Too Many Shoes?

It was a beautiful afternoon. Preparing to go hang-out with friends later in the evening, I picked up one of my beauties, cleaning it while dancing to the song coming out of my music player. Then my mum burst into my room.
"Did you take one of my bags?", She asked.
"No, I didn't.", I replied.
Then she saw my sandals. "I wonder how you get to wear shoes this high. Don't they hurt?", she asked.
"No, they don't. They are actually comfortable.", I replied.
Still thinking I took her bag (am the only girl with three younger brothers. So my mum & I are the only females in the house), she started searching. Then she saw them; my must have fashion accessory - SHOES.
"My God!!! What are you doing with all these?", she asked.
"Wear them", I replied non-chalantly.
"To where?", she asked. "Out", I replied smiling. "Mummy, you see there are shoes for different occasions", I added.
"I hope you don't spend all your money on shoes", she said.
"At least I make them. So......", I said. "If only you knew...", I thought and smiled mischievously.

This is usually the conversation I have with my mum each time she sees my collection. She doesn't really understand why a young lady, like myself, should have so many foot-wears.

Really, can a lady have too many shoes?
 
 
NO, NO, NO.... A lady needs foot-wears for different occasions and outfit. She needs shoes to go to the market, to hang-out with friends, to church, work, to the beach, to the cinema, to go clubbing, to see a friend in the neighborhood,....She needs foot-wears that must go with her pair of jeans, dress, shorts, cute short skirts, etc.The truth is one gets to wear two or three foot-wears more than the others. But hey, there is no harm in owing lots of shoes and one can still get to wear them some day. There are  
                                         times  I just look at my shoe collections and I smile.

It's good to know that men, OK let me correct myself here, gentlemen...So it's good to know that gentlemen also know that there is need to invest in foot-wears and am really happy about this new development. Gone are those days that you see some men with just two or three shoes; some usually have one. But am glad, really glad that they are beginning to have more shoes & they are really taking care of them.

Some have several in different colours and shapes. They are also aware that there are formal and informal shoes. Oxford, lace-ups, etc are categorised as formal shoes. Sneakers, converse, loafers, sandals are informal foot-wears. Loafers can also be formal it all depends on the outfit and since most organisation here in Nigera 'dress down' on fridays, guys can wear them. 
 
I must say that when it comes to foot-wears, some gentlemen are competing with ladies (one of my brothers has so many shoes that he just packs them in a corner in his room because he doesn't have space for them again). 

But can they ever win or beat we ladies in this "Shoe Race"? No they can't. NEVER    : p



(all shoes are from ShoeFetish by Ronke Adeshina)

Finding the Right Shoes

The wrong shoes can cause or aggravate foot ailments. The right shoes can often prevent - but cannot correct - problems. So wearing the right shoes is vital to foot health. Follow this checklist when you buy shoes. Be sure they measure up.

SHOE CONSTRUCTION

• Leather is best because is breathes like skin and molds to your foot. But cheaper canvas is fine for fast-growing children. 
• Soles should be strong and flexible with a good gripping surface. 
• Insoles should be cushioned to absorb the jolts of walking on hard surfaces. 
• Arch supports distribute weight over a wider area. Rigid shanks also give added support. 
• High heels are fun and look good, but they should not be worn too long at a stretch or for much walking. Besides cramping the toes, they change body posture, making backaches more likely.

THE RIGHT FIT   

• Only you can tell if shoes fit. If they aren't comfortable, don't buy them! 
• Don't plan on shoes stretching with wear. If you already own shoes that are too tight, ask your shoe repair shop if they can be stretched.  
• Because feet spread with age, have your feet measured every time you buy shoes. Both feet should be measured as they are often different sizes. Always buy shoes for the BIGGEST foot.  
• Go shoe shopping late in the afternoon. Feet swell to their largest then. 
• Size depends on shoe make and style, too. Don't insist you always wear one size if the next feels better. 
• The toe box should be roomy enough so you can wiggle all your toes. 
• Your forefoot should NOT be wider than your shoe. 
• The heel should fit snugly and the instep should not gape open. 

