Fashion Victim?

Ever feel as though you are veering from fashionable to fashion victim?

Every summer, I start off the season wearing my strappy sandals. Every August my feet are so sore, cut up, bumpy and achy that I end up only wearing flip-flops. Fashion victim? You betcha!

Why endure the pain? In China women bind their daughters’ feet because small feet are desirable and sexy. I won’t go into the procedure, but it is painful.

Instead of causing our feet and tendons undue trauma, try these tips:

Have a pair of flats (I have ballet slippers) underneath your desk in case your feet start to bother you. Depending on your office, you could even have those beautiful beaded slippers or mules hiding in a drawer.

Wear different high heel heights. I love my skyscrapers, but I also like a mid-range pump and a flat shoe, or a kitten-heeled mule. Changing the heights of your heel actually helps to work out the Achilles tendon. If you always wear skyscrapers, you run the risk of shortening your Achilles tendon which may have to be corrected through surgery.

Buy heels that fit properly. I have this terrific pair of Orsay pumps. They have a high heel and every time I put them on my foot slides forward too far. If they weren’t open-toed I’d have much more pain from them than I do.

Carry your shoes with you while you wear sneakers in the car or on the train. There are so many great pairs of designer sneakers out there – and so many designers borrowing from sneaker technology. Cole-Haan has Nike Air offerings. Stella McCartney is working with Adidas. I happen to be partial to Pumas.

For more stability when you walk, try wearing a thicker heel.

As you age, you lose the fat padding on the bottom of your feet. This padding is literally a cushion that will lessen the pounding from the pavement. In order to make up for this, use silicone inserts or gel strips in your shoes. Dr. Scholl’s would be fine. Try his moleskin for blisters.

A trick I learned from a rancher in Texas – use scotch tape on the inside of your shoe (cowboy boot) where the friction is. Literally tape up the spot that rubs against your skin to make a smooth, cool surface. This actually works and is a great office quick fix. That’s also why all the thongs on my sandals have tape around them and my toes never have blisters!

If you take care of your feet, they will be sure to take care of you.

~ Dawn Land