Now that my hubby and I are expecting our first child, my shoe universe seems to be expanding.  While my interest still lies in women’s shoes, toddler footwear suddenly seems more interesting to me, irrespective of the gender of our child.

When I first saw this picture of Suri Cruise in tiny d’orsay heels, a few thoughts were running through my head.

Essentially they boiled down to three categories (edited to more coherent thoughts for this post):

1. The practical side- Nooo!!!!  This young lady just learned how to walk.  Her feet need to be close to the ground to provide her with better stability, allow for strong ankles, and for that arch to be built.

2. The feminist side- How can women expect to be treated as equally when we willingly choose to wear heels?  When we wear hobbling heels, doesn’t this just symbolically emphasize how fragile and frail women are vs. our male counterparts who stand steady with both feet firmly planted on the floor?

3. The girly side- Awwwh, how cute.  Suri is going to be quite the fashionista when she grows up.  These must be Suri’s princess shoes (photo below of R5Bales’ granddaughter’s shoes)!

Honestly, I believe that everything can be done in moderation.   As long as Suri is allowed to walk barefoot or wear flexible soled shoes the majority of the time, I think that low kitten heels are acceptable.  Heck, they are loads cuter than Crocs.  Little girls should be allowed to play dress up and experiment.   It’s part of growing up and developing personal tastes and a personality.  But what do you think?  Are heels appropriate for someone Suri’s age?

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I was raised in a household where everyone took off their shoes upon entering the home.  As a kid, sometimes I resented the practice.  Primarily, it was often a hassle plus most of my friends didn’t have this requirement in their homes.  Nowadays though, I see the value removing shoes.  The reasons are quite similiar to why they did it in the old days.

1) Shoes are removed to keep dirt out - no one wants muddy shoe prints on their freshly cleaned floors, especially if you have guests sitting on the floor (which lasted about 6 months after we bought out condo and had no furniture).

2) Giving feet proper air circulation.  Okay, sometimes I’m lazy.  I confess that I might skip wearing socks if I know that I’m only going out on a quick errand.  But I have sweaty feet and taking off my shoes when I get home ensures I dry out my feet and don’t get athlete’s foot.   In more humid climates like Taiwan or Japan, I can totally see where this would be an issue.

3) Removing shoes are relaxing.  The act of casting off my shoes when I arrive home is my way of saying that I’ve entered my comfortable, stress-free sanctuary, free of the constraints of the outside world.

I realize that not everyone feels this way, especially after watching the Sex and the City Season 6, Episode 9 entitled ‘A Woman’s Right to Shoes’ :

or maybe someone has holes in their socks they wish to hide.  Even though it is my home,  I know I feel a twinge of guilt and awkwardness when I force my guests to remove their shoes.

So here’s what I do. I always keep a few spare guest sandals handy. When my guests arrive, I give them the option to go barefoot or ask if they are interested in wearing indoor slippers instead. I know it isn’t much, but I want my floors clean and keeping outdoor shoes on is not an option.  I’ve found that it helps when the slippers are cute or uber comfy. For example, the lovely folks at Dearfoams sent me these two slippers.

The top Dearfoams pair were too small for me but they were a hit with my girlfriend - she loved the cute flower and the bright colors.  My girlfriend happens to fall into the ‘take off the shoes at home’ category so she was an easy sell though.  The bottom Dearfoams sole was so comfy, that I ended up wearing them myself.   I’m not sure how fellow pregnant women can walk barefoot, but I need a little cushioning and support with all the extra weight I’m carrying.  This pillowtop, memory sandal was simply a godsend for my aching feet.

Anyways, I digress. To give my guests slipper options, I purchased 2 additional Dearfoams on my own  - a light blue thong Dearfoam sandal and a  fuzzy Dearfoam slipon - plus a pair of manly slippers from Brookstones.  Here’s a fun picture that I took of the Dearfoams in the shape of a flower.  Some of my guests have said they like the sandals and would be purchasing a pair to wear around their house.  I guess they like the memory foam on the Dearfoams as much as I do!

