High Heels Hurt Feet: How to Avoid Shoe Pain August 13, 2013

I am a self professed shoe lover. Especially when it comes to heels, my knees go weak. (that rhymed!!)

However, I try and mix up my heel heights all the time. This is primarily because wearing shoes of only one height often damage your feet.

We all have heard about the impact of high heels on your feet. I mean, there are women across the world submitting to surgery because of the ill effects of high heels on their feet. The only exception is Russian women. I dont know how they do it, but I have not heard of Russian Women undergoing foot surgery due to their awesome yet continuous wear of high heels. Look at them! They hold an Annual Stilletto Race! They are just…Awesome!

For everyone else, going with only one heel height (especially ‘high’) means long term damage to your tendons and bones.

More recently Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie Bradshaw) from Sex and the City fame proclaimed her foot injury due to high heels worn over years:

“For ten or so years, I literally ran in heels,” the star admits to Net-a-Porter’s digital fashion magazine. “I worked 18-hour days and never took them off. I wore beautiful shoes, some better made than others, and never complained.”

I can totally understand and envy that. But then, after years of wearing beautiful high heels, this is what she says:

“I went to a foot doctor and he said, ‘Your foot does things it shouldn’t be able to do. That bone there… You’ve created that bone. It doesn’t belong there.’ The moral of the story is, the chickens are coming home to roost. It’s sad, because my feet took me all over the world, but eventually they were like, ‘You know what, we are really tired, can you just stop – and don’t put cheap shoes on us?’”

Of course, do NOT wear cheap ill made shoes, but being in India I have seen some very good brands make shoes that may not be compatible with your feet.

 

Rule #1: BUY COMFORTABLE SHOES: Do not buy shoes that feel wobbly when you are still in the showroom. They may look pretty, but really, wearing shoes that are not stable doesn’t make sense. Everyone has a different center of gravity. Just try walking in your pair, they should not wobble and the shoe heel should come at the correct point beneath your actual foot heel to make you feel comfortable. The toe of the shoe should not pinch.

Don’t Wear Wobbly Shoes

Rule #2: BUY DIFFERENT TYPE OF SHOES: Many women I see are comfortable with a certain ‘type’ of shoe. Wedges, stilettos, flats, ballerinas. I would say that mix up the type you own. Especially keep two varieties for daily wear. Even a wedge and a stiletto mixed over a week is good enough. Just make it different, there is a huge world of choice out there!

Wear Different Type of Shoes

Rule #3: CHANGE YOUR HEEL HEIGHT: This may not be everyday, but on weekends wear sneakers, or ballerinas. This helps tremendously in exercising all aspects of your leg and toe, and not allowing your foot to get into trouble because any one part feels continual strain.

Very Heel Height over a Week

Rule #4: WALK BAREFOOT: Whenever possible, give your feet a rest! Walk barefoot, preferably on grass, sand or mud. There is nothing quite as relaxing for your feet! (And it really relaxes and benefits all your muscles)

Walk Barefoot on Grass

That’s it! Just try following these four simple rules, and you will be spared of the most painful, long term impacts of your high heels.

Related articles

• Strappy Black Sandals – my go-to party shoes! (indiashoes.wordpress.com)
• Don’t Go Back for that Slipper (thefashionfoot.com)
• High Heels and Foot Pain (bullrunfootclinicblog.wordpress.com)
• What high heels may be doing to your feet (myfox8.com)
• Starlettos Launches Wynbox Facebook Campaign in Time for Spring Racing… (prweb.com)

Strappy Black Sandals – my go-to party shoes! August 10, 2013

It is always nice to wear heels. However, with driving for more than 3 hours a day and incessant rains, it has been a chore to wear shoes that need buckling at the ankles, or have heels that can slip on wet streets.

The other day when we went out for dinner with family, I thought it was the perfect time to bring out my strappy black heels. Hubby was driving, and we were going to a restaurant which meant – no walking through rainy puddles!

They take me about four inches further away from the ground, and make me feel oh-so-happy. There is something about a delicate pencil heel that can make your back straighter, your stride longer and your smile wider. 🙂

Strappy Black High heeled Sandal

I bought this pair a while ago from Catwalk, and considering the delicate nature of Catwalk shoes, have worn them sporadically.

