Footnotes - shopping and caring for shoes
Essence
Jan, 1991
The exotic stands out in designers' "footnotes" this spring: There is a strong swing toward fabric-covered shoes. Leading the way are nubby textures, floral or bright prints, and cultural patterns such as those used in these classic pumps, made of mud cloth by the master cobbler at our own Baobab Tree, N.Y.C. Unexpected combinations such as linen and leather on silklike fabric and bicolor or tricolor mixtures bring added excitement to pumps. Skin is exposed: lots of open toes and sling-backs with high and low heels and bold, strapped sandals and mules in see-through vinyl. Shells, starfish and other gifts from the sea come on shore as out-of-the-ordinary embellishments, and metallics shine on, sometimes pearlized.
Getting a perfect fit
1 Shop for shoes either in the afternoon or after walking for several hours.
2 If the shoe doesn't fit your larger foot comfortably, don't buy it no matter what the salesperson promises.
3 In the store, try shoes out by walking on a hard, smooth surface instead of a cushiony carpet.
4 To get the most comfortable fit, buy shoes with flexible soles that will move with your feet.
5 Look for flexibility in the ball area of the shoe, and make sure the widest part of your foot fits in this area.
6 Toes should be able to wiggle in the toe box; there should be half an inch of space between your longest toe and the tip of the shoe.
SHOE SHOPPING
Imported shoes are sized differently from those manufactured in the United States. Below is a comparative chart for women's shoe sizes in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom.
| U.S. | EUROPE | U.K. |
| 4 | 35 | 2 1/2 |
| 4 1/2 | 35 1/2 | 3 |
| 5 | 36 | 3 1/2 |
| 5 1/2 | 37 | 4 |
| 6 | 37 1/2 | 4 1/2 |
| 6 1/2 | 38 | 5 |
| 7 | 39 | 5 1/2 |
| 7 1/2 | 39 1/2 | 6 |
| 8 | 40 | 6 1/2 |
| 8 1/2 | 40 1/2 | 7 |
| 9 | 41 | 7 1/2 |
| 9 1/2 | 42 | 8 |
| 10 | 42 1/2 | 8 1/2 |
| 10 1/2 | 43 | 9 |
| 11 | 44 | 9 1/2 |
| 11 1/2 | 44 1/2 | 10 |
| 12 | 45 | 10 1/2 |
| 12 1/2 | na | 11 |
| 13 | na | 11 1/2 |
CARING FOR YOUR SHOES
Let them rest. Change your shoes often so they can air out and perspiration can dry. Using shoe trees when you're not wearing shoes can double their life.
Dry them naturally. Never dry shoes artificially (fans, heaters and so on) after they've gotten wet.
Protect the heels. Don't wear shoes down to the actual heel. Such abuse ruins the leather, and the shoes may be beyond repair. Rubber taps don't make noise and are real shoe savers.
Le them breathe. Suede and leather shoes will suffocate if you wrap them in plastic. Instead, keep them in boxes or on shelves.
Maintain them daily. Brush or wipe all shoes after each wearing.
Touch them up. Treat leather and suede shoes with a protectant before wearing, to buffer them from scuffs, dirt, water, salt and spilled liquids.
Care for cloth. Protect fabric shoes with either Scotchguard Fabric Protector or a silicone-based water repellent. Both allow you to blot off spills before they penetrate the fabric.
Keep them shining. Most important, keep shoes polished. It's the best thing you can do for maintenance. Suggested reading on shoe care: How to Buy Great Shoes That Fit by Scott Norman. Prince Paperbacks/Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, 1988.
COPYRIGHT 1991 Essence Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
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