But what about you?  Would you make your guests take off their shoes?

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OK it is midway through the summer, you have been wearing sandals or flip flops nonstop since May and your feet are thrashed.  They need help.  Fast.  I found just the thing.  Lamisilk Intensive Foot Therapy.  There are four different products in this line: a hydrating cream, a repair serum, a cream that turns into powder, and an exfoliating scrub.    The entire line can be found at Amazon.  I found mine at Safeway. I only have experience with Repair Complex. It is amazing.

My skin is naturally very dry, I live in the desert, and I am barefoot a lot of the time, so my feet really need help.  I picked up Repair Complex because it’s ingredients didn’t include petroleum jelly.  Ointments that are petroleum jelly based don’t really work for me, creams are OK for a temporary fix, but this serum is different.  It has the feel of silicone based serums. (Biosilk comes to mind.)   I got a pedicure to start with, then just as I went to bed, I put some of this on my feet, focusing on the heels. The next morning, my feet were still soft with the deep cracks fading.  That has never happened before.

I am NOT going to show you what my feet look like.  You will make fun of me.

The instructions say to use this twice a day, but I usually forget and apply just as I go to bed.  I think if I were to use this religiously, and wear real shoes more often, my feet would be just as pretty as Galligator’s and Trainingheels‘.

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 I must confess I am an insole junkie.   I can’t resist  them.  Lately, I have seen commercials with Stacy London endorsing Dr. Scholl’s high heel gel insole.  They are supposed to shift weight from the toe to the heel.

I like the premise around TLC’s “What Not To Wear”, but it bothers me when they ambush, I mean,  surprise someone, then spend five minutes making fun of that person’s style.  If the initial comedy routine isn’t enough, when they go through the person’s closet, they are brutal.  I don’t think it is fair.  It draws an audience, but as hosts they should treat their guests with more respect.  It is just bad manners.  No wonder the guest is in tears.

Anyways, I am always game to see if Dr. Scholl’s can really make my 4 1/2 inch heels feel like I am walking on clouds.  I scored the last one in Target, about $9.00. These are different because they have a thicker padding at the arch, about 1/4 inch thick.

I had a specific shoe in mind.   Peep toe Steve Madden wedges that are about 7 years old.  I want to love them, but they have never been comfortable, so I don’t wear them often. 

The size of the Dr. S  insole is supposed to fit “sizes 6 to 10.”  Now, that is a HUGE difference in foot sizes.  The size on the left is a 6.5 and the size on the right is a 10.5.

There were no real instructions about placement.  Trial and error showed that the heel of the insole should fit the back of the shoe, but the toe of the insole was nowhere near the toe of my shoe, so there was a more pressure than should have been.  Dr. Scholl’s should probably make two different sizes, 6 to 8 and 9 to 11.   

They are clear so they are virtually invisible on your shoe.  These will work with even the strapiest heels.  If you look closely at the heel, on my shoes, you can see them. 

Conclusion: At the end of the evening, my feet didn’t ache like they usually do, so yes, they work.  Actually they worked quite well.  If you have a size 7 or 8 shoe, these would work perfectly.   I am going to look for an insole that is designed for a larger foot. If I can’t find one, then I will probably return to Dr. Scholl’s.  That being said, they cannot fix shoe design problems.  These shoes rub at my big toe joint, so it is a design problem.  I will probably be giving them away.

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President Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today.  So to recognize that meeting, here are some shoes made in Israel.  While I don’t own a pair, Naot Footwear gets high rates from those who wear them.  They are designed for comfort and support. 

Ashley $139 from Zappos.  These are available in 15 different colors.

The Matai $162  These are available in 10 different color combinations.

The Pleasure $160  These are available in 6 different colors.

The Oyster $170 These are available in 3 different colors.

The styles are not cutting edge.  They don’t pretend to be.  You sure won’t have sore feet and legs if you wear them all day long.   Not every day can be stiletto day.

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