Put a little Spring into your wardrobe

Nature provides a pallet of colors that can help us choose garments that go together. Spring shows us how well bright Hyacinth pinks and Forsythia yellows go together. Soft lavenders and greens complement each other, and a light pink crab apple blossom looks great with a brown trunk. Take a walk in the spring time, outside through some gardens or in neighborhoods where there are lots of blooming shrubs and trees.

Then go walking through the clothing store, catalogs, or look online keeping in mind these colors of spring. Mix and match or find a print or plaid with the colors that imitate nature. Accessorize with inexpensive hand bags and jewelry or other accessories that can make an outfit fun. And don’t forget comfortable shoes that allow you to keep a twinkle in your eye and smile on your face which is the most attractive piece of your ensemble.

Maine Warmers provides foot warmers to help your tired aching feet and help you feel better.

Singing "Big Foot Blues" looking for shoes

I feel a little like Cinderella’s sister when I try to find on shoes that fit well and don’t look like skis. I look at all of those dainty little shoes for women and think none of them will fit me, so for the most part, I have stopped looking. I know of only one local shoe store that carries my size, and even their suppliers have cut back on providing long, narrow styles.

But, I recently came across the TOG SHOP catalog that carries 11 narrow sandals in nice looking styles. The two brand names are Soft Spots and Propét.  They are a bit pricey, but a better shoe will last longer, feel and age better, and if they are a basic color, will go with a variety of clothes. Check out these stylish, sexy sandals -- whether you have large feet or small -- without the heels, to help you manage your spring wardrobe.

Shoes can make or break an outfit, but in making a fashion statement we don’t want to break a leg wearing spiky heels.  Protecting one’s feet from the devastating, long-term effects of high heels is paramount in my mind. Women want to have fun and look good in the process.

If your feet are tired and sore after being on them all day even in flats, heat up a simple Back Warmer from Maine Warmers and place your feet on top of it. It’s an inexpensive, easy way to relax and soothe those achy feet and a fun way to feel better.

More Fun in Flats

As women grow older they don’t feel the need to wear high heels like they did when they were younger.  If their feet are not damaged badly from wearing heels at an earlier age, then they’ll enjoy being more active as they age with less responsibility of supporting families and child rearing.

Toe-crunchers –- another name for high heels (because they force the weight of the body down onto the ball of the feet and toes), can cause several kinds of foot ailments that might not show up for years. But at the end of each day the stress on the feet can cause one –- even younger women -- to be too tired to want to do anything physical.

Check out these cute flats for fall from DSW. They go well with black or gray pants, skirt, or casual black dress. An autumn colored blouse, scarf or jewelry accent can be provocative and attention grabbing.

If you have sore tired feet at the end of the day you might check out a pair of foot warmers from Maine Warmers.  If you want something less confining and less expensive, consider their extra-large Back Warmers or their traditional Back Warmers for warmth and comfort. These items will also provide soothing relaxation for sore back muscles or abdominal cramps, and the covers can easily be removed and laundered.

Flirty in Flats

Photo by Peter Griffin

One Friday afternoon in summer, just after 5 PM, I watched two women wearing high heels as they walked their cars in a parking lot.  From their expressions and body language I knew they couldn’t wait to slide into their cars and take those shoes off.

On the same block I saw a young man (twenty-something), relaxed with his tie loosened and his sport coat flung over his shoulder. He was not watching to make sure his heel didn’t land in a wide crack in the sidewalk or on a stone or worry that his tired ankle might suddenly turn, causing a fall.

Women can look just as nice in flats as they do in heels, but many women want to look sexy and think heels are the way to do it. I think most men think women who are in good shape, and give them attention are sexy, and that it has less to do with high heels than it has to do with personality and chemistry. Men who think women have to wear high heels to be sexy are probably looking only for sex.

There are some sexy looking flats available in stores and online – and a smile is more flirty than a frown. Let us know your favorite place to find fashionably flat shoes.

If your feet are hot and tired from being on them all day, try placing them on a Back Warmer, (hot or cold) or in a pair of Foot Warmers. Maine Warmers makes a variety of microwave heating pads that double as ice packs when frozen. The cold is gentle and soothing -- not harsh like ice cubes. When you need warmth to relieve tired muscles, you can heat the Warmer in a microwave oven for a minute and a half, and relax.

