To The Women of The World

Today is my Mother’s birthday. So why am I writing about her on a shoe website? Well.. My mother is the queen of high heels. Standing at 5’0 she has ALWAYS since the day I can remember worn high heels. No matter where she goes, what she is doing the lady wears heels and she struts proudly. I’m not sure when she fell in love with heels and I’m not sure how she came to find out about them. She was a country girl from a small rural Mennonite area... High heels were not plentiful. But my mother the Queen of Heels found them and obviously fell in love. She wears her heels till their worn and need to be thrown out. She wears open toe in bright in bold colors, sandals in bold patterns, and boots in various shades and of course pumps! Her selection is endless and her feet... well they’ve learned to live with it. But most of all... my mom wears all her heels with a smile even when her feet hurt.
I still remember always wanting to be able to do that. I tried for a few months and I just can’t. I walk way to much and sit way to little. I’m always on the go and heels are not conducive to walking through snow, slippery sidewalks, and stairs and beyond. I still want to be like my mom when I grow up. Just in way more comfortable shoes. I want to own the heels. But not wear them all the time. I’d like to embody her ability to wear the fashion forward heels without the painful smile on my face. But most of all I just want to smile as much as she does and laugh as loud and freely as she does. She’s a woman who truly loves life in her high heels and see’s the world from a slightly elevated point of view.
So here is to all women who wear heels everywhere and anywhere. To the women who wear heels to the zoo, on play dates, to school meetings, the movies, the park, on walks, to school, to work, grocery shopping and beyond. To the women who are far braver than I, who have a larger pain threshold and obviously no how to walk the walk and talk the talk without limping!

Dreaming about shoes - quite literally...

Last night I had the strangest dream - no, that's not the line from the song. I actually did have a strange dream. I dreamed about shiny black patent 4-inch pumps.  I have never owned such shoes, as they are not really my style. This lead me to do some research into finding out what my dream meant, not that it helped much, but it was interesting, nevertheless.

According to dream interpreters, shoes represent the dreamer's approach to life. Perhaps that's why we say "If you were in my shoes...", etc. Aparantly, when a person is wearing shoes in a dream, they are well-grounded and down to earth. Technically, I was not wearing the shoes, but rather busy trying them on - I liked them, but was unsure as to whether I wanted to wear them. Could that mean I want to be down to earth, but "the shoe doesn't fit"? 

Reading further, the article said that changing shoes in a dream could mean that the dreamer is taking a new approach to life. However, the next part said that dreaming about new shoes could mean that you are over-confident in your success or you may be on an unfamiliar life path. Hmmm... I think the second interpretation is actually pretty spot-on. 

The shoes were not exactly "new" in my dream, but they seemed "new to me". According to interpreters, this would indicate that I have regained my foothold on life. Now that truly is excellent news!

The article contained several other great symbolisms that I found interesting. For instance, if you dream that you are going barefoot, it could indicate a low self-esteem or identity issues. Baby shoes would signify innocence, vulnerability, purity and a desire for love. 

Dream meanings as a subject is rather controversial. While some people belief strongly that they have meaning, others say dreams are the result of an over-active subconcious or simply nonsense. What do you think? Have you ever dreamed about shoes?

I Live in Flip Flops

I have a confession. We already know that I'm an ocean dreamer. But did you know that I live in flip flops almost twelve months out of the year? Part of the reason why is because you might know that I lived in California for seven years. I technically still live there because I travel back and forth between California and Utah. I absolutely love California and the fact that I became addicted to flip flops there.

You see, flip flops tell my story. I remember my freshman year in college I was so excited to go to the beach with my new friends! There was one night especially that I went madly running into the sand near the water in my flip flops, so excited for my future. I was a freshman in college, I just started living on my own, and I had the whole world at my finger tips. I couldn't wait to take on all of the challenges and happy moments that were about to come my way.

Flip flops symbolize a lot of things to me. One of the most amazing things they symbolize is the summer time. Whenever I went home during college (home is Utah,) I would always be wearing my flip flops during my three month break from school. They reminded me that I would soon be back to California, and they reminded me that now is the time to enjoy my summer time! I'm sure Danielle, ITSDF's intern,  if you wear flip flops, can relate to this. 

