As any experienced fashionista knows, the right pair of shoes can make or break any given ensemble. When you’re putting together a wardrobe, neglecting your footwear can be disastrous. After all, there’s nothing more likely to let you down than the wrong pair of shoes.
But the importance of shoes extends well beyond the way we look, and the way we’re perceived by others. Shoes also serve an important function, and can contribute significantly to the way we think of ourselves.
Comfort
When you’re on your feet all day, your choice of footwear becomes absolutely pivotal. Shoes which aren’t suited to the shape of your feet, or which don’t provide adequate cushioning, or which keep your feet at unnatural angles, are likelier to inflict pain and injury.
The thickness of your stocks or leggings will contribute to the formation of blisters, too, and thus it’s important to wear the right socks when you’re getting a shoe fitted.
Some kinds of shoe, naturally, aren’t suited to certain kinds of activity. If you’re going to be on your feet for eight hours a day, then it’s highly unlikely that stilettos are going to be a good match. Among the many problems inflicted by overly tight or pointy shoes is Morton’s Neuroma, which occurs when the nerve between your third and fourth toe is irritated by bones pressing in on it from either side.
There’s only one reliable way to deal with this particular problem, and that’s to start wearing more comfortable shoes – though applying ice packs, taking painkillers, and not walking at all, will also help.
What’s the Occasion?
Having a range of different shoes available will allow you to pick out a pair that fits any given occasion. If you’re attending a posh fundraiser, then you might want an entirely different shoe than the ones you wear to work, or to the gym, or on a night out.
Your work shoes will need to fit the dress code of your workplace. In most cases, this might mean sticking to black leather. But with many workplaces now embracing a more casual approach, you might find that you can get away with much the same thing that you wear to more relaxed occasions. If you’re working in a potentially hazardous environment, like a factory, then you’ll also need to consider things like protective steel toe-caps and soles, as well as the amount of grip you’re getting.
At the other end of the spectrum, there are some occasions where you’ll really want to push the boat out and wear something completely impractical. If you’re attending a party, then the rulebook goes out of the window; wear whatever suits your personality and the party dress-code.
What do your shoes say about you?
Your shoes are a great banner for your personality and identity (though they’re not a substitute for one). They’re also great for broadcasting your aspirations. In many cases, designer shoes are actually designed to explicitly reject notions of comfort, and you’ll often see female celebrities rip them off the moment they’ve exited the plush award ceremony. The same applies to men’s footwear. The enormous success of Nike’s ‘Air Jordan’ lines throughout the eighties and nineties demonstrates that you don’t need to be interested in sports to be interested in a flash pair of trainers!
