundress? Then don’t wear thick, chunky shoes. Is it a sleek little cocktail dress? Then a cotton espadrille won’t work.
  • Season. Match the season of the dress to the shoe. Lightweight spring dress + sandals = yes. Lightweight spring dress + fur-lined boots = no.
  • Color. This one can be a bit tricky. You can never go wrong wearing black shoes with a black outfit, but any other color can veer into bridesmaid matchy matchy territory if you’re not careful. This is where the nude pump trend is especially helpful. Or try a bright complementary color, like yellow with navy or red with neutrals.
  • Occasion. Where are you going to be wearing the dress? The same black dress might call for a pair of pumps in the office and strappy sandals for an evening out.

Now for the rule-breaking: try several pairs on and see what works. That lightweight spring dress might actually look boho chic with the right pair of boots. Flats might look great with a dress you assumed would demand pumps.

Look around for ideas, too. Fashion editors make very conscious choices of the shoes they pair with dresses in magazine spreads. Outfit posts on style blogs or found in Pinterest can give you inspiration.

And if nothing in your closet works with that new dress you just bought? You now have a golden excuse to go shoe shopping!

What to buy

Marc New York safari dress
$72 - bluefly.com

J Crew Elinor dress
$148 - jcrew.com

Oasis bow back dress
$82, sale - asos.com

Stuart Weitzman Littleneck boots
(no longer available)

Tommy Hilfiger Tutti flip flops
(no longer available)



[Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links.]

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Summer wedge shoes: 9 cute, affordable and walkable options

By IN Fashion

Walkable wedge sandals for summer 2011

 

My summer shoe wardrobe tends to be exclusively devoted to sandals, and the flip-floppier, the better. (Or their more work-appropriate cousins, thong sandals.)

But sometimes I want a summer shoe that’s a little more substantial, and a bit higher in the heel, while remaining foot-friendly. Enter the wedge!

Because the bottom of the sole is still a single piece of material, wedges are more stable than a standard heel in the same height. If you keep that height to a couple of inches or less, you can easily walk to work in the morning without limping home in the evening.

Look for soles that are cork, rope or fiber; these materials just say “summer,” don’t they? Upper construction can range from a very sandal-like thong to a more foot-enclosing espadrille style, but anything made from brights or cottons will take you from the office to the pool in a breeze.

I’m eyeing those adorable Sperry Santa Rosa wedges.

What are your favorites?

Summer wedge shoes shopping list

Here’s where to get these cute, walkable shoes. (Some links are affiliate links.)

 

 

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Friend Friday: It’s all about the shoes, shoes, shoes!

By IN Fashion, Fashion Beauty Friend Fridays

Manolo Blahnik leopard printed mary jane pumps

Oh yes, some day you will be mine.

This week I’m joining the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday club and the timing couldn’t be better because this week’s subject is one of my all time favorites: shoes, darling, shoes.

1.What is your go-to pair of shoes?

Go-to pair? More like go-to pairs!

In the summer, I love my Kate Spade leather thong sandals with ring accent joining the straps. The leather is in a slightly shimmery metallic color that goes with everything and the embellishment of the metal ring makes them look luxurious. They’re like the most chic flip flops ever.

Any time it’s warm, I cannot be separated from my black suede Puma flats. Most flats, alas, rub my feet when I try to wear them without socks; not these. Unfortunately, I don’t think they make the style any more. If only I’d known how much I’d wear them, I would’ve gotten a second pair. (They’re a lot like the PUMA Women’s Saba Suede Ballet Flatso maybe I’ll have to order them to see if they’ll make a good backup pair.)

In cooler and wet weather, I live in an offbeat pair of DKNY boots I bought over 10 years ago on a whim at the Saks Off Fifth outlet store. They’re ankle boots made out of grey vinyl, almost like the material backpacks are constructed from, and the lining is the same material in a pumpkin orange. They sound strange but they look cute on, they’re super practical in the rain and they’re insanely comfortable. I’ve had the soles re-glued once already and, like the Pumas, I’ll cry if they ever wear out.

And in the depths of winter, I wear my North Face Janeyboots practically every day. They’re warm, cute and waterproof. I’ve even worn them in 2 feet of snow. What more can you ask from a winter boot?

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions?

I have three main criteria: are they a good value, do they add something to my shoe wardrobe and do they feel good on my feet?

Value: If they’re a super trendy style I’m only going to wear a this season and never again, I want to find them in the lowest price possible. If they’re a wardrobe piece I intend to wear for years to come, I’m willing to spend more on a better brand.

Wardrobe: Are they filling in a missing spot in my shoe closet? That is, if I have only black mules for the spring and fall then I will look for a pair in brown or another neutral–but I wouldn’t buy a second pair of black. Right now I’m looking for a pair of cute wedges as well as peep-toe pumps because I don’t have any shoes in either of these styles.

Comfort: I used to put up with uncomfortable shoes in my carefree youth. Not any more. Maybe I’ve got wacky feet, but there are too many places where shoes can rub my toes or heel so a pair has really got to fit right before I can buy it. For this reason, I’m on an eternal search for the perfect pair of little black flats that I can wear without socks or hosiery. I find that most leather shoes are too stiff in the heel to be worn with bare feet (hence my undying love for my Pumas).

But of course I also occasionally buy shoes for the why not? of it, especially if they’re a crazy good sale.

(more…)

Step out in style this spring: 11 pairs of kitten heels you can wear right now

By IN Advice, Fashion

Kitten Heels for Spring 2011

For their combination of classic style and walkability, nothing beats a cute pair of kitten heels. Working moms on the go can especially appreciate their ability to take you from home to office.

Here are 11 fabulous pairs of kitten heels you can wear right now.

(Price tags a little scary? Use these styles as inspiration and look for their cousins at Zappos, Bluefly, DSW or other retailers.)

Let’s dish

  • Do you like to rock some kitten heels?
  • What’s your favorite pair and where did you get them?

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Stylish, comfortable alternatives to flip flops

By IN Advice, Style Q&A

Amanda, aka Dumb Mom, of Parenting by Dummies was wondering the other day about alternatives to flip flops.

Since I can never resist an opportunity to talk about shoes, today’s Style Q&A is inspired by her post. Let’s talk about sandals that are as comfortable as flip flops, but don’t look like they belong on the beach (or, worse, in the shower at the pool).

As I’ve said before, the key is to find a sandal in the shape and style of a flip flop, but constructed in material other than rubber, preferably leather. In other words, a thong sandal. Embellishments also go a long way to making a sandal look more chic, and less cheap.

Here are a few to try:

Alternatives to flip flops

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