Flip flops almost always symbolize the ocean and all of its mysteries. After all, the ocean is the reason I became so accustomed to flip flops and the ocean is what always draws me back to California. I'm so flip flop crazy that when I used to go home for Christmas, I went home in my flip flops! I decided to bundle up in a warm coat, pants, and gloves, but that didn't stop me from wear flip flops! Unless there was constant snow that is. They are just too comfy and a part of who I am to take them off for very long.

What do flip flops symbolize for me now? They symbolize my future by the ocean and the fact that I will live there again and very soon. It is my heart and my home. Flip flops also symbolize freedom and adventure, and we all need adventure in our lives, right? Now that I work in my home when I am in California my boyfriend and I often take a lunch break and head to the water. Of course I'm wearing my flip flops. It's like heaven on earth.

If you wear flip flops, what do they symbolize to you?

P.S. Be sure to check out our current flip flops that are up for auction on our site!

A special thanks!

THANK YOU!
I can’t tell you how excited I am. I’ve posting on twitter, Facebook and I’m even working hard on a Youtube video for Help The Intern. More importantly I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has followed me on Twitter, added me to facebook, sent me emails and especially liked the If The Shoe Doesn’t Fit Facebook page. All of your words of encouragement are wonderful! I have to admit I feel sort of silly sometimes asking people for help but… guess what? That’s what this internship what about. Getting over those silly fears, removing myself “the box” and charging ahead! I’m learning that putting myself out there isn’t as scary as I thought and that even “strangers” are willing to help you!

The Wonderful World of Orthotic shoes

There comes a time in all our lives (male and female, young and old) where we must acknowledge the age differences that bond us together in one giant global catastrophe. We have the 50’s babies strolling, The 60’s babies are busy doing the Twist, while the 70’s babies are out of this world, the 80’s babies are getting their ‘groove thang on’ while the 90’s babies have to embrace bad popular music followed by brief periods of musical enlightenment. As for the millennium generation… I apologize for the short comings of the “Booty Dew”.

Shortcomings and amazingly cool dances aside I must point out the one thing that bonds us all together: The incredibly horrible feeling you get after dancing in a pair of uncomfortable but amazingly gorgeous shoes. Like the weather, foot pain is the one topic we can all relate too! We will all one day own a pair of orthotic shoes and gush about how comfortable they are! I mean, why not? For the past 30 years the 30’s babies have been jamming their feet into uncomfortable shoes so they look good! They deserve the right to hide their walking devices in a pair of shoes that are just as unattractive as they are comfortable.

When you get ready to go to the club, you have to have an outfit. This includes a pair of shoes. And while I think shoes are amazing I also have a bone to pick with them. How am I supposed to “get down with my bad self” if my feet feel like giant swollen marshmallows? I look lovely while standing, sitting, leaning and generally not walking. However, when actual movement such as dancing comes into play my feet fail me. I’m scared of tripping, what if I get to into the music and I fall, or worst what if I twist an ankle?!!

So, I set on a mission to solve this problem. Boy oh boy did I solve it! I have come to the conclusion that as a generation we must embrace orthotics as the go to club wear. I tested my theory. I gathered a pair of my aunt’s orthotic shoes, head phones and my MP3 player. I then closed and locked my bedroom door and began to dance. At first I felt ridiculous! Who grooves out in the middle of their bedroom but then…I had a moment of sheer blissful joy. My feet were not hurting; I could feel my ankles and guess what? Not once did I frantically try to support myself on my bookcase. To be fair… I put on a pair of heels and tried to dance… now when I say dance I mean stumble! And that is when my idea hit me: Orthotic shoes should dominate the club scene.

Orthotic shoes offer:
Peace of mind
Comfort
Full support
A better posture
The ability to bust out with all those amazing dance moves
And long term benefits into your own age

While heels offer:
Long term pain
Fear
And the inability to dance

So why oh why wouldn’t orthotic shoes be an acceptable pair of shoes to wear to the club? I tell you why! Denial.

Some might ask "Is she being serious?" Well I say.. "No." But I had you going for awhile didn't I? ;)

No Sexy Shoes for Cankle-sufferers?

Another confession - I read celebrity gossip. It's not because I like to gossip, it's for educational purposes, of course. Admit it, you do too!

