Thanks to Toms, a shoe company with a mission, Mycoskie is able to share shoes with those children around the world who have none.  Toms business model is a One for One plan:  for each pair of Toms purchased, a pair is given for free to a child in need somewhere in the world.  This makes sense globally and economically.  I first learned about Toms on direct tv while viewing the following clip, and I want to share this with you.

Only in a dream,right?  Not quite.  There are many shoe companies out there right now making big bucks off of shoes that supposedly help do the shaping for you.  These fitness shoes are said to be designed to make your legs really work even when you are just simply running errands or walk around.

What do I think of these shoes?  I think it’s all a scam to get in on some of the profits that weight loss supplements, videos, and pills make each and every year from consumers willing to try anything but a healthy diet and exercise.

Turns out I wasn’t so wrong either.  Check out the infographic below to see how these toning shoes ranked against typical athletic shoes.

My husband is a wonderful man.  He has a warm heart and a great smile.  He is not an unfashionable guy and he likes shopping, but his wardrobe is pretty much just dress slacks and golf shirts.  I am okay with that, I mean he does work at a golf course.  The thing is his shoes are just awful.  He has always just bought a pair of work shoes from a cheap show store and worn them until they get holes in them.  I am a bit of a shoe snob so this has bothered me for some time.  Luckily, this all changed just yesterday.

It was time for him to get new work shoes.  Instead of going to the huge shoe dump as I call it, I told him we were going to the department store to get him some new kicks.  At first he was not convinced that paying more for a nice pair of shoes would be necessary, and when I showed him the trendy Clarks Desert boot he was still unsure.

This was going to take some work on my part.  He knows I know shoes, so why didn’t he trust the fact that I know that all the men are wearing these?  I told him he had to sit down and try them on to see what I was talking about.  He obliged and when the shoes were on the look on his face said it all.  The shoes looked good.  They looked real good.

When we got home last night, he was going through his clothes to see what kind of outfits he could create to wear with his new shoes.  Finally, golf shirts might only be for the course!  And today he mentioned that he saw a picture of Channing Tatum wearing similar shoes so he knows that they are really in style (even though I already told him so).  So thanks to just one pair of great shoes, my husband found his style.

According to some experts, running shoes may be doing you more harm than good.  A shoe so specialized, like an advanced system from adt home security, should simply work as advertised.  So often, however, this is not the case.  Some people have very different shaped arches and toes, and not all running shoes are suitable for all people.  It can also be true that a running shoe diverges too far from the natural shape and step of the human foot, potentially contributing to injuries that might not occur were one not wearing the shoes.  Here is some info:

The Stacked Heel. Easy to wear and stylish, the boot with a stacked heel adds some subtle hints of the 1970s.  Pair these with some skinny jeans or a skirt for a chic look.

This boot is from Ann Taylor and it is the Lavinia Pull-Up High Heel Boot.

The Ankle Wedge. Anything but classic and simple, an ankle wedge boot gives you a fearless and edgy look that will get you noticed.  It’s hard not to feel confident when pairing shoes like this with a sleek outfit.

For more spice, find a pair with a peep toe.

The Buckled or Harness Boot. Oh hi, buckles!  These boots are all around fun, am I right?  With some skinny jeans and a classic coat, these boots speak for themselves.

Leave the motorcycle jacket at home though when wearing these.  Subtle biker babe is okay, but too many buckles just won’t work.

The Riding Boot. Classic, chic, and timeless.  They can be black or brown, but the riding boot style will be here forever.  Trousers, dresses, and more can be worn with these bad boys of your feet.

If you are looking to get boots with stay power as far as trends are concerned, this is definitely the way to go.

What style boot is your favorite for this season?  I’m loving the riding boots for sure, but the buckle boots are certainly in a close second.  Love!