SHOES FOR CHILDREN   

• Good shoes are especially important to avoid problems in developing feet. 
• Because shoes serve only to protect children's feet from injury, none are needed before a child walks.  
• High-topped infant shoes do not support ankles - oxfords and tennis shoes are equally good. 
• Check OFTEN to be sure shoes aren't too small. Children's feet are so flexible they can be crammed into shoes two sizes too small - and the child may not complain. 
• Don't have children wear hand-me-down shoes. They are permanently molded to the original owner's foot.

Unfortunately, most shoes today are narrower in the front than the foot is. You can check this by standing on paper and tracing around your bare foot. Compare the outline of your foot with the sole of your shoe. If your shoe appears too narrow, you may be inviting foot problems. Choose only shoes that feel comfortable - you are the best judge of that.

Our marvelous feet evolved for flexibility and strength - not to be stuffed into shoes. When people roamed the earth barefoot 4,000 years ago, foot problems were not the rule. Today, we need shoes to protect our feet from cold, injury, disease, and pounding on hard pavement. But too often we choose shoes for style rather than comfort and function.

Remember:  Good shoes are part of the good care your feet deserve.

How to Walk in Heels

I know there are some ladies that do not need to read and learn how to walk perfectly well in heels like my humble self  *batting my eyelashes and smiling*, but there are some that find it hard to take two steps in them. So for those who do not know how and want to know well this is for you. For those that can walk miles in heels, well you still need to read this and learn one or two things and maybe who knows help someone who desperately need to walk in heels.

Well ladies the first thing to know if you want to walk well in heels is to know your shoe.

 

Know Your Shoe

 

 

THE BODY: If a stiff shoe causes blisters, spritz this area with water and use your fingers to mold the softened leather to the shape of your foot or try special inserts to reduce friction.

THE BREAST: The inner arch of the heel, which affects stability. The farther forward the arch, the less you will feel off-balance.

THE SOLE: Slipping on slick floors? Pick up a pair of sole protectors or score the soles of your heels with a key to create extra traction.

THE TOE BOX: If your toes feel pinched, have this area stretched out at your local shoe repair shop.

THE INTERIOR: If you suffer from low arches, slip in supports to relieve pressure on the balls of your feet. 

 

Take It Step-by-Step

1. POSTURE: Heels pitch weight forward, so for balance, keep your head up and shoulders back. Tightening your core will offset some of the pressure on your feet.

2. STEPS: Striding in a normal heel-to-toe motion can snap a stiletto or twist an ankle. Instead take short steps, going down evenly on the ball of the foot and heel.

3. WEIGHT: As your weight shifts fully onto a foot, spread your toes in the shoe slightly; this will help to distribute the weight onto the ball of the foot.

4. HIPS: When you're feeling off-balance, you tend to stiffen up. For an easy, attractive momentum, let your hips swing in small, sideways, figure-eight motions.

 

Tone and Train Your Legs

Foot experts warn that the unnatural slope of stilettos puts unnecessary strain on feet and lower leg muscles.  Try to let your feet rest. Let them breathe. Wear flats in slippers, shoes. There are varieties to choose from. From loafers to brogues,embellished slippers and so many.

Take Time to Soothe and Repair

Refresh tired feet with a tingly foot treatment.

Knead away sore spots and stimulate blood flow to help your feet recover from a day in uncomfortable shoes. You can do this by using a Porcupine massage ball.

Slip on a pair of moisture-gel padded socks for an instant at-home spa treatment. There are different types of softening socks you can choose from.

Keep calluses and rough spots at bay with a callus stone. 

 

Here is one last tip: You love high heels, but you find them uncomfortable?
Well try on pairs with a platform of at least 1 inch, which decreases the relative heel height. Or borrow this trick: Have a repair shop add foam padding to the inner soles of your stilettos. The extra cushioning is well worth the cost.