Being a writer, I spend my days sitting in front of the computer. Not only is that bad for the posture, but aparantly it also causes Cankles - that is when the calves run into the feet without the narrowing effect of ankles.

Now, I do not have cankles yet, thanks to years of walking and bicycle riding (when I was much younger) but I certainly want to avoid it. It can happen to the best of us, as you will see when you check out celebrity gossip sites:  Cheryl Cole, Miley Cyrus, Mischa Barton, Natalie Portman and a range of other hotties.

While cankles can be inherited, they are also caused by a lack of exercise and circulation. Aparantly liposuction and other cankle surgery can help too. An LA based celebrity trainer, Ramona Braganza says that you can exercise them away.

If all those options are not do-able, you could do cankle-camouflage. A maxi-skirt is perfect. Obviously, you need to choose the right footwear to diminish the appearance of cankles. Gladiator sandals must be avoided at all costs, as must  any other dainty flats.

In winter, slim, high-heeled boots are perfect. Miley Cyrus is often seen in ankle (or is it cankle) boots. High heels with ankle straps or straps across the foot can help distract attention away from the cankles.

We all know that sodium causes the body to bulge in peculiar places, so go easy on the salt.

After reading all of this, I am not feeling too good. I am pretty much doing everything wrong and will have to make some lifestyle changes if I want to remain cankle free.

Do you have cankles? Do you hide them, or do you flaunt them?

The Sneakers of My Heart

Two years ago I was walking the aisle of Winners and spotted a shoe box that said “Coach”. So I ran to it obviously! And when I got there I ripped the top of the box off and found the most beautiful pair of Coach shoes. Now they are not heels but they are what I like to call “My strutting shoes”. I’m very proud of them. They were the best deal ever. Originally they were selling closer to 200 but got them for around 75$. So when I wear them I strut.
Without any further mumbo-jumbo:

Air Jordan Nike Heels?!

I've never been into basketball; instead I grew up playing tennis. I stayed mostly with Nike shoes, but really I just stuck with the tennis shoes that would help my feet glide across the court the best. When you are into sports you have to replace your athletic shoes quite frequently due to the use of them on a consistent basis. Later I gravitated towards Asics for running, but honestly, anything that looks fashionable while on my feet or has the color blue is good enough for me.

You see - I've always been one to incorporate fashion into everything, especially my shoes. I never bought just a boring pair of tennis or running shoes, I had to make sure they looked good. I think you would agree if you love fashion. It's hard to go running when you don't feel good about your feet, right? That's why I always make sure that I'm running, working out, or whatever sports related activity I am participating in, in style.

After I went to college I began to ran. I loved running so much that I ran in three 1/2 Marathons in the course of a few years, until I injured a muscle and made an unwise decision of continuing to run way too many miles  on an already injured leg. I haven't been running my 20 miles per week since. I admit I miss it a lot, but I think it was good to give my body some rest. Now I'm slowly getting back into it, even though I know it will take time, working out is worth it. Speaking of working out being worth it, what do you think of these?!

These, my friends, are Air Jordan High Heel Boots!! Can you believe it? I looove them. Not only for their style, but because I'm ecstatic that my love of tennis, running, and sports in general has been transformed into a work of art. This is one amazing pair of Air Jordan heels that I could wear on my feet over and over again without them being worn out like all of my other tennis shoes! Hopefully, that is, unless I wore them constantly. ;) Who would have thought?!

Now when I begin to miss tennis, which I haven't played in years by the way, or I begin to miss running, I might just have to consider going out and buying a pair of pumps like this. Who says you can't exercise with Air Jordan High Heel Boots instead? I might just give it a try and hopefully they will keep me from falling. What do you think of my new athletic, boots, heels, pumps, and it goes on and one... shoe want?

Weird and Wacky Blister Busters

I have a confession to make...

Bare Feet  and Blister Free

When I am at home, I don't like to wear shoes. If I do wear shoes at home, it always feels like I am in a hurry to go somewhere and I don't like to be in a hurry. In winter I prefer to wear my special slipper socks that I got for Mother's Day.

While many people in our little town go out barefoot, I am not quite that brave and I live to look hot by wearing strappy heels or other pretty shoes when I go to dinner, movies or wherever.  The problem is I then get blisters. I hate blisters!

