Living Feet First!

The weather is warming up and that means more and more of people will be wearing sandals. I don't know about you but wearing a cute pair of sandals is cooling, comfy and easy to do.

In fact, I have been on the lookout for a cute yet comfy pair of not-too-high-heeled sandals that can be worn with capri pants or skirts and dresses. I've been looking and am happy to report I found them on the sale rack at DSW Shoes. Steve Madden's Nina shoes with black leather straps, shiny gold tone buckles and faux wood soles (making them lightweight) -- originally $79 but 80% off!  This is a brown version of my find.

Of course, Old Navy's rubber flip flops are another favorite. Right now, they're available for two pair for $5. 

But please take note of this next paragraph for you and all the women in your life....get a pedicure before you expose your feet to the world!

With the low prices at manicure shops, you can get a beautiful pedicure that cleans up the roughness on your feet, trims your cuticles and nails, shaping your feet for show.  There are so many shops around your city and if you don't already go to one regularly, ask your girlfriends who they prefer...and go!

Warning!!! Below are some super freaky looking feet photos! If feet gross you out, go to the end now.

I have seen some really messed up feet. And I can imagine the pain of these issues.  

Like Hammer toes, they rub against the inside of your shoe and cause terrible blisters, eventually becoming callouses but always painful.

Or gnarled toes that overlap. A woman I met who had this problem could only wear socks with sandals all the time because of the difficulty of wearing shoes and the pain of trying to.

And there are bunions that look like a thumb growing out of the side of a foot. Imagine trying to wear comfortable shoes with these!

This is Oprah's foot with her bunion!  Yikes!

But there are prosthetic devises to help with some of these issues. I have used the below Toe Straightener because my second toe was curling up into a hammer toe (caused by a tight toe box) and I am happy to say, it worked. The second one can work on double hammer toes or overlapping toes to some extent.

The two above help with bunions. My right foot bunion was so painful that it would wake me up from my sleep with pulsing pain. I ended up having a brilliant podiatrist (and he's cute, too) perform surgery and although it was the MOST painful surgery recovery I have ever had, it was so worth it. My foot is normal looking, I can walk easily, wear any shoe I choose and sleep well.

I have had a serious problems with Morton's Neuromas in my past, four and one even grew back, all of which required surgery to remove (I grow really big ones). And though my doctor suggested it was my high heels, I am convinced it was the tight toe box of my sneakers that I wore to walk in.  It felt like there was a rock inside my foot and my toes would go numb and hurt at the same time.  (It is when a nerve gets pinched by the bones in your foot and the nerve builds a "pearl" around itself to fight the pinch. Diagram below).

Since I bought and wear four pair of Skecher Go Walks (and I'm going to buy another pair soon), I have walked over 518 miles since April of last year and have had no foot problems at all. I've said it before and I'm saying it again....these are the absolutely best shoes I have ever worn in my entire life. I have worn off the rubber pebbles of two pair of Go Walks because I try to get 10,000 steps a day. No neuromas, no rubbing, no feet sweating, no pain.  I go sock free and put on my headset and I-Pod and walk and walk and walk.

(Skecher Go Walks are available at Dillard's for only $49 -- cheaper than DSW, Amazon, Zappos or Stein Mart or any other place I've been).

You can maintain roughness-free feet by rubbing Vicks VapoRub on them, put on light socks and sleep that way. In the morning, your feet will feel smoother. And soaking them in Epsom Salts and scrubbing them with a loofah is a great de-stressor, as well as home spa treatment for your feet.

There are beautiful nail polishes in so many colors and decals to design your toes that your biggest problem will be choosing.  From drugstores to beauty stores, you can spend a lot... or not.  

So get your feet ready for unveiling and make them pretty for sandals (flat, high heeled or just strappy pretty). 

This quote on feet made me laugh out loud - I hope you do, too!

If God had to give a woman wrinkles, He might at least have put them on the soles of her feet.

Ninon de L'Enclos

Until next week, I remain,

Stylistically yours,

Sooz

Going Simply Dotty!

No, I'm not talking about going crazy but I have always been a fan of polka dots and this is the best year to buy a couple of pieces covered in dots. In my list of things I really wanted to buy with this year's temp paycheck, was a new polka dot top -- mission accomplished thanks to Stein Mart!



I couldn't find a picture of the one I bought but it is black and white with short sleeves, round neck, pull over style and a simple peplum (making it a trend piece).  It was $25.99 in polyester and totally wearable with so much.




Of course any color of solid pants or skirt is easy to wear with polka dots but the bold, creative look is to wear polka dots with stripes. They should be in the same color range so they don't look too costumey and you can even wear them with plaids and prints, if you are creative.


If you don't think you can attempt mixing your prints, try carrying a polka dot handbag or wearing polka dot shoes which might just be enough for your fun fashion style.



If you're like me, polka dots makes one very happy to look at and to wear.



So get a little dotty and make everyone who looks at you happy, too!

As one of the top designers has stated:


Let me know if you wear polka dots and how you felt wearing them!  Until next week, I remain,

Stylistically yours,

Sooz