{ a blog all about the love of shoes }
March 29, 2011 
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A new report by ShopSmart magazine, a sister publication to Consumer Reports, has unearthed a number of interesting facts and statistics regarding women’s shoe buying and wearing habits.
The Survey Says…
According to the survey of 1,009 American women, women own an average of 17 pairs of shoes and buy approximately three new pairs per year. On average, it seems we’re keeping the purse strings firmly tightened, spending approximately $49 per pair of shoes. However, nearly a third of us admit to doling out more than $100 for those gotta-have-it-shoes at one point or another.
Perhaps more telling, however, the survey found that 14 percent of ladies have concealed a shoe purchase from a husband or boyfriend at least once.
In terms of our buying habits, 29 percent said they like to do their shoe shopping online, up from 14 percent in 2007. However, 39 percent said that they’ve had to return at least one of those online purchases. In addition, one in five women indicated that going shoe shopping is their activity of choice if they’re feeling down.
Heel Height
As for what we’re buying, the survey reveals that 40 percent of women are keeping it comfortable, opting for flats, while 8 percent are buying heels that are only around 2 ½ inches. However, a quarter of survey takers revealed that if it’s a special occasion, they want to stand head and shoulders above the competition in heels that measure over 4-inches tall.
While 60 percent of us indicated that we’re willing to “suffer for fashion” in sky-high heels, up from 49 percent in 2007, we’ve gotten super savvy about it. About 60 percent of us have learned to tote around an extra pair of comfy shoes for the end of the night.
Commenting on the results of the study, Lisa Lee Freeman, ShopSmart’s Editor- in-Chief, noted that, “shoes never make your butt look big, you don’t have to worry about squeezing into them if you’ve put on a couple of pounds, and they can instantly make you feel sexier. Maybe that’s why, despite the economy, we’re still buying shoes.”
So what do you think? Do you believe this survey has captured your shoe habits, or are you going against the grain?
Lianne Woolley
March 24, 2011 Comments (0)
Do you suffer from one of these “rude shoe” habits? You might not even know you’re committing one of these no-nos, but they can impact your image and even your job!
Clunky Wooden Heels
You may love the look of a wooden-heeled pair of shoes, but they can be so noisy on linoleum break-room floors or hardwood floors. (You want to look fabulous, but you definitely don’t want to be the girl who makes that clop-clop-clop noise all around the office.)
Solution: Look for wooden heels that also feature a thin rubber pad to soften your step. And like mom always said, remember to pick up your feet when you walk.
Smelly Shoes
I once worked in an office in an extremely cold part of the U.S. Due to the low temperatures, many of my co-workers usually slipped off the heavy boots they wore to the office and wore booties and slippers while sitting at their desks during the day.
Take an office that’s got the heater blasting, plus multiple pairs of musty boots, and you can imagine the less-than-favorable environment that surfaced from time to time. One offender would leave the office smelling almost like a men’s locker room!
Solution: Rotate your shoes to prevent the bacteria from thriving in that hot environment they love so much. Or at the very least, lock the old boots up in that bottom drawer of your desk.
Out-of-Season Eyesore
It’s hard to work in face-to-face customer relations as it is, but when you’re wearing out-of-season footwear, it’s even harder. White leather pumps in the dead of winter will look strange with a black suit, and it can be off-putting to co-workers and style-conscious customers. Those pumps aren’t exactly ideal for the weather conditions, either.
Dressing appropriately for your job is a small, but extremely important, way to help push you up that corporate ladder. So make sure that your style has flair, but is appropriate for the season.
Solution: Buy styles that can take you from one season to the next. Classic black ballet flats will see you through spring, summer, and most of the fall, while low-heeled boots can typically be worn from fall to early spring.
Shoe Pain on the Job
Have you ever worked with someone who complained that her feet hurt? Whether you’re simply making the rounds in the office or hitting the road on assignment, don’t drag co-workers down because you’re fending off blisters and painful sores. Wearing shoes that are good for unexpected scenarios will keep you from being a “pain” to your office buddies.