So what will help? I did some research and found helpful tips. Hubby weighed in and told me that when he used to run marathons, he'd soak his feet in tannic acid or strong tea, twice a day in the two or three weeks before a marathon. This toughens the feet and prevents blisters.

Other suggestions included double-layering socks, synthetic  socks, padded socks and other unuseable "tips". Cornstarch and talcum powder should keep the feet dry. In the Army, they use heavy-duty antiperspirant.

I mean - imagine walking around in a sexy LBD and thick padded socks under strappy evening sandals! Unless of course you want to seem to float in the clouds (of baby powder)...

Jane won't have any blisters 

Oh well, as they say, "no pain, no gain". I decided to use the "prevention is better than cure" approach backwards and found some amazing blister-busting remedies. For me blisters don't only occur in shoes, but also when I cook. Unfortunately I love cooking and therefore it is a perpetual problem on my clumsy body.

Here are my tips:

#1:  Honey

Honey is soothing and has natural antibiotic properties. Slap it on the blister. It will become more runny from your body heat and drip off (messy story). When this happens, wipe it off and then apply ice to your blistered body part.  Repeat this until the pain is gone - about 3-4 times should suffice.

#2: Baby Bum Cream

Give back my bum cream!

I kid you not - it works for all kinds of skin ailments. I have a huge tub of baby bum cream (and there has been no baby in the house in almost 10 years).

Most bum creams contain zinc (which is excellent for those pesky spots that appear before an important date), but look for one with tea tree, chammomile and aloe.

I'm going to take this a step further and put the bum cream on before going out tonight and see how that works!

You're Invited

Mr. and Ms. Blog Reader

The honour of your noble presence is requested at the scene of fashion failure by

Danielle M.

You will be taken on an adventure through
the wonderfully confusing world of outfit coordination

It’s about 5:30pm on a Saturday evening. A month ago you received word that you were invited to a wonderful event that you’ve been looking forward to for months. The wonderful evening starts at 7:00pm. Two weeks ago you scurried through the mall looking for the perfect dress. And guess what?! You found the dress. You know the dress, oh boy you know the dress very well. It’s the kind of dress that hugs your curves (it seems almost magic…because sweetie this dress was MADE for you!), it’s the kind of dress that gives your body just enough “oomph” to turn heads and get a few smiles.

You’ve spent all afternoon getting ready. You put your hair up, because you wanted to project confidence as well as poise. Your make up is simple but your lips are a bold and beautiful red. Your eyes sparkle with just a hint of shimmer and your blush is barely there and you look divine. With just a spritz of perfume and a smile of self approval to the mirror you run downstairs to have a congratulatory glass of wine. You’ve done well; you look gorgeous, you have your dress all planned out and you have all night to drink, dance and enjoy. You look at the clock and it says 6:00pm. Your personal moment of celebration turned into a party hour. You run upstairs with only an hour to spare you put down your glass slowly, raise from your seat and walk to your bedroom. You pull out the magical dress and slip it on. You put on your gold necklace and matching earrings, you’ve decided against the bracelet because you feel it may take away from the exquisiteness of your dress. You smile again with a sense of inner approval and you head back downstairs… You grab your purse, coat and keys as you head out the door you feel a cold and rough feeling on the bottom of your feet. In a moment of panic you the flip flop goddess, the girl with the closet full of gladiator sandals, UGGS remembers one thing: YOU NEVER BOUGHT A PAIR OF SHOES TO GO WITH YOUR DRESS!!! YOU FORGOT A KEY PIECE OF THE OUTFIT: THE SHOES!!!

What would you do in this situation?

I’m 100% guilty of doing this. Usually I’ll just grab the closet pair of heels or flats that I can find. However, the “look” I was going for usually is compromised because of this. Have you ever been so wrapped up in other aspects of your outfit that you forget about what shoes you’re going to wear? How do you successfully pull different pieces together to make an outfit?

What Men Say About Our Shoes (when we are not around)

Horse Shoes or Horses' Shoes?

I was sitting at the tattersalls yesterday, waiting for Hubby to do his business. I was the only woman inside where the airconditioning was on. (Two other women sat outside in tights and rip-off Ugg boots in the blistering sun outside - not my scene.) I guess I was seen as "one of the boys" and that's how it happened that I overheard a conversation that made me smile. 

