Ya Feets (2)

When I was in middle school (and/or jr. high as it was called back in the day), I found myself in the unfortunate position of bringing Converse sneakers to my first day of cross-country tryouts. Looking back, I'm not sure how such a situation happened as I played sports throughout my youth but, needless to say, the fact that I could only run two laps when everyone else could run three paired with some sideways looks from my teammates decidedly turned me off to the brand forever... until I found a cute pair on sale last week. However, as I wear my Converse kicks during the day (and do yoga after wearing them at night), I'm learning that perhaps I was not wrong to blame them exclusively for my poor performance and ridicule on the cross-country "court". As I've noticed that stretching ma feets has become more of an endeavor post purchase, I've confirmed that it was not my cross-country skills but the Converse brand which sucked and set out to find a new pair (or pairs) that would be better for my feets. After conducting some research, I came across not brands so much as types of shoes that are good for your feets. A few finding lie below. Enjoy!

Keeeeeeeeks.

In Health Before Beauty, I made reference (to my own mortification) to a massage received ages ago where I realized that it's not so bad to give our feet some extra attention. As, "it's where we spend most of our time," according to the masseuse in the story, getting a short pedicure (or foot massage) is not so much of a luxury as it is a luxurious necessity. However, if one chooses to drop the luxury entirely, a good pair of shoes is pretty important in maintaining our own health. To this extent, while there are many shoes that are bad for our feets, mmkkayy, there are a few that can treat our feet well (and can even be a little stylish... maybe).

Well fitting sneakers (obvi.): Sneakers are obviously good for your feet... at least ones that fit well. However, in my mind, they're not always the most fashionable item in the store. However, while Nike has always made good shoes for running, they're beginning to turn their attention to more leisure based shoes as well (as it would seem). A few of my favorites to come out recently include...

Blazer leather and ribbed knit trimmed satin sneakers: I bought these shoes and then felt guilty and returned them but in the short time I owned them... I found them to be super comfortable. As high-topped sneakers, the shoes offered solid ankle support but were still easy to slip on and off. Also, the satin sheen on the outside made the kicks a bit fashionable as well. However, if satin a'int yo thang, there are other sneakers in the Blazer collection as well.

Blazer Mid-Vintage Sneakers: Not as fashionable as the ones above, I still regret not buying these sneakers last year before the high-tops became the trend (a situation which likely led to me eyeing the sneakers above in the first place). Anyways, wrapped in velvet, the mid vintage sneaker gives more of a 70's feel but is still just as comfortable and well made as any other Nike shoe. However, if you're going for a more futuristic look...

Air Force 1 Sage High Platform Sneaker: When I wasn't sure whether I wanted to buy the satin sneakers above, I came across the Air Force 1's. Written up as, "bold and irreverent" I was intrigued by the playful sense of fashion they could provide... until I realized I might look like an asshole.

Wedges: In preparation for this post, I found, much to my dismay, that ballet flats are not too good for your feet. While I thought that the lack of a heel would be directly proportional to the health of a shoe, I found that it's good to have a balance (in heel height). To this extent, I read that a wedge was a generally beneficial shoe, providing the cushioning of a thick sole with with an less extreme heel. And in this sense... I've always found J. Crew's Seville Espadrille to be a sensible choice... in terms of both fashion and comfort.

So there you have it. A few shoes to get you through work (and possibly the winter). Even if you choose to wear sexier, more stylish and less sensible shoes... be sure to take care of your feet. Stretch, get them worked out, etc. We only have one (pair).