The black colour ensures it matches most clothes, especially skinny jeans – the silhouette it provides is very sleek. There should be one such shoe in every girls wardrobe. A staple which can be worn with almost any colour, can match almost any occasion, and is feminine.

The criss-cross pattern of the straps makes this very feminine, and the gold/metallic loops on the side save it from being too black.

The material is a soft suede, with bits of elastic near the ankle which helps me slip on the shoe fast despite its steep angle due to the heel and the many straps.

This design per se is pretty standard, but there is a specific pair made for every girl out there. This is mine.

The shoe is super comfortable notwithstanding the pencil heel. It is very well balanced, and the straps hold my feet in place perfectly. There is an ankle buckle, which is a little difficult to tie by oneself. The buckle is a small delicate thing, and the strap is as wide as the buckle. This makes it a little difficult to put it through the buckle keyhole, especially for someone with long fingernails. In my opinion they could have put a simple faux buckle, but then this is a small point, and probably makes the shoe more stable.

Strappy high heeled black sandal with open buckle

All said and done, they are a definite plus to my shoe wardrobe, and a very comfortable pair!

Related articles

• LUX Style: 10 Statement Sandals (ladylux.com)
• Ankle Strap Heels (sheerembellished.wordpress.com)

Charles & Keith – Awful Service: Update! July 19, 2013

So, I ranted about Charles & Keith and their service in Mumbai. Eventually, after multiple emails, I finally got a response from their Singapore counterpart, who then directed my mails to their Indian person.

The Indian marketing lady was gracious enough – but a little too late in the day.

My shoe was lost! In the C&K service blackhole. It went for a heel tip repair and was never, ever seen by me again. Sinff! sniff!

In lieu they gave me coupons for use (only in India) of the same value as the shoe. Well, I went and got myself another pair.

Thats all that I could do, but I never got another black and copper pair that can match with silver or gold embellished outfits 😦

 

So that’s that. My resolve? I will never, ever send a shoe back to C&K for repair.

My Tryst with Red Shoes: at Work & Elsewhere April 24, 2010

“I really like your shoes. And you. I admire people who can wear red shoes I think they are very difficult to carry off“

My colleagues comment left me speechless. A little flattered, but surprised as well. You see, shoes are the one thing that really don’t need confidence. They are just…worn.

Porphyra - A Beautiful Red Algea

I love the colour red, like almost all Indians. However, though keep few reds in my cupboard, I wear them with caution, and not usually to work. With shoes, it is a different matter altogether.

I have always had a pair of red shoes in my cupboard. Ever since I can remember, I have liked to pick up red shoes. Its a pity I did not take photographs of my shoes before this, else I could have given a nice series of photographs – vintage, really – of my ‘Red Shoes Through the Ages’ or some such thing.

They started off more as fun in college, and now I have these that I wear to office.

At the moment though,  I have two pairs, one rather dull red, and the other a shiny patent red. I am a little particular about the shade of red when I choose the shoes. I sincerely believe that red is a beautiful colour. However, it can look so very awful if the shade of red selected is

a) not suitable to the skin (warm shades and cool shades) or

b) not suitable to the occasion

Once I had red flats, with red sequins holding down the toes. They added zing to my dull blue jeans for a casual evening out with friends. I however, could not imagine wearing them to office.

Red Leather Peep Toes

To start with, are my red leather peep-toes. The design of these shoes are not exactly subtle, but the colour and the overall make of them, thanks to the leather, the stitching, etc., makes them my favorite for office wear.

They are not exactly from a fancy shop, but something I saw and was love at first sight. The toes are covered quite well, and the ‘peep’ is just enough to show a hint of nailpolish. And it covers the feet quite well from all angles. The leather scrunches up as it ends near the foot, to give a nice feminine ruffled look.

The heels are around 2 inches, comfortable and of  dark wood-like substance.

I wear this pair pretty often with either dull coloured skirts, or with a black and white outfit.

It brings in a splash of coliur to the black and white, without drawing attention to itself.

The leather itself is patchy in shades, and that brings its own angle into the shoes.

Red Shoes in Office

They go pretty well with jeans as well. The heel height helps in cigarette leg jeans, and the red colour adds to the glam look of the outfit.