Five older gentlemen were sitting at the next table, with the one talking about his latest losing streak. He was down more than R1 000 ($152) in the last week. I was ready to grab hubby and drag him out of there by the ears at this point, but then the man looked at me with a sly smile and said:  "I will have to sell my wife's shoes this week!" and all the men at the table burst out laughing.

After an amused snicker, I realized that his wife would probably not be too amused had she heard that.

So my mind drifted to a recent survey that found that the average woman owns twenty pairs of shoes, of which more than half are barely touched. With the average pair costing about $59, ten percent of women admitted to spending nearly $1, 000 on shoes. Some of the shoes that they buy are too small, but too adorable to resist (Been there, done that!).

On the positive side, women look after their shoes. The average woman wears her shoes for 3 years before throwing it away - unlike some men I know who need new shoes every two months. 

Perhaps I should get hold of the man's wife and tell her that she could swap or sell her shoes, before her husband gambles her out of it!

Which Shoes Go Best With My New Dress?

Like Danielle, If The Shoe Doesn't Fit's intern recently mentioned, it is quite easy to have a glamorous outfit put together only to run out of time and put on the nearest shoes before running out the door. I'm guilty of this when I could be taking a lot more time putting together my outfit prior to leaving my home. If we are so particular with what shirt matches which skirt or pants, then why not be more particular with our shoes?

I think shoes deserve the utmost attention. Not only do we need to be comfortable while walking in them, shoes make their own fashion statement. You don't want to be caught during a night out with a pair of old shoes that are falling a part, now do we? No! So therefore I think we need to pay closer attention to what goes on our feet and how it coordinates with our outfit. Hence why I'm doing this post. I want to elicit help from my shoe lovers, of course.

I bought this new ruffle dress below and I absolutely adore it. However, how do I know what shoes go best with my new dress? The problem is there are just too many shoes to choose from! I think personally I would choose a pair of flats or pumps, but knowing me I might just slide on a pair of flip flops. So I created a collage with some recent shoes that are up for auction on the If The Shoe Doesn't Fit website and I'm dying to know which shoe you would choose. Help!

1. Cut-out ballerina nude Giuseppe Zanotti ballerina flats are darling because they look vintage, are flats (I love flats!), and they almost give the appearance of lace. Plus, because of their nude coloring, they essentially would go most any outfit. I LOVE these flats and I love that they are Giuseppe Zanotti too. :)

2. Steven by Steve Madden "Waren" High Heels Sandals are great because they are brown, another neutral shade. They also are wedge sandals, which give them a much needed height lift for some shorter gals. Plus the buckle gives much needed support - what do you think?!

3.  Cole Haan "Air Violet" Peeptoe Pumps are super sweet looking with their peep toes, lace, and bow. I like how these pumps would compliment the ruffles on the dress; both are super sweet and would look delicious together!

4. Vera Wang Lavender Label "Gillian" Jeweled Flats - I have to say are my favorite. The jewel is perfectly placed and the gray compliments the ruffled dress perfectly. I also love the bow and how it overlaps the jewel a bit. What a elegant pair of flats by Vera Wang!

5. Delman "Fate" Peeptoe Ballet Flat shoes are great if you just got a new pedicure because of the peep toe. Plus because they are black, they will also go with a variety of outfits. The design of the toe is very edgy, so I'm not sure if they would be the best choice with my ruffle outfit because it is more of an elegant and girlie look. Thoughts?

6. Madison Harding "Franklin" Strappy Sandals got me with their straps and buckles. I just LOVE the way they are designed. The beige color is also very pleasant and definitely got my attention as a fashionista. Or I try to be a fashionista anyway. ;)

So now that I've shown you some of my favorite shoe auctions this is when your help comes into play! What pair of shoes would you choose? The flats? The pumps? Or all of the above?!


OH my goodness...loving shoes is so hard. I never know which shoe direction to turn! :)

I can't wait to hear your advice and options. Thanks in advance!

Titanic's Unknown Child Identified by His Shoes

Titanic's Unknown Child

Some time ago, I watched the movie Titanic with my family (for the 10th time) as the kids are now "big enough" to understand the story. (Unfortunately, they no longer want to go on my much-anticipated Indian Ocean cruise). After this, my son asked his usual questions, which sent me Googling for answers and I came across an interesting article.