Solution: When you get a new pair of shoes, test them out. Walk around the house, out to the mailbox, even to the grocery store. This will let you know if they’re comfortable enough to handle your 9-5.
Any other rude shoe issues that bother you? If you work in an office, you can probably come up with one or two… list them below!
Meieli Sawyer
March 14, 2011 Comments (0)
Are you a fan of making your wardrobe stretch for miles?
Do you look for shoes that make your legs look much, much longer? If the answer to either of these questions is “yes,” then you’ll want to look through these neutral-color shoe tips for fresh advice.
First things first… you’ll need to pick your definition of a neutral shoe. Neutral shoes include black, grey, and white, but what about tan or nude-colored shoes? While they might not technically be neutral-colored, they aren’t so splashy that they’ll disrupt your wardrobe.
Pairing Options
Try these looks with neutral shoes.
Cream shoes with purple: A cream pump in the summer is divine, and it’s much easier to care for than tricky plain white. Cream goes nicely with muted pastels and other creams in the same outfit, and there’s something extra-special about a purple dress with a cream pair of pumps.
Black shoes with turquoise: It could be black shoes with… anything, but black shoes with turquoise are especially powerful. Turquoise needs something to ground it, and it does particularly well with black pumps, a mainstay in many women’s wardrobes and an essential for the working woman.
Light grey shoes and pink: Pink and light grey look like they belong together, and when black is too heavy for a light pink dress, they are a perfect combination. Instead of dragging down a fresh tint, try complementing it with light grey. This would also be a good time to mix up some textures, like choosing a light tweed shoe and a nubby cotton dress.
Brown shoes with deep green: There’s a fun, foresty combination to brown shoes with a deep dress dress that we’re finding we like more and more. Brown shoes in leather can often step in for black leather pumps, but they bring new dimension to colors like emerald green.
White shoes with tan: Tan’s a neutral itself, if you include anything nude-ish, and that means when you’re wearing a nude dress, you can have your pick of the shoe closet. That said, white shoes are a summery way to complement your outfits of choice, and they can add lightness to a heavy-weight tan suit or dress garment easily.
Dark grey shoes and black: Instead of wearing dark grey shoes with a black dress, why not wear a black dress with a dark grey pair of shoes? They do the same job, they’re resistant to grime, and they shake things up a bit.
Do you have a lot of neutral-coloured shoes in your closet, or do you have another preference?
Meieli Swayer
March 13, 2011 Comments (0)
The folks over at Adidas must hate standing in the airport security line, because it seriously seems like they’ll do just about anything to shave a few precious seconds off the process! The only problem? Their new line of so-called airport-friendly shoes won’t actually save you from standing in your socks – or worse, barefoot – as you wait to pass through the scanners.
Instead, the SLVR Concept Shoes are fashioned out of a soft, stretchy mesh and feature a flexible sole and mock laces (think bungee-type cords that don’t tie up) so that they can be easily slipped on and off to undergo their own security scan.
March 10, 2011 Comments (0)
An Ohio woman has filed a lawsuit against Skechers alleging that their Shape-up shoes caused stress fractures in both of her hips.
The plaintiff claims that she wore the toning shoes – which are advertised to help tone muscles, burn calories and even reduce joint stress – while at work as a waitress, but after five months, began to experience severe pain in her hips. The 38-year-old, who has no previous injuries and is said to have normal bone density, was later diagnosed with stress fractures in both femurs and went on to require surgery and physical therapy for her injuries.
While the shoes have proved somewhat controversial in terms of how well they actually tone, experts agree that the sneakers do in fact alter the Read more »
March 1, 2011 Comments (0)
If all this cold weather is getting you down and you’re already browsing the travel sites in search of a holiday destination, might we suggest you try Malaysia? You see, the country is currently listing shoes as a reason to come visit this tropical locale.
The idea for promoting the country as a shoe hub stems from the fact that it is the birthplace of one very famous footwear designer: Datuk Jimmy Choo. In addition, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen noted that “Jimmy Choo for Shoe also rhymes” (although we’d like to think there was a little more to this set-up then simple rhyming!) Read more »
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