So ladies go get those heels and start strutting in them *wink*wink*.

Ronke Adeshina: Shoe Care

Ronke Adeshina: Shoe Care

Some hints and tips on caring for shoes.

The appearance of old scuffed and worn brown leather shoes can be improved by the application of scratch polish sold for use on polished wooden furniture.
To clean suede shoes - instead of using a wire suede brush which takes off the top layer of the leather try using masking tape.
	To clean nubuck leather use a very fine sandpaper - brings it up like new.
To clean patent leather shoes rub in petroleum jelly and leave for a while to soak in. Then buff up with a soft clean cloth.  This will not only keep them shiny but also prevent them from cracking.
	To keep leather soft and supple, apply a little castor oil and leave to dry, then clean in the usual way.
Castor oil is also useful for waterproofing the underneath of leather soles.
	If crepe soles become sticky, put talcum powder on them and this will resolve the problem.
Shoe/Boot zips getting stuck - run a lead pencil down the zip and they will run smoothly.
	If crepe soled shoes become stiff put them in a warm oven (70 to 100 deg) for a minute and they will become flexible again.
To stretch tight shoes, pack with potato peelings and leave for 48hrs.
	If you are unable to tighten shoes laces because your feet are not "deep" enough - pad out under the lace area with a small piece of rubber.
To give an antique look to a light pair of shoes, polish with a much darker polish than the leather colour.
	To create a pair of "flamenco" dance shoes, put carpet tacks in soles at the toes and heels. Be careful the tacks do not go through the inside of the shoe though.
If lace ends fray making them difficult to thread - hold end over a lighted match for a moment, this should fuse the fibres together.
	To freshen up an old pair of shoes buy new laces, perhaps in a contrasting colour.
If laced shoes are uncomfortable over instep, loosen laces from the bottom up then put  the lace ends back through the second from top holes before tying.  This will give more room over foot but will allow the laces to be tightened enough to hold the shoe on.
	To prevent shoe laces untying put polish on laces and leave to dry overnight, then rethread into shoes - should hold O.K. now.
If brightly coloured leather becomes faded in certain areas, use an oil pastel of the same colour over the affected areas then top up with a neutral wax polish.  Buff up and hey presto!
	To stretch shoes, slip a leak-proof plastic bag into the shoe, fill with water, ensuring it fills the shoe completely.  Close securely and freeze.  The water expands and stretches the shoe. I put a shoe that is too tight on and put rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit) on the tight spot and walk around with the shoe on.  It has worked for me for many years. It has never hurt the leather.   Jean Beideck
White salt stains on leather shoes are extremely difficult to remove and the treatment risky. You could try, however, mixing a mild washing-up liquid with an equal amount of white spirit and enough water to make a creamy solution (1:1::4 ratio).  Work this over the entire shoe, giving extra attention to the salt mark, before rinsing and gently drying.  This will remove the polish and, with luck, the salt stain.  Repolish when completely dry.   As any treatment only removes the surface salt line, the stain may well reappear.     (culled from Hints and tips by Bervie McCrea)

Shoe Care

Shoes protect and shield our feet whenever we are on our feet in the outdoors. We wear our shoes when we go out for walks, strolls or running. However, in most cases, we do not take the effort to put in the little effort it takes to care for our shoes. A little effort in doing so can help extend the working life of our shoes a long way. The following are a couple of steps that you can take to care for your shoes.

One sure way of caring for your shoes is to keep them clean. I do this all the time. Once I return from anywhere I go to, I make sure I clean my shoes before I store them. Doing this makes it easier and faster to clean the shoes the next time am going to wear them. Whenever your shoes get dirty (e.g. you get caught in the rain), the dirt will eat into the protective layer of your shoes. This causes coloration and hastens the wear and tear in your shoes. As such, after each use, if your shoes are dirty, give it a good clean before you store it away. Also, in most cases, cleaning it right after use takes much less effort than cleaning a pair of shoes that has already got dirt set on it for a long time.