Many Titanic "enthusiasts" know that seven hundred of the 2200 passengers died in that tragic event, but not many know about the toddler whose body was found floating in the water a number of days after the tragic accident. The young boy was buried in a cemetery and on his tombstone, the words "Unknown Child" were inscribed as they did not know who he was.

About two years after the boy was identified, a  Canadian family donated a pair of shoes to the Maritime Museum, The shoes are reported to have belonged to the little tyke. The family claimed that their grandfather was responsible for looking after the dead bodies that were found after the sinking of the Titanic. The grandfather was a Sgt. Clarence Northover from the Halifax Police. Although he had been instructed to burn all the clothing that belonged to the dead people, he did not have the heart to destroy the tiny pair of leather shoes. It was only in 2002 that scientists were able to used up to date DNA  technology to put a name to this little boy. DNA testing revealed that he hailed from Finland and his name was  Eino Viljami Panula (13 months), based on dental records, but mitochondrial DNA molecule testing did not match that of the Panula family. It also did not match those of other victims.

The Sgt. wrote "Shoes of the only baby found on the Titanic" underneath the shoes and kept the shoes until he retired. While the records were consistent with that of city records, the shoes were found to have been too big for a boy of that age, which led to more mystery.

Furthermore, experts confirmed that the shoes were manufactured in Britain and not in Finland. The scientists then exhumed remains of the body  from 2001 and did further genetic testing.

After nearly 100 years, the results confirmed that the toddler was indeed not from Finland, but from the UK. He was 19 months old and his name was Sidney Leslie Goodwin. Visitors to the museum are moved by this story as they are able to see a pair of shoes that were worn by a little boy all those years back. While this story has a very human element to it, it does remind us that technology is indeed fallible.

However, a simple pair of shoes can tell us so much about a person and it can leave a footprint in time. This has made me wonder what my great-granddaugther would think one day, should she come across a pair of my old polkadot print booties. What footprints do you leave in time?

L-U-S-T

There comes a time when every woman must reveal her ammo. I realize that sounds cryptic so let me explain. When I was younger for the longest time I assumed my mom woke up looking like a million bucks. I always thought that “when I got big too!” I’d look just as great. I couldn’t see why not. Although, I always wondered who exactly made my mom so pretty but apparently they did a really good job so who was I to question?

Then at the age of thirteen I started to grow up and with that came the realization that being a woman is really an act. I wake up with less than fresh breath, my hair looks like a birds nest and my goodness does picking out an outfit take some serious calculations. But the real zinger here… are all the devices, contraptions or small itty bitty tiny things we can use to make ourselves look nothing like who we really are. You can push things up, down to the side and around. If you want cheek bones just add a touch of bronzer. No booty? There are pants for that! Too much booty? We can tame that! In need of longer legs? We can create the illusion that you have the legs of a giraffe!

What does this have to do with shoes? Well a lot. This past weekend I went on a mini-road trip and I ruined the illusion... I altered the concept of “lust” for one man. I’m sure he’ll tell his friends and men everywhere will gasp in shock. Or maybe this is an overreaction but… let’s pretend it’s not. Let’s pretend we live in a word where men have no idea what’s going on.
It all started when we went to the mall. We walked around for hours. By the time we left to go back to our hotel my feet were crying. As we slowly got ready and I mean slowly because I was limping around our hotel room I realized that I probably would NOT be able to walk to the restaurant. In fact I even requested that we take a cab back. So while I looked gorgeous to boot… I was limping. So there I was, this young twenty-something walking with a limp. So I grabbed his arm and tried to act like a lady. It didn’t work. So then I resorted to walking on the balls of my feet. Well that was more painful. Finally, I asked “would you mind if I walked bare foot?!” and that’s when it hit him. It’s painful walking in those things. (Note: I made it three city blocks before I complained.) His face said it all. He looked sorry for me. He looked less enthused… and to be very honest the illusion that I was this woman who pranced around effortlessly in my heels all day long while doing whatever it is he imagined was gone. And so he sighed with only a block to go and said… “Let’s take a cab.”

