Festin' with Feet First

Festival season is here! We are smack in the middle of festivals focused around music, dancing, eating, and fun. Many of the festivals are fast approaching, so below are some tips and tricks for the festivals coming up, including Hangout Fest this weekend in Gulf Shores, AL.

What to bring:
- A water bottle (preferably frozen) so you can refill and save a few bucks
- A plastic bag to protect your belongings if there’s any chance of rain in the forecast
- A folding chair (if permitted or necessary) - it’s tough to stand up for hours on end, even with comfortable shoes
- Sunblock! This is a must, even for those who don’t think they will burn
- An open mind - some of the best moments will be the ones you don’t expect
- Toilet paper in case the port-o-potties run out
- Hand sanitizer
- An appetite - there will be most likely be food vendors at many of the festivals that you won’t want to miss




What to wear:
We all want to be as cute and comfortable during festivals throughout the year, but keep in mind that your shoes might get a little dirty in the process. Wear an outfit that can stand the heat and shoes that will last for hours without killing your feet! Below are some of Feet First's festival suggestions.

TO PROTECT YOUR FACE FROM THE SUN

Onigo Large Sunhat

Magid 580 Zebra Straw Fedora Hat

TO SAVE YOUR FEET

Foot Petals Killer Cushionz 3/4 Insole

Foot Petals Amazing Arches Arch Support Cushions

TO CARRY YOUR STUFF

Magid PV-142S Large Striped Straw Tote 

 High Fashion Handbags 5621 Ostrich-Leather Oversized Tote

 Lodis 217AT Athena Mini Card Case

Magid P834S Straw Bucket Rope Tote

                                           
                                           

TO ACCESSORIZE

Escape From Paris Women's Antique Silver Stretch Cuff Bracelet

Sunglasses - there's dozens more at both Feet First locations

Caliente Company Women's Bow Hairclip

TO KEEP YOUR FEET CUTE AND COMFORTABLE

Naot Michele Slip On Comfort Sandal 

Feelgoodz Kinderz Comfort Flip Flop

Olukai Kumu Comfort Flip Flop

Lane Margaret Women's Cowboy Boot

Born Astrid Comfort Flip Flop Sandal

IN CASE IT RAINS

Nomad Puddles Tropics Women's Rubber Rainboot

Happy festin' from everyone at Feet First!

Going Global: An Around-the-World View of Shoes!

Good day, my fellow Fashionistas!  

Moni here, to provide a quick peek of some shoe styles around the globe, past and present! 

First stop, Scandinavia! Or what you might have thought was a traditional shoe only in Scandinavia but was actually a predominant shoe style throughout all Europe at one point in time, even in Italy and Greece!  It is also part of a dance culture in the United States here and now: 

The Clog!

I found this article on Zappos.com extremely informative, even the last paragraph about my shoe-nemesis, the swiss cheese style Croc.  Truth be told, its silhouette clearly resembles the traditional, wooden clog.   Contemporary clogs sport synthetic, leather, and fabric materials with rubber, cushioned insoles as opposed their to painted, wooden predecessors.  Here's a perfect example, which can be found at a Feet First Store near you:

Sanita Sille Women's Professional Printed Clog

Next: China!  Many of us who are aware of the tradition can't help but wonder how on earth foot binding was such a widely accepted and practiced custom for so many centuries and always puts into question the subjective nature of what is considered beautiful and the so-called adage, "beauty is pain, pain is beauty":

The Bow or Lotus Shoe

image provided by artsofasiacorp.com

image provided by top5s.net

Based on their delicate aesthetic alone, however, I don't think it would be far off to assume that the highly feminine nature of the bow and lotus shoes inspired the ornate, bejeweled, and intricately patterned flats and wedge heels we see today, only now equipped with the wisdom of a woman's foot shape being as nature intended!

Poetic Licence Arm Candy Floral Wedge in Blue

All Black Little Bow Women's Flat in Nude

Can you guess the oldest shoe silhouette in the world, tracing as far back as 4,000 B.C. Sumeria?  Everyone wore them, whether a person was royalty, a soldier, a lady of a household, or a farmer.   

It's a style that remains strong today, especially in warmer, more tropical climates like New Orleans around Jazz Fest time ;)

I present to you, Fashionistas, the Sandal!

image provided by iamawkwardlyunique.blogspot.com

Here's my Feet First pick! Stop on by and get yourself a pair today!

Sam Edelman Ginger Sandal

 

That's all, folks! I hope you enjoyed this hopefully informative and inspirational quick trip around the shoe-globe!  

Happy Jazz Fest, and of course, Happy Shopping! xo

Poetic LIcense + Nicole Trunk Show: April 21-22, 2012

What woman doesn't love a trunk show? I can't think of of a single one! The Poetic Licence Trunk Show featuring Nicole is this Saturday and Sunday during the regular Magazine Street store hours. National sales representatives will be here with all types of amazing samples. This is a can't miss event for those of you who want to special order any spring and even summer and fall 2012 styles from both companies. Think of it as a VIP sneak peek for all the fabulous fashionistas out there. And, as always, the event will serve up complimentary refreshments and loads of fun!

About Poetic Licence

[Behave Yourself Floral Wedge]

Their collections celebrate all women, providing style and comfort for all ages with vintage-style, beautiful shoes. The brand has a great combination of summer sandals, funky patterns, and classy evening shoes. Each shoe is one part sexy, one part unique, and one part whimsical. Poetic Licence shoes are perfect for the girl who wants her shoes to make a statement on their own.