Here is one entertaining video presentation demonstrating how it is done.  It is set to calming Japanese music.  There are no verbal instructions.  You simply watch and observe as the music fills your mind and spirit.  Here, you can see more instructional material: Instructables

Anyway, since shoes are a necessity if you want to keep your feet from becoming dirty and calloused, and you absolutely must have them if you have any intention of working, eating, or grocery shopping, etc. I think we should take some time to think about shoes.  Whatever type of shoe you love, just ponder over it in your head for a bit.  Do you see Christina Louboutins dancing around?  Maybe you see Air Jordans or Toms shoes.  Whoever you are, you have to have a favorite shoe.

You can tell a lot about a person by the type of shoes he or she wears, and it has been that way since the beginning of time.  Let’s take a trip and a look back at shoes.

I thought that it was interesting to see how different online shopping habits are between men and women. There are dramatic changes between the genders when regarding online shopping. Surprisingly men are the big spenders when it comes to online shopping. It’s thought that they buy more items at once opposed to women who buy small amounts of things more often.

The next time that you go to do some online shopping think about your habits that you have when you shop. At what age did you shop the most? How much do you normally spend? What time do you make your online purchases? These questions had never entered my head, how about yours? You might fit right in to the stereotype of your gender or you might be a part of the outlyers in the set of data.

I wonder how men and women differ when making a buying decision about satellite television?

A while back I was looking for a pair of shoes for a special occasion while I was at the mall one day.  I found the most fabulous pair of 4 inch peep toe heels with black and pink patent leather.  The heel was the perfect height and it’s shape wasn’t odd looking like some shoes that I think of as older women’s shoes, where the heel comes straight down from the back (I think you know what I’m talking about).  The colors were a perfect match for the dress I planned to wear and platform was just enough to give them some kick without looking like I belonged in a cage under strobe lights.  Overall, it was a very successful purchase so I was surprised to see the less than flattering image of these exact shoes a few weeks later on the store’s website.  If I had been doing that same shoe search online, I never would have chosen the pair because the length looked oddly disproportioned and not flattering for any foot.  As I stared at the image, I tried desperately to figure out some sort of correlation between what I liked about the shoes and what seemed so off about them in the photo.  I couldn’t come up with any solid answer.

It stands to reason that trying a pair of shoes on first is the best way to know if the style is right for you, but I challenge you to figure out exactly what it is about those online images that doesn’t exactly coincide. Because it seems to me that the image should justly reflect what one would see when they glance at a table in a shoe store and take a snapshot in the mind of what that shoe looks like.  Once you’ve figured it out, the key to simpler online shopping will fall in your lap! But please don’t forget to share any discoveries!

Everyone has the idea of the perfect shoe in their own minds. While some people are more concerned with looks, others turn to comfort. There are so many different types of shoes to choose from that finding the perfect pair is something to celebrate!

Flats. They are one of the up and coming fashion pieces that are found in the stores today. Some people find that flats are the perfect complement to their outfit. They don’t add height for those that are worried about being to tall, and they complement a petite figure as well. Some flats are very plain and business like while others are colorful and full of glitz and glam. I prefer flats on smaller people because it complements their shape. Small people have the advantage of wearing just about anything that they want as far as shoes. Taller people naturally have larger feet which can look strange in flats when paired with the wrong outfit. On the other hand, if you are tall and don’t want to be any taller find a great outfit and wear your flats proudly. Stat away from skinny jeans and shorts with flats.

Wedges. They are one of my favorite fashion statements. They come in a large variety of styles and heights. Wedges are great if you want a cute creative heel that will be comfortable throughout the day and walking around. If you are in love with heels but aren’t very stable on stiletto’s, give wedges a try.

Pumps and Stilettos. There is nothing more amazing than a gorgeous pair of stilettos. They are the ideal shoe for fashion statements. They come in creative colors, funky patterns and strapy designs. Although everyone loves a pair of stilettos it’s important to make sure that they are comfortable enough to wear for a day or night.

The next time you are therapy shopping or it’s just time to get some new things, never overlook the most important accessory of all… Shoes!