Tom & Katie: a match made in suede

My husband is a huge Tom Cruise fan. He says it's because of Tom's acting abilities, but I think it may have to do with the fact that Tom has the ability to..uhm - get his wife to obey him. (Seriously, what's this thing about men wanting their wives to obey them?) Even William couldn't get Kate to obey him.

Recently, Tom and Katie made the headlines when they were out on the town running some errands and visiting a restaurant. They looked the picture of marital bliss wearing jeans and very similar sunglasses and very similar suede shoes. While Katie's style was admittedly very feminine, there was no mistaking the fact that they were matching.

Tom has told the press before that little Suri is his personal stylist and I was wondering to myself as I looked at the picture whether this was Suri's idea or her parents'? Or did it just happen as it does when people spend a lot of time together?

I had a boss once who fancied himself a metro male and he had a penchant for the same colors that I did. We often ended up wearing the same colors:  jeans with a pink shirt one day, black trousers with a green shirt the next... It turned into something rather messy as you can imagine.

I also wondered how many women would match clothing with their partners and how far they would go. To be honest, in our house we do color-coordinate sometimes, but styles? We are too different!

President Obama's Shoes Do The Talking

After spending a few hours on the golf course on the weekend, President Barack Obama usually goes to the residence quarters of the White house. However, last Sunday he rushed straight to the West Wing offices. In retrospect, the fact that he had his golf shoes on should have raised a few eyebrows.

On Sunday, Obama only played 9 holes on the Andrews Air Force Base golf course, and not the usual 18 as he does on most weekends. The reporters who accompanied him assumed that his early departure had to do with the rainy, chilly weather.

The golf shoes in the Oval Office, the clenched jaw and tense look on his face should have been a clue that there was more to it than just the weather. The President was needed urgently for a top-secret meeting in which the final preparations for the Bin Laden operation were discussed.


In 2009 Obama made it onto the Vanity Fair Best Dressed list and revealed his favorite shoes to be Cole Haan dress shoes and white Asics sports shoes. His most special item was his Hart Shaffner Marx Suit with an inner pocket that was printed with the inscription "Specially Made for Barack Obama".

He is usually seen out and about wearing his Secret Service baseball cap, gray shirts and black sports pants, his Jorg Gray 6500 watch and Ray-Ban 3217 sunglasses. He loves shopping on the Secret Service shopping site (I guess he has not found ITSDF yet...)

President Obama says that he has not changed his approach to dressing much since becoming President, despite Michelle's requests. She says that he buys 5 of the same suits.

In addition to his now famous golf shoes, Obama once said that he owns only 4 pairs of shoes. I guess that after his announcement on Sunday night (and being a guy of course) he can get away with that.

Note to Pres. Obama:  It is true that shoes can tell you a lot about a person and now you know you have the world at your feet. Watch your step, unless you want everyone to know your every move. (every single pun intended!)

A use for my kids' trashed shoes!

Finally, a use for those used kids' shoes

I try to live "green" to the best of my ability, which unfortunately is not much. Sometimes convenience just really gets in the way of my (way in the future) grandkids and great-grandkids' futures.

See, in most parts of South Africa, recycling is not a big enough issue. Granted, at some of the shopping malls you will find a recycling bin station and the schools will have a recycling project when the sports season is over, but apart from that you're on your own.

But I actually do care about our planet, global warming and world-peace (no, I did not take that from my Miss. World speech, this is unique content). So it was with interest that I read about a company in Georgia that has devised a line of recycleable shoes.

That's right, the shoes are made from about 30% recycled materials, such as shoes that customers have worn and then returned to the company. If you don't want to send them back once they are worn out, you can put them in the curbside bin, as they are made from number 3 plastic.

The company has a virtually 0-waste policy, which means that they find ways to rework everything they are sent and not just parts of the shoes.

Shoes that are manufactured and remanufactured are said to be very comfortable. The range includes, clogs, slides, flipflops and more. Their shoes boast superior support for arches, massaging insoles and a number of other cool features. In addition to being vegan friendly, they are affordable too.

Nike has done something similar. Old shoes are ground up and used to manufacture zippers, running tracks or sneaker soles.

I found this to be rather cool and I may just take part in such a scheme, particularly with the kids' shoes as they get seriously messed up in the month or so that they actually fit before they are outgrown.