NY Mag recently did a street interview with a few men to get their take on spring designer shoes by Giambattista Valli (top left), Prada (top right), and Dior (bottom).

Can you guess this of these shoes looked like Adidas? Frankly, I had a hard time picturing it.

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To all you shoe lovers with smelly, sweaty feet, this is your final chance to enter the Fragrant Footings giveaway. Trust us, you’ll save yourself the embarrassment of retched foot odors if you win.

If that isn’t enough to convince you to give these scents a try, your faithful shoebloggers had an opportunity to test these scented insoles out.

Jitterbugbaby: Sadly (oh, so sadly), the weather hasn’t quite gotten warm enough for me to bring out the fun summer shoes. It’s been socks galore for me recently (though some of those socks are pretty damn fun), so I haven’t gotten to the part of the year where my feet get unfortunately sweaty and yes, on occasion, stinky. But after checking out the Fragrant Footings around the apartment, I have to say that they’re making me look forward to the possibility of foot odor for the first time in… well, ever.

The scents are indeed fresh and light, not very cloying and perfume-y. I’m particularly partial to the mint, though the lemon and jasmine scents are also nice. In other impressive news, the advertising is true; it’s the rub and wear of your feet that release the scent. It’s not there constantly, so you won’t be walking around in a permanent air-freshener.

Overall, I’d say these are a great go-to idea for insoles for summertime. And even in non-summer times and climes, I’d certainly use these as insoles to snug up a pair of slightly loose shoes. Who doesn’t love fresh smelling tootsies?

Shoesense: If I could only have one word to describe this product it would be: awesome! I am of the especially foot-conscious persuasion, which is to say, I do NOT tolerate any slips in foot hygiene, which is why I almost never, ever, wore closed shoes without some kind of socks, precisely to avoid potentially embarrassing foot odor. In fact, I always wondered how other women did it so glibly (ever since I saw “Disclosure,” remember when Demi Moore sexually harasses Michael Douglas in mile-high stiletto pumps worn on bare feet? I cringed then and I cringe now). “Perhaps,” I thought to myself, “they know something I don’t! Perhaps my body chemistry is just not made to wear closed shoes on bare feet! Perhaps I can never wear my office skirts without stockings!” Such was the dire destiny I had resigned myself to until…Summer Soles! Finally, an inconspicuous and fragrant insole that cushions as it freshens and allows me to escape the tyranny of socks and stockings in the summertime. Trust me, you’ll want this for yourself. Your vocabulary will swap “foot odor” with “foot fragrance” in a heartbeat. And that’s a good thing.

Shomore: Out of the box, Fragrant Footings had a nice scent yet I remained unconvinced. Sure, a lemon fragrance was great, but combined with my chronic stinky feet what would the overall result be? I was convinced my smelly feet would conquer any feet fresheners….Well, I’m happy to report back that the insoles absorbed the smelly feet portion quite well. My feet AND my shoes actually smelled nice after a 3.0 miles jog/walk around the park. It wasn’t an overpowering scent like the cologne or perfume you smell when you are next to someone in a small elevator either. It was a refreshing, light, and clean smell.

Other features that I liked:

• The full sized trim-to-fit footings and the three quarter length footings are as thin as a credit card.   The thin nature of the insoles means they fit rather inconspicuously on sandals and also can be layered over existing insoles (inside my jogging shoes).
• The ball of feet cushions were nice mini pillows for my feet. Much better (and cheaper) than thousand dollar Sculpa foot pillows.

• Packaging was simple and relatively eco-friendly. I’m used to Dr. Scholl’s packaging, which used to come in a clear, plastic container that is absolutely child and Shomore proof. Fragrant Footings comes with a paper covering that is easily recycled.

Unknowns:

• Since I haven’t worn Fragrant Footings for very long, I do not know how long the adhesive material lasts. Initial feedback is quite positive though. On my jogging shoes, the insoles stuck well and there was no slippage during my run.
• Inevitably, the gentle fragrance must wear out. When they are replaced, I assume they won’t stick onto your shoes like super glue and will leave minimal sticky residue behind.

Overall, Fragrant Footings gets our two thumbs (or should I say toes) up. They are an inexpensive way to feel good about foot odor and offer different scents and sizes to work with different foot and body types. But as Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow always said, you don’t have to take my[our] word for it. Here are other testimonials from Daily Candy and Oprah or you can try yourself when you enter and win the Fragrant Footings giveway. Right now, with 2 lucky winners, your chances of winning are quite high.

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Shoe heels are soaring to record heights.  Naturally, they are having an impact on the balls of women’s feet.  One podiatrist’s solution? She injects Sculptra to puff up the bottom of her patients’ feet.  Frankly, I prefer to forego the injections and go with low heels. - Via NBC 11

I am woman, hear me teeter  - Via Kat Wilder’s blog

Gladiators gone wrong: Heidi Montag in Givenchy gladiators versus Aerosoles Chrome Body - Via ShoeHunting

For the man in your life, here are shoes every man must own. - Via Forbes.com

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Sergio Rossi Aisha Strauss; $799 at Zappos

Love the heels but can’t bear the pain? In the latest issue of Marie Claire, Sergio Rossi’s creative director Edmundo Castillo offers shoe advice for walking comfortably in high heels.

1. Change heel heights several times a day. Feet and legs shouldn’t be allowed to mold themselves to any one shoe shape.

2. Shoes are an emotional accessory; hurt your feet, hurt your feelings.

3. Befriend a salesperson who will tell you if a shoe will actually feel as good as it looks.

4. If you feel all the weight in the front of your foot, this heel’s your arch enemy — literally.

5. Your foot needs to sit in a shoe. If you can wedge two fingers between your sole and the shoe — bye-bye!

6. Platforms should be no more than one-and-a-half inches high — or you’re dangling off a cliff.

7. Think Cinderella: A heeled shoe must fit perfectly. Faking it with the wrong size will get ugly. (Hmm, I think Victoria ‘Posh’ Beckham didn’t get this memo. Didn’t she once say ‘If they don’t have my size I just stick toilet paper in…If that’s what it takes to get a nice shoe.’)

8. Don’t shoe shop with swollen feet — e.g., when it’s hot or right after exercise

9. To elongate your legs, ankle straps should sit above the ankle bone.

10. Still wobbling when you walk in your heels? Practice!

The advice makes practical sense to me. Well, except for #1. I’d love to change heel heights every hour but my shoe wardrobe is not extensive enough, my purse can barely fit my wallet and cell phone much less allow me to carry spare pairs, and my pant lengths would look goofy if I switched from a 6″ to a 1″ heel.

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Hot off the heels of our last giveaway, Shoeblog has yet another contest to announce (we know, you are complaining, right?). This latest product we are giving away is perfect for the warm spring/summer months.

The hot weather brings an unfortunate side effect - sweaty, stinky feet. Summer Soles aims to fix those embarrassing problems for us. Fragrant Footings by Summer Sole is an absorbent air freshener for the foot. They keep your sandals dry and help you avoid the annoying squish sound that you hear after too much moisture has accumulated in your shoes. The insoles come in your choice of three fragrant flavors - lemons, mint, or jasmine. And what’s great is they are available in lots of shapes and fabrics that will smell, feel, and look good with any shoe. By my last count, I saw mini-foot pads for open toe shoes, full sized-soles, animal prints, and even extra soft and color neutral suede insoles (see images below).

For the Fragrant Footings by Summer Soles giveaway, we will randomly draw TWO winners. Each of the winners will receive 2 sets of Fragrant Footings. To enter, simply leave your comment on this blog entry by Thursday, May 8th midnight PST.

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