However, I still like to reserve it for office wear. It is the bit of daring in formal wear which can make a day brighter.

The next pair of red shoes – and I must confess, I recently got them from Singapore – are anything but subtle. In design they are as formal as can be, but they are a bright red, made of patent leather-like material, shining and definitely drawing attention to themselves.

Shiny Red Shoes

I got these shoes from a URS & Inc shop, and they fit like a dream – and I simply could not resist the sassy red.

The design, as you can see, is a very staid moccasin look-alike, with a bit of steel buckle for show. But the red is tomato, yet in certain light looks maroonish.

From Office in Patent Red Shoes

The heel is pure wood, and gives a nice hollow ring when walking on solid stone floors (marble or granite), which is nice to hear in its own way.

The sole is well cushioned, and in short, wearing this pair is a joy unto itself – and most of it is due to the colour!

So I pair this with my dullest trousers (photo above: shirt: Fab India, Trousers: G2000, Dirty room with tangled computer wires: mine!) The design of this pair of shoes is good for trousers, I dont think I will wear this with skirts, or even Salwar Kameezes.

In trousers as well, because of its shiny nature, it does not go very well with pure black, and thus I reserve it for camel, beige and brown trousers. It then adds an interesting aspect to the complete look, especially when sitting down – as then the shoes become really visible.

My suggestion – on a Monday, when you have the Blues, there is nothing likea pair of Red Shoes to chase them away.

Try it, the next time in office. But do take care that the shade suits your feet, and complements your clothes. Red shoes need to be worn with care, and you dont want people pointing at your feet because the colour is so garish and bright, it robs the shoe and the wearer from any style quotient!

The colour red is known for its energy, its sanctity (in India and China) and its power. Feel free to dip into this reservoir and make a bleak work day some fun!

(Photograph courtesy Flickr)

My Gladiators and Singapore March 26, 2010

After a lot of deliberation and cancellations, a last minute plan landed me in Singapore. Due to the last minute nature of the trip, which involved a couple of days in office, I took with me shoes for office (heels), my sports shoes and a pair of gladiators for miscellaneous wear.

Singapore is one of those city(-states) that believe in dressing well. All you see around you are well dressed people. Really well dressed.

In their midst wearing sports shoes was not the best choice. But then I was the tourist. So I persisted. My faithful pair helped me through the day of walking around the famous Sentosa beach island-bit of the city-state/country.

But. (and its a very large but) Singapore weather is slightly worse than that of Mumbai (check out the humidity levels on that link!). At least it was while I was there. Sweating in sports shoes are not the best thing. So by evening when I took off my shoes in the late evening, I found my poor foot abused.

From that day on I wore only my breathy gladiators out of doors. Was I glad I had taken them along!

The beauty of gladiators, like Ive mentioned earlier is, they can be teemed with most things. So my uniform for the trip became skirts and gladiators

The shoes were comfortable for long walks. Flat, they did not strain any undue muscles of my legs. Also, the multiple straps held the foot firmly in place ensuring my foot never slipped.

At the same time, the thin strips left enough place for my foot to breathe. The sole was also thin enough that my foot-sole could be comfortable.

The gladiators I have now are black, with faux stitch marks on each strap giving the impression its made of leather. It is however, not leather.

They are a comfortable height upto my ankles, and therefore can match with most clothes, irrespective of the height.

There are a lot of colours to choose from, but I took a basic black since it can match with almost any coloured clothes. I even wore it with a pink dress. My last pair of gladiators were pure leather, of skin tone. That is another colour which looks good but then it does not dramatise its presence.

The heel is slightly supported, so it is not absolutely flat. This really helped since I did a lot of walking around. Perfectly flat shoes can strain the foot and make one tired easily.

All in all, I say, when you are traveling, carry a pair of gladiator sandals. They do not occupy much space, are lighter than most other shoes and are rather versatile while being comfortable!

Take Care of Those Shoes! January 27, 2010

Recently a commenter, Ketan Vyas, mentioned how important it is not just to own shoes, but also to take care of them. I promised him a post on the same. And here it is!

Till a few years ago, the life of a shoe owned by me was rather short. It was not that I did not look after them, but rather more about how I wore them and walked in them. I did not treat them well, twisting them out of shape when bored. Now, of course, I am more careful.

