Pose for Your Toes and Yoga-Inspired Footwear
By Meghan Cass
Do you practice yoga?
According to a Yoga Journal study from 2008, more than 15 million Americans regularly take to the mat, and 72 percent of American yogis are women!
For this Comfortista, the local yoga studio is my home away from home. It’s where I go to care for my body, mind and spirit amidst the craziness of New York City. For the month of September – which was National Yoga Month – I decided to spend four weeks dedicating my practice to my toes, heels, soles, ankles and insteps. And boy did I need it. My exercise routine, combined with pavement pounding in high heels and the strain left over from summer’s flimsy flip-flops had my feet begging for mercy. It was time for some serious tootsie TLC.
I began reconnecting with my feet in Tadasana (or Mountain Pose) to establish a grounded, balanced stance. I focused on rooting my feet into the earth while simultaneously feeling my body lift up all the way up through to the crown of my head.
I spent serene moments in Virasana (Hero Pose) stretching the tops of my feet and pushed back into Downward-Facing Dog to elongate my arches, while drawing in deep fluid breathes to relax into the sometimes strong sensations.
In standing poses like the Warrior I and Warrior II I focused on grounding through all four corners of my feet, finding space between each of my toes and feeling their unique touch points on the mat (not as easy as it sounds!).
The result? After a few weeks of attention and intention, my soles are feeling stronger and more flexible and less crampy and stiff. Even during everyday walking, it feels as if my feet are actually operating smarter. Or maybe I’m just more mindful of the 26 bones, 33 joints, and 100+ muscles, tendons and ligaments that make up a single human foot. There’s a lot of potential in our barking dogs!
And so it’s no surprise that many wellness-focused brands are tapping into the wisdom of yoga to create smart, therapeutic footwear and holistic accessories that encourage similar foot health benefits off the mat.
The super comfortable Toe Sox Yoga/Pilates Socks has a five-toe construction for freedom of movement and a slip-resistant raised tread for easy gripping, resulting in improved posture and alignment (I love these for padding around at home – especially in chic pink and grey).
Happy Feet’s Original Foot Alignment Socks help harshed feet recover with plush cushioned toe dividers that feel luxuriously supportive.
And just like the yoga studio props that help to relax the body in restorative poses or achieve alignment in challenging postures, Gel Flex Toe Stretchers gently manipulate your feet into a therapeutic stretched state while you chill out and breathe. (Try them during a warm bath for an especially soothing experience.)
Finally, Beech’s Yoga Sandals features comfortable toe separators that increase mobility in the entire foot and evenly distribute body weight while you walk, leading to improved posture and balance.
Consider me converted. But what about you? What do you do to make your feet feel OM-azing? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts and ideas!
5 Reasons to Love Mary Janes this Fall
By Meghan Cass
It’s a familiar shoe you’ve known since childhood: the iconic Mary Jane, traditionally crafted from black patent leather with a round toe and buckled ankle strap. And while you may no longer pair them with pinafores and pink tights, Comfortista is happy to report that designers of all kinds – from outdoor experts to the makers of ladylike pumps – were inspired this season by the classic shoe. Not yet convinced?
Here are Comfortista’s top five reasons to fall in love with this cute and comfy classic:
1. Mary Janes rock in RED.
Whether in scarlet, wine, brick or rust, rosy hues are currently dominating fall fashion palettes. (Check out this red-themed slide show from Elle.com for inspiration!) There are plenty of beautiful, flame-toned Mary Janes on the market right now including SoftSpots Posey in crimson and Hush Puppies Gyneth in dark red suede. These whimsical, romantic styles let you live out your ruby slipper fantasies with comfort and sophistication.
2. Mary Janes bring feminine appeal to performance-driven styles
One of the Mary Jane’s greatest assets is the ability make serious comfort, outdoor and occupational shoes look pretty. Check out how MJ’s silhouette softens and sweetens looks like Merrell’s Mimosa Emme or Dansko’s Savanna Mary Jane. And the Alice Mary Jane from Crocs Work manages to look down right dainty thanks to smooth lines and a refined ankle strap.
