Over the past few days, I’ve been out and about and I’ve seen women who took the time to comb & curl their hair, put on makeup, pick out a beautiful ensemble to wear and then I got to their feet.  What is going on at the bottom that isn’t quite projecting the top?  The first woman I saw was going for a relaxing cup of her favorite Starbucks dressed beautifully and she was flawless…until I looked at the fact that her shoes were too big.  The second woman I met today, she was a lovely lady, again dressed well, makeup done, hair nice and neat and as we walked down the stairs, she readily admitted that going up was easier because her shoes were too big.  I didn’t dare ask because I already know the answer.  They were the “perfect pair but they didn’t have them half size smaller”.  I am a huge fan of shoes but I have to be honest, even with all of the heels I own, I am also a huge fan of comfort.  Contrary to popular belief, I do not live my entire life in 4 inch heels, you must and I emphasize must take care of your feet.  I recently posted on my fanpage that over the course of a lifetime, the average person walks 115,000 miles.  That’s a lot of places your little tootsies are obliged to carry you.

If that shoe looks good but it doesn’t fit, it’s not for you.  It’s that simple, it can’t be the perfect shoe if it’s going to create bunions, blisters, corns & other issues.  Wearing shoes that are ill fitting only serve to exacerbate these issues. Here are a few tips to follow when you are adding new shoes to your closet:

1. Try on BOTH shoes, our bodies naturally have one side a little smaller than the other.  In most cases it is not highly visible but your shoes know.  Put them both on, walk around the store for a little while before making a final decision.
2. Before wearing the shoes out, determine the types of activities you will be involved in and practice.  For example, if you are going out for a night on the town that includes dancing, shake your bum at the house first to determine if these are truly dancing shoes or just the ones you’ll wear to get inside the club.
3. Try your new shoes out on various surfaces.  If you are going to an outdoor event, your shoes will perform differently on the pavement than they will on carpet or wood floors.  I can tell you from personal experience, wooden bottomed shoes tend to be quite slick.  Keep that in mind or purchase the shoe grips that attach to the soles of shoes prior to going out.
4. If you are out and notice your shoes starting to rub or become uncomfortable, ditch them as quickly as you can.  No don’t throw them away but try to sit or take them off.  Prolonged rubbing will surely affect you tomorrow when you are wearing your comfy shoes.
5. Travel with a pair of standby shoes.  If you are wearing new shoes out for the first time, you can’t really practice enough for every situation and prolonged wear may still cause some new shoe discomfort.  Be prepared and have a spare pair.

I hope these tips help keep you cute AND comfortable.  It’s wonderful to go out looking great but remember, the shoes matter.  I also feel compelled to say, please, Please, PLEASE make sure to polish your toenails if you’re going to wear open toed shoes.  I’m just sayin’