But that did not mean my shoes were bad to look at. They just tore early because of the friction they faced. I have always maintained that Cracked, Dusty shoes look horrible. Shabby, even. That does not mean you need to take out the shoe polish and spend an hour on those precious leathers every day. Just take care of them!

There are a few simple rules that make it easier to look after your precious shoes – and feet. And no, they are not all about cleaning and polishing and shining those shoes. Some are very simple, doable activities, especially in a dusty country like India. Here is my tuppence on what you can do to increase the life of your shoes.

#1 Watch where you walk

I am the few disreputable ones who does not polish their black shoes everytime I wear them. But then, most times I dont need to. Its simple. I try and watch where I walk. Avoid puddles, roads dug up, definitely avoid cattle. The thing that I find difficult to avoid are the roads in India where the pavement is lose and there will be a sudden crater of dust – just that point where you need to step on to and enter that car/taxi/bus/shop. So you go on to next rule.

#2 If you must, walk lightly

Try not to walk with a full step and weight onto delightless items as those mentioned above. So, it rained. So, there are puddles. That does not mean one need wade over them. You can lightly jump over them to dry ground, or lightly walk to avoid the water splashing on top and spoiling more than need be.

#3 Store them well

And I cannot stress this one enough.

#3 a) A lot of dust on shoes is from shoes themselves. Keep a shoe on top of another, and its a sure fire way of ensuring dust on your pair. All the mud the sole of your shoe accumulated is now being deposited on the top of the other. So, DONT store them on top of each other.

#3 b) The other advantage of not storing them as a tower is, the shoes maintain their shape. They dont get squashed from top, lose their creases at the sides or need extra effort wearing. Good shoes dont need to be coaxed into your feet.

Keep each pair in rows, next to each other. Boots need to be kept horizontally if they are of a soft material since then they may crumple down. If the boots are of hard leather, you can keep them standing. If you have the plastic shoe-shapers, keep them inside the shoe – they will maintain the shape of the foot for the boot.

#3 c) Another source of dust on shoes is your own home. In India, dust is everywhere. Keep your shoes covered as far as possible, unless you are wearing them daily. I use a shoe closet, and for those that dont fit in, I keep the shoe boxes. The special shoes worn once in a while are in boxes which I open to take them out. This ensures that not only do they not rest on each other, but also dont accumulate dust from all over the place and look pretty.

#4 Clean shoes with dry dusting

Once in a while, while wearing the shoes, dry dust them with a brush or a soft cloth. You may not have time to polish, but even this one moment rub down of your shoe keeps the shine alive and dust away.

#5 Really Clean them

This I cannot stress enough. Once in a while, take out all your shoes. Spend a Sunday on shoes if need be. Inspect them and in case of any part that needs to be repaired, keep it aside to get it repaired. Clean the shoes with a dry duster, then polish them with a shoe polish, and then neatly rearrange their shape if they have for some reason got misshapen. For suede shoes, keep a different brush to take care of the hair/wool that can stick to them. Check the heel tips, the toes for friction marks, polish these regions as well. If the shoe has an insole that is wearing out yet the shoe itself is fine, you might want to either get rid of it or invest in a shoe insole which you can use with multiple shoes. Dr. Scholls makes them well, with many varieties – and some especially for women. Gladiators too need to be brushed and cleaned. Polish the straps, especially if they are leather. Chappals, especially Kolhapuri leather chappals also need their fair share of polish. Sports shoes also need care. Wash them regularly!

Then keep the shoes back.

This not only ensures that your shoes are well cared for,  but also makes you suddenly realise the contents of your closet. Old shoes emerge, new shoes get identified, sometimes missing pairs are found and sometimes you will realise there are shoes that can be thrown away.

A last note: many women dont wear socks. Its fine as far as women’s shoes go, but if you are wearing closed, laced up shoes of any kind, you might want to invest in socks for the well being of your feet. Even otherwise, peds, ankle length socks or stockings can be of help for the strappy shoes and saving you from undue shoe strain or even slipping them on easily.

So go ahead, spend a day with your shoes, and remember, the real secret to maintaining any of your shoes are a little regular care!