Besides cleaning your shoes regularly, you can also take preventive maintenance. For example, you can apply a good layer of water resistant protective 'cream' and stain remover before first use. This normally extends the life span of the factory applied protective layer of your shoes. For leather shoes, apply protective material like polish regularly to nourish the leather and keep its shine. This also helps to keep the color consistent. Another method of preventive maintenance is to use foot spray deodorants in your shoes. Foot sprays protect your shoes from bad odour (for those whose foot smells. This is a topic for another day)
You should also wear socks whenever possible while you are wearing your shoes. This is especially so if your feet sweat easily. Socks help to absorb the sweat and prevent sweat salt layers from form in your shoes. However, try not to wear the socks for too longer periods without washing. Ideally you should send your socks to laundry after every use.

The next thing to do is to take notice of the wear at the tips and soles of your shoes. If you actively use your shoes and wear is fast, you should consider applying reinforcements (e.g. changing the bottom layer of the sole) before the wear eats into the main body of sole. Also, if you drive regularly and find that the wear in your shoes are constantly made worse by the friction applied on your shoes while driving, you can consider keeping a cheap 'for driving only' pair of shoes in your car.

Finally, you also need to take steps to protect your shoes when you are not using them while you are at home. As most people have multiple pairs of shoes, most of their shoes are kept in the shoe rack waiting the shoes' next use. These shoes should be kept in boxes to prevent dust collection and prevent them from ending up being chewed your pets. The boxes also protect the shoes from getting crushed if you have limited space at home and keep all of your shoes lumped together in a closet.To know where a particular shoe is, you can take pictures of your shoes and label each boxes with the pictures. To be more creative, you can draw pictures of your shoes, colour them and put them on the boxes to know where a particular shoe is.
Also, before putting your shoes into boxes, you should also use shoe trees to protect the form of you shoes. Shoe trees maintain the original shape of your shoes and prevent them from being crushed. You can easily get this accessory from shoe stores nowadays. In fact, some shoes come with trees right from the factory.

Basic Little Steps To Take To Care For Your Shoes

Polish your leather shoes regularly to preserve moisture and maintain shine.
 
 

If the heels of your shoes are worn down or cracked take them to a cobbler to see if they can be fixed.

 

Waterproof suede and nubuck shoes and use a soft bristled brush to lightly lift away dirt.

 

 Fabric or canvas shoes can often be cleaned by hand or machine washing. Fill them with crumpled newsletter after washing to maintain their shape while drying.

Rotate your shoes by wearing a different pair every other day. This will help your shoes last longer and wear less.

 

Constant rubbing against your skin can cause uneven wear of your shoes. Try changing the thickness of your socks until you find a pair that keeps the shoes from rubbing you the wrong way.

As you can see, the above suggestions are very easy to follow and you may even find that you are already doing so. Remember that a little effort goes a long way in protecting the life span of your shoes.

Shoe Tips & Tricks - 1st Edition

Shoes are important. We cannot do without them. They are a fashion must-have but they also give the wearer problems.

Some shoes constantly scuff, some are so painful you cannot even wear them for too long, some are falling apart from too much wear,...the problems shoes can create are countless but we cannot do without them.

I own a certain pair of yellow patent mary jane shoe that constantly scuff when I wear them. I don't really know what the problem is all I know is that I magically have tons of brown scuff marks all along the inside of my heels and on the leather.

Well, it turns out that the best way to deal with scuff marks on patent leather is to use something you already have laying around - nail polish remover.

Be sure that the remover isn't highly colourful or too harsh like the regular cheap ones we have around. If the nail polish remover is too colourful, it may also put a tint on your patent leather (and be careful of any polish you may be wearing). 

Put a small bit on a cotton ball and rub the scuffs you want to get rid. Really deep scuffs probably would not come off but this should remove any minor scuffs or discolourations.

If you notice that the shoes have lost a bit of their glossiness, the best solution is to use a bit of vaseline on the surface.

Your patent shoe is back to new.