Before the shoeswere sandals. But in some regions, the shoes were first devised rather than the more comfortable and light sandals. Throughout the world, there are artifacts and strong evidences that sandals had been existing since human first inhabited earth. These evidences were not only found in the relics but may also be sighted in the similarities of terminology to connote something that is worn for feet covering. Take for example the Latin word sandalium, or the French sandale and even the Arabic andal. All these seem to be linked by a common idea of a sandal.

The variety of sandal types today attests to mans mastery over sandal making and the use he has found in the item. In the following sections of this article, we will discuss some of the most popular sandal types in the world. Most of the types mentioned here will only be discussed in brief since we will try to focus on the types of sandals traditional to Japanese culture alone.

espadrille – is a type of sandal characterized by the rope sole or rubber sole with a cloth covering for its upper section.

flip-flop – is Japanese in origin and is characterized by being backless. This sandal is held on the foot by means of a thong between the second toe and the big toe.

Gladiator- named after the sandals worn by gladiators of the Roman arenas, straps that are fastened to the flat sole to hold the foot in place characterizes this sandal.

huarache or huaraches – is a Mexican sandal with flat heels and woven leather thongs for straps.

scuffer – is usually worn as playshoes among children and as sportshoe among adults. Scuffers are frequently made out of lightweight materials and are characterized for their sturdy sole.

shoe – is a footwear that is patterned to fit the foot. Usually, the upper is made of leather, plastic or rubber and the sole is made out of much heavier and sturdier material.

talaria – is frequently mentioned in most Roman myths. This is a winged sandal worn by Hermes, a Roman god.

Zori or pusher – originally a Japanese, this is a sandal made of rubber sole and two straps that are held on either side which meets at the upper part between the big toe and the second finger.

Among these general types of sandals, the most popular types are the zori, the huarache and the gladiator.

Japanese sandals

The three of the basic Japanese sandals are the geta, tatami and the zori. Geta sandals are more commonly known among Americans due to the popularity of Geisha women images. There are varieties of geta sandals but two of the best-known are the vinyl and the wooden. The latter is worn during ordinary days while the vinyl geta is worn on occasion. Geta is named as such because of the sound (click clack) they produce when being walked. Read the rest of this entry »

Ben Franklin probably didn’t say “show me a grumpy man and I’ll show you a man with bad shoes”, but he should have. They say that shoes make the man, and they’re right on that one in more ways than one. Good, quality shoes do more than make you look good – they make you feel good. A pair of high quality shoes makes your feet happy, and when your feet are happy, the rest of you is in a much better frame of mind to deal with your day. Poorly made and ill-fitting shoes are at the root of many a miserable day, and here’s why.

Poorly made shoes hurt more than your feet.

Your feet are your skeleton’s foundation. When there’s a problem with the foundation of a building, the symptoms can show up in cracks in the walls or ceilings, floors that tilt in the wrong direction – even in electrical and plumbing problems. The same is true with your body. When your shoes don’t support your feet properly, your legs and hips and spine and shoulders and neck try to compensate. Taking any of those out of alignment can cause discomfort, pain and other problems.

You’re far more likely to notice the discomfort of things like bunions and blisters caused by rough seams, heel pain from poor support and generally aching feet from shoes that constrict them. Between the obvious pain caused by shoes that aren’t made well and the more subtle effects of poorly fit and low quality shoes, you can end up in constant low-level pain. Who can think clearly and be cheerful when their feet and their body are in pain?

How high quality shoes can help

Well-made, quality shoes like those made by Naot support your feet in a number of different ways. Naot shoes are designed to keep your feet happy. The heel cup is designed to keep your heels steady, preventing your ankles from tilting when you walk. The shank that runs from the heel to the ball of your foot gently encourages your feet to distribute your weight evenly. A roomy toe box gives your toes the room they need to move and grip the ground while you walk – even if they’re not actually in contact with the ground.

The materials that go into making up your shoes also make a big difference. Real leather breathes, wicking moisture away from your feet and letting air circulate around them. That means cooler feet, less chance of infection and a lot less stinky feet.

What to look for in quality shoes

Now that you know why quality shoes are important, let’s talk about how to choose a good pair of shoes that will support your feet – and your body – properly.

-First, look at the shoe.

Style may be important to your eye, but there are other things to look for. Are the seams straight and evenly stitched? Is the leather smooth and well-finished? Does the shoe LOOK well-made?

-Feel the shoe.

Take the shoe in both hands and try to twist it. It should have a little give, but not bend out of shape easily.
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An estimated three out of four Americans experience foot problems in their lifetime-and women have about four times as many foot problems as men.

Common foot ailments

A lot of women’s foot ailments are the result of poorly fitting shoes and high heels, although some sources are congenital. Some common problems include:

Bunions-Big toe joints go out of alignment and they become swollen and painful. Wearing narrow, pointed-toe footwear aggravates this condition.

Plantar fasciitis-An inflammation of the connective tissue, which runs from the heel to the ball of the foot, called plantar fascia, causing foot pain.

Metatarsalgia-Generalized pain in the forefoot area, often caused by wearing high-heeled, narrow-pointed shoes.

In general, feet are susceptible to fungal infections that can result in itching and burning. Fungal infections under toenails can make walking, standing and wearing shoes incredibly painful. Foot and toenail infections are often contagious, and can be spread on floors, on carpets and even in the bathtub or shower.

Heels and your feet

High heels have been known to cause knee pain, back pain as well as foot problems. Heels shorten calf muscles and prolonged wearing of heels causes changes to the shape of the feet and may impair normal foot function. Wearing of high-heeled shoes causes increased pressure buildup in the forefoot area. This results in forefoot pain and the formation of corns. Wearing a lower-heel shoe helps to distribute the pressure experienced by the foot.
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One of the greatest mysteries of life is the effort and money put into the purchase of baby clothing.

Infants are not bothered about the quality of their outfits. They will cry anyway, even if they are kitted in a Versace shirt!

Even this will not deter the average parent, they will still go out of their way to buy expensive baby items, chief among which are baby shoes.

Parents buy all kinds of baby shoes for their tots. From baby sneakers to little ballet shoes, name it and some babies have them.

The strange fact is these purchases were made with the perfect knowledge that the infants are not going to run on a track or attend dancing classes.

Though, the function of baby shoes is slightly different from those of adult shoes, they still share some basic similarities.

They need to protect the fragile feet, and hold up to crawling around, and possibly a bit of drool.

And while adult shoes go through much more than this, the fact still is, almost any baby shoe will hold up just fine when the baby is not yet walking. Read the rest of this entry »