Flat Shoes for Short Women

Women who are short often wear heels to give themselves a few inches in height.  If every woman wore high heels, then a shorter woman would still look short in comparison -- negating the need for heels.

Focusing on great posture and clothes that create a long vertical line may be more satisfying to women who are short than wearing high heels. Plus as women age, damage from wearing high heels presents itself in ugly ways, like bunions, Metatarsalgia, Morton's Neuroma, and other foot problems. Added to those are all of the maladies related to falls from wearing heels.

Being short won't make people like you less or more. Demeanor, attitude, and enthusiasm all contribute to one's persona. A positive outlook, a genuine concern and respect for other people, and good sense of humor will earn a woman lots of friends -- both male and female.

Women can take charge of their health to feel stronger, physically as well as emotionally. Shopping for clothes that feel and look good is more fun when a woman is in the best shape she can be. And fashions should be fun, not make a woman self-conscious about her height.

When friends are critical of a woman who wears flat shoes it may be time to stand up and tell it like it is. Information is available on the Mayo Clinic Web site. This article is about the causes of Metatarsalgia. Other foot problems, symptoms, causes, risk factors, treatments, and prevention are listed for each condition.

To make onesself look a bit taller, try an outfit that is one color and has a v-neck. Avoid horizontal lines, but remember there isn't a one size fits all solution to fashion. Enjoy the process, because the alternative is to be miserable, and that doesn't make anyone look good.

If your feet are cold from going barefoot on a cold floor, from being outside in frigid temperatures, or from Reynaud's Syndrome, try warming them on a microwave heating pad from Maine Warmers. Their extra long Neck Warmer will fold around the feet and provide soothing relief for cold feet. Their Foot Warmers make the perfect gift for someone with perpetually cold feet.

Are high heels on women sexy?

After my gym class, in the locker room, as a bunch of us talked, I asked, "Why do women wear heels?"

"It makes them look sexy," was the answer.

Do men think women in heels are more sexy than women who are dressed beautifully but wearing flat shoes? Is it the heels? Or is it the outfit that makes a woman feel and look sexy? Has advertising, over the years, caused us to think high heels on women are sexy?

I am not out to change people's minds about what they feel is sexy. But I would like to explore fashions that help women feel and look feminine and allow them to wear shoes that do not cause health problems.

I often receive calls from people who have terribly painful feet -- from either working on them all day or from poor circulation. Some have had surgery to correct the damage done by wearing heels and need something to help improve circulation and provide warmth.

Maine Warmers' microwave heat packs can help increase blood circulation and warm those chilly piggies. Foot Warmers provide soothing heat and relief for sore tired feet. A Back Warmer  offers comforting heat with a lower price tag. If you need to reduce swelling or to cool your feet, place the "Warmer" in a plastic bag and freeze for a few hours. The coolness is gentle -- not harsh like ice cubes.

Creating a line that shows off the right curves

Looking and feeling fantastic in fashionable clothing takes time, consideration, and chemistry; shape, line, color, texture, form, and value are the elements that go into any piece of art.  Design principles of unity, balance, proportion, repetition or rhythm and movement also apply.

Putting together a "look" requires several articles of clothing --  dresses, skirts, pants, shoes, jewelry, stockings, hand bags, belts, sweaters, jackets, shawls, coats -- that together, form an image.

Creating a pleasing line is critical, as is keeping a smile. Every woman has a different body shape. Making the most of that shape – showing off the right curves – is the goal. Women have naturally curvy bodies, and to allow those curves to be seen through style adds to the attractiveness and feel.

Maintaining a good body shape helps open the dressing room door to more clothing options and making clothing choices easier. Exercise is critical.

Wearing comfortable clothing is simply better for your health and well-being. It helps you smile more -- the most important part of any outfit.

If your feet are sore from shopping and trying on lots of clothes, try putting your feet on a Back Warmer. The heat from a Maine Warmer will help soothe sore, tired muscles. Or try a pair of Foot Warmers.