My Shoots – the black shoe boots January 21, 2010

It has been a long time since I wrote anything – shame on me! So 2010 started and the first 20 days are already over as well. And what do I have to show for it? Nothing but a pair of shoots that I took out after a long time. It being winter. So here are the shoes that I wrote about last time.

Nice, arent they? Pretty comfortable to boot (pun intended hehe)

I though my last post did not have enough shoots photographs on them. So here are a few of the pair I talked about.

This pair is from Catwalk, made of faux leather and velvet lining. Regular wax polishing helps its shine, wearing a pair of socks makes it easier for feet to breathe and to slide the shoe on and off.

Trust me. Get a good pair of shoots and you will be able to wear them not only in winters, but whenever you wish. They are easy to wear, comfortable, stylish and go with almost any outfit.

Get something with lesser heels if that suits you. This is perfect for a night out, to party, an evening out with friends or just lunch.

Shoots are the best choice for round the year boot lovers. Get a pair!

(I’ll show you my denim boots one day, but before that I promise a nice juicy post! Thanks to you readers I have a few ideas brewing)

Small and Sweet Kitten Heels September 17, 2008

“My foot’s hurt real bad.” Was my colleague rant as she hobbled down the road wearing flat chappals on Monday.
Yesterday I saw her sporting her latest chic black kitten heels. Duly admiring the asset I ask her about her foot.
“Oh its still hurting, though better than yesterday.”
“What about the heels?” I ask.
“Well, I wanted to wear nice shoes.” *Grin!*

And that, people sums up the beauty of affairs with shoes. She was in pain, but the pain diminished – by her causing more pain to herself. Idiotic? Not to her.

To most women, nothing can prep you up like a pair of shoes can – even though its something most people wont notice. You don’t need to have a substance abuse problem with shoes (ala Carrie Bradshaw), but you sure can keep yourself well stocked.

When you don’t want to wear flats, but want something to give you that slight elevation, kitten heels are the best. As the name implies they are not full blown heels, but are sweet and small like kittens. They work very well in office and out. Functional, while giving you a chic look for the fashion element.

Tiny heels with lovely designs, they elevate your foot just enough to give the impression of heels, yet are short and stable enough to be comfortable for all-day wear.

Unlike the ugy block heels of the past, kitten heels combine the svelte look of a stilletto, while curtailing it at a few millimeters. They look just amazing with full skirts. Better than the ballerina shoes or the old variety that women wore in 80s.

As with any heeled shoe the Kitten comes in a variety of toe types and designs but can wear the incongruous colours like pink really really well.

And, if like my colleague who hurt her foot and dint want to repeat her flat chappals, you want something fashionable to prep you up, I would suggest a nice kitten heel in your shoe cupboard for just these occasions.
Kitten Heels, finally, are the answer to the ugly square heeled, but oh-so-comfortable slingbacks your mother wore.

Love of Shoes and Indian Women August 20, 2008

High Red Heels

Shoes. No matter what women say, they love shoes. Women are judged and loved or despised, characterized and compartmentalized on the basis of what they are wearing on those very important organ – feet.

Everyone loves a pair of shoes that makes her look nice. Oh yes, men like shoes too – but not in the in-depth manner that women do. Men just… like them. They like heels when they want a woman to look sexy and they like sports shoes when they know they are going for a walk.

But women. Uh-uh. They know the real worth of what that women in the corner of the room ha on her feet. Frayed or not, shoes form an eternal part of every modern woman’s life.

No matter what they say.

No matter what men think, women really, really dress up for the sake of the other women they meet. And when they wear some shoes, it is to ensure their impression on the other lady out there, is a correct one. Of course, once in a while they would like to wear what their man likes – if that is, he likes something worth wearing.

And so, they buy shoes. For different occasions, dresses, of different colours, designs. And the shoe industry grows.

Indian woman have had a long time coming to this freedom to splurge on shoes. Gone are the days when the local Mochi would make a copy-cat design for you from an old magazine, for which you would wait weeks. Gone are the times that Bata ruled the roost and anything else was expensive and not so nice.

Today, any mall worth its calling would have at least a couple of high-end international shoe brands with flats, open toes, kitten heels and the very fuck-me, high heels.
Oh, so you dont know what kitten heels are? Or, for that matter that ‘fuck me’ shoes exist?
Well, allow me to enlighten you. For this is all that I intend to do – talk about shoes.