{ a blog all about the love of shoes }
July 24, 2011 
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You might be the type who’s more comfortable in athletic and performance shoes, but as you know, you can’t wear them all the time. Dress shoes for the athlete are hard to come by, but if you ignore shoes marketed as such and just go with your gut feeling, things will be easier. As a comfort junkie myself, these are my top selections.
Stretchy Shoes
Shoes with a stretchy upper mold to the feet better, which is much more comfortable. If you don’t wear leather, as a vegan or otherwise, then this is a particularly useful tip: Simply find shoes in stretch microfiber that stick to the curves of your feet. Stretchy-upper shoes can look sueded or can be bought in a patterned fabric. For summer, I like stripes.
Natural Shoes
A natural shoe is one that’s been manufactured from responsible material or that uses an eco-friendly technique. Natural shoes are less likely to chafe or blister the feet than synthetic leather, and they are often constructed using more intuitive design techniques. These shoes can remain perfectly comfortable for much longer than your average shoe.
Flexisoles
Sneakers have great shock absorption; ballet shoes move with the feet. To replicate that ease of movement one gets from athletic shoes, flexisoles are certainly the way to go. A flexible sole on the shoe means that even if the shoe is dressier than usual, it will feel more like a sneaker that’s molded to your feet.
Plain Shoes
Skipping the bells and whistles on a pair of shoes often means that you’ll be more comfortable. Plain shoes without thick laces, decorative details, or complicated closures are less likely to rub, bind, or pinch, particularly if the shoe has a rounded toe. If you need to add pep to your footwear, you can always aim for color.
Adjustable Pumps
I have a wonderful pair of pumps with multiple straps running across the upper, and they are amazing when my feet start to swell in the summer heat. Look for shoes with buttons, laces, or even hidden Velcro tabs that can be adjusted. Undo a few Velcro straps and then readjust them in the middle of the day, for example, and you have a comfortable, perfectly-fitting shoe again.
Mei Sawyer
Mei Sawyer is an internationally published fashion journalist.
April 6, 2011 Comments (0)
Caring for patent leather shoes can be quite the challenge. Sometimes, I wonder if everyone has a special pair of patents lurking in the back of their closets, just waiting to be worn. A lot of people think that patent leather is tricky to wear, and they’re 100% correct: It scuffs easily and gets dull and dirty in a heartbeat. If you follow the tips below, however, you might just end up pulling out those patent leather shoes you love and showing them off this season.
Tip #1: Avoid Using Grease or Vaseline
This type of shoe shine is recommended by so many people (perhaps even by your parents), but the problem is that Vaseline and grease attracts dust and dirt. In other words, your shoes will look great until you hit the street. By mid-afternoon you’re likely to see a collection of dirt at your feet, which is not the type of fashion statement that you want to make. Read more »
March 12, 2011 Comments (0)
Cropped pants are hot for spring and summer 2011. Finding the right shoes to wear with them can be tricky. You don’t want the shoes to cut you in the wrong place or else you’ll lose the effortless cool of cropped pants. It also depends on what type of cropped pants you’re wearing. Both fluid and skinny legs were shown on the runways, so there’s a pair of cropped pants that will suit you this season.
Loose Cropped Pants
With loose cropped pants, you want to wear shoes that elongate you. Fluid pants were shown on the runway with stiletto heels and major platform sandals. The shoes you wear with loose cropped pants should mix in with your skin tone or be a stark contrast. If you’re wearing white fluid pants, you can work a pair of nude stiletto heels and if you’re wearing black loose pants, opt for a pair of bright orange wedge sandals. The shoes shouldn’t have a strap any higher than your ankle because this will cut your legs off in an unflattering place and make you look larger than you are. Between the cropped hemline and baggy pant leg, it’s easy to get lost in the silhouette, so be sure your shoes have at least two inches or more to create a slim look.
February 25, 2011 Comments (0)
Got a question about women’s shoes? We’re tackling some of the most common ones here at My Shoes!
1. Can I wear tights with open-toed shoes?
You can, but it’s not the kind of look that screams “polished professional.” If you are looking for a way to balance your shoe preference with hosiery, consider selecting shoes with a sandal toe or an open foot, and then picking covered-ankle shoes to hide the lines between hosiery and foot. If you can’t let go of your open-toed footwear, consider looking for a pair of shoes with an identical heel style and vamp, just without the peep toe up front.
2. How can I dress up a pair of flats?
You’ll have to go for detail when dressing up a pair of flat shoes. Flats might not be arresting as heels, but they are far more comfortable! Select a pair of flat shoes that features lots of detail along the toe, like grosgrain ribbon bows, buttons, or berries, or find a pair that has an unusual vamp or upper. Snakeskin makes a huge impact when dressing up, as does a pair of shoes with a very deep up-front dip. As you get used to flats, you’ll find yourself branching out more and more.
3. How long should my pants be when wearing heels?
You’ve got to analyze the pant’s “break” to get that answer. This is one reason why many women like to wear skirts instead of pants to work, because unless you choose heels that are all the same height, you’re always going to have difficulty matching pants and shoes. In general, your pants should sweep downwards over your heel, but they shouldn’t touch the floor. In the front, the pants should crease once over the top of your foot—this is the “break.” Keep in mind that, when wearing skirts, you’ll find that higher heels make your skirt shorter!
January 6, 2011 Comments (0)
Here at myShoes.com, most of our readers know how to run a block in high heels. Still, every year there’s a woman who will conquer here fear of 4 inch heels and learn to walk with pride without toppling over. Here’s a guide to walking in high heels, so you look as if you were born in them.
1. Buy shoes that fit.
Many women buy shoes that are a bit too big, thinking this will make it easier to endure the shoes, in the even their feet swell. This is true, but it can also make the shoes far more difficult to walk in when they’re flopping all over the place. If you want to buy shoes that are ½ a size too big, insert an insole to conform to the shape of your foot and support it as you walk. This will still give you excess room in the toe box, which gives feet a place to go if they swell, but will keep the shoe on your foot and comfortable to walk in. Read more »
January 5, 2011 Comments (0)
Winter shoe emergencies have to be the worst kind, because they aren’t just uncomfortable, they are dangerous. Summertime might mean blisters, but wintertime could mean frostbite if you’re not careful. Our top shoe emergencies solved!
Your winter shoes are slipping.
Got the wintertime slippin’ shoe blues? Yuck, that’s terrible. Instead of freaking out and thinking that there is no way you can wear your winter shoes, keep in mind that your shoes can easily get a little gripping tread added to the bottom of your footwear. Winter shoes without the right tread are awful! Read more »
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