[Girl About Town Heel, Orient Express Heel]

About Nicole

When I think of Nicole shoes, I think cute and comfortable. Slightly different than the Poetic Licence mixture, Nicole shoes are one part stylish, one part comfort, one part fun, and one part versatile. With a wide selection of pumps, sandals, boots, and flats, Nicole shoes are made to fit any woman's style. I think of them as the ideal shoe for the busy gal because of their versatility and comfort. One minute you'll be at the office and the next you'll be out on the town for girls' night.

[From left to right: Pout Micro-Wedge Espadrille, Petals Flower Sandal, Peacekeeper Gladiator Sandal]

And remember, ladies, this is just a small sampling of what you will be able to see this weekend. The FedEx guy just dropped off three HUGE boxes of samples!

See y'all this weekend!

Comfort AND Style: Born, Naot, & Wolky!

Admit it.  Adjectives like sexy, flirty, or sophisticated NEVER come to mind when you think of shoes built for ‘form’ and ‘function.’  You more than likely envision a simple pair of rubber-soled flats (or any kind of slip-on shoe for that matter) or your favorite pair of worn-in sneakers, am I right? 

Or how about a sneaker vending machine - why not?

image provided by inventorspot.com

The UK seems to be a few years ahead of the foot comfort curve according this interesting advertisement, but allow me to speak from my own experience and confess that I more often than not go for the super-cute shoe that so happens also be reasonably comfy as opposed to a shoe that’s designed with comfort and support as its main aesthetic.

Here’s what I should imagine when someone tells me a shoe is comfortable:

-Thick, high quality inner lining

-Excellent arch support for all day comfort a.k.a. au revoir to my midday slip-off ritual!

-Solid traction so I never have to worry about slipping or sliding on different floor surfaces

-A simple but versatile silhouette

-Zero compromise required in taking good care of my feet for a pair of shoes

Behold! My Elysian Fields of footwear, 

the Born Myndy Floral Comfort Demi-Wedge!

It's a match made in heaven with a cute pair of shorts, jeans, a flirty skirt, or a sundress!  An adorable shoe I don't have to kill my feet to look good while wearing, Born is renown for being both comfortable and stylish!

Here’s what I actually imagine when someone tells me a shoe is comfortable:

-I bet it’s something my mom would wear (sorry, mom)…

-Will that even go with anything in my wardrobe?

-Who thought that shape would flatter someone’s foot?

-Snooze Fest worthy color and/or pattern

-It might be comfortable, and although I’m a professional pedestrian, I'm a theatre artist, and I can never afford to look like Frumps McGee!

Now don’t get me wrong, they actually have some pretty cute versions of this line for the ladies, but my life as well as this post is A CROC FREE ZONE!

image provided by littlerubbershoes.com

My dear Fashionistas, I’m here to enlighten you with helpful suggestions on comfortable footwear that do not entail having to rely on plastic, technicolor Swiss!  But, as always, the proof is in the Feet First perusal pudding, so let’s get to it, shall we?

Some of you might have caught the Born + Naot Trunk Show last weekend at our Magazine Street location.  If you suffered from the misfortune of missing it, here’s a peek!

Feet First Stores @ Magazine St

Since I started with my top pick shoe from the Born line, I'll continue with a couple of other options from the same brand:

Featured in both red and blue in the bottom-right foreground of the trunk show image above,

 I present to you, the Sitton Comfort Espadrille Flat by Born!

Take a look at its product details, and you'll see why this flat is a totally versatile silhouette that can go far with your wardrobe and is a Spring through Sumer 2012 must-have! Either color option will not only give you that signature color pop, your feet will love you for it!

Have you peeped the adorable 'Spring Fling' cover page for our Facebook Page yet?  

If so, then you've spotted the
Kaspin Comfort Platform Wedge by Born!  

I normally find shoes with height a little intimidating since I'm already tall to begin with, but it's hard to resist a shoe that manages to both extend and flatter your legs while also providing balanced and comfortable support!  Please note the metallic sheen and earthy texture that we love oh-so well!

Now, onto the Israeli brand I always have to spell out phonetically to remember: NAOT (NAY-OTT)!

At first glance, they don't lend much to the imagination, and I have a hard time seeing myself in a pair. However, after visiting Naot's Official Website and seeing how sophisticated they look when worn, there might be hope for me yet!  Here are a couple that I've got my eye on currently:

The Naot Dorinth Women's Sandal + The Naot Elinor Women's Sandal

I'm not into backless/strapless sandals, so these are ideal, and the thickness and durability of the footbed and  excellent quality of the material overall makes either one a very wise investment!

To top off this entry, I leave you with a shoe that is more than meets the eye:

The Wolky Ballet Leather Comfort Flat

There's an inexplicably subtle charm to the silhouette of this ballet flat.  Maybe it speaks to the hardcore pedestrian in me; here's a shoe that looks like it could handle my day-to-day while sporting a classic, Euro look.  They would be great with a pair of slacks for work, my favorite pair of skinny jeans, or with a brightly patterned skirt when I'm out and about! Being relatively unfamiliar with the line, I found Wolky's Official Site extremely informative, so I highly recommend it!

Which leads to my plug of a possible future post: 

Snippets of shoe styles across the globe, past to present!

Oh, yes, the gears are already turning...

image provided by beaufainstreet.blogspot.com

In the mean time, may our April showers bring Jazz Fest flowers!  Happy Shopping! xo