3. Mary Janes add comfort and functionality to ladylike pumps
The same features that make MJ’s popular for kids (rounded toes, secure ankle straps) make them popular among adult comfortistas as well! Born’s Davina Mary Jane pumps look elegant and tailored, yet provide cushioning and flexibility that’s hard to find in a 3″ heel. Likewise, Naturalizer’s Driven Mary Jane Pump is held in place with a thin, adjustable strap across the instep so you never lose your footing.
4. Mary Janes showcase your socks
If it suits your style and personality, take advantage of the low vamp construction of casual, earthy Mary Janes like Aerosoles Baltic Sea and Clarks Unstructured Un.Cap and express yourself with chic socks and hosiery. Smartwool has amazing striped, polka dotted and fairisle patterns that can’t help but elevate your mood.
5. Mary Janes are a design classic
Trends come and go, but Comfortista believes in a footwear wardrobe built around timeless shoes that suit your lifestyle. That’s why a classic, essential Mary Jane never looks out of place. Looking to build out your collection of modern classics? You can’t go wrong with the Hush Puppies Imperial or Allison Mary Janes from Drew.
Share your Mary Jane stories with Comfortista in the comments section below and shop all the styles at FootSmart.com.
Trend Report: Cool, Casual Clogs
By Meghan Cass
Move over, sandals! September is here, and it’s time to make room in our wardrobes for this season’s comfy clogs!
No doubt many comfortistas out there have long been on the clog bandwagon, but thanks to the current 1970s influence on fashion, this retro-chic shoe style is having a renaissance! Today’s comfort clogs run the gamut from sporty and modern to feminine and refined, while some closely reference their vintage European heritage (think real wooden soles and earth toned-leather). We rounded up some of our top picks for fall, and our best tips on how to make wear them with style and grace:
Orthaheel’s Melissa Clog is a soft, sweet take on the clog look. In addition to its alignment-enhancing design, it features an artsy floral-embossed upper and comes in a romantic wineberry hue. And you gotta love low maintaince – simply wipe the leatherette upper with a damp cloth and they’re as good as new.
- The forward-thinking designers at Born have taken the of-the-moment motorcycle boot and reimagined it as the ruggedly chic Darly clog. Darly’s full grain leather upper boasts crossover harness straps and comfort elements including a shock absorbing outsole.
- For a more streamlined silhouette, try the Abby clog by SoftWalk. Its elegant lines, geometric collar design and contrast topstitching are timeless and understated. Cushioned foam footbeds makes them supremely walkable.
BOC by Born Concept (the brand’s more trend-focused line) presents the Debra clog, a classic style with an antiqued silvertone ring strap and 2’’ faux wooden beveled heel. This is a clog that would make 70’s style mavens melt! (For ladies looking for serious heel height, check out the Born Darden clog with its 4’’ platform heel and goldtone studding!)
Comfortista’s Clog Styling Tips:
- Choose cropped pants or roll your cuffs to show off your clogs’ funky, organic shape.
- Go barefoot with slip-on styles for a natural, effortless look.
- Clogs evoke a casual lifestyle; pair them with relaxed fabrics like denim and canvas, easy bohemian skirts, and classic pieces like trench coats and shirt dresses for best results!
Do you have clogs in your closet? Tell us why you love them and how you wear them!
Related articles
- Clogs and Discussions of Feminism at the Salon (shoeshrink.com)
- Valentine’s Day: Gift-Giving and Game-Playing (shoeshrink.com)
Style Solutions: Savor Your Summer Sandals
By Meghan Cass
As much as I love welcoming boots and ballet flats back into my wardrobe every fall, one of the hardest things to do is say goodbye to summer sandals.
Comfortista believes that the old rules about post-Labor Day dressing don’t apply to today’s woman. (Winter white is wonderful!) But when it comes to transitional fall footwear, here are a few easy and comfortable guidelines to keep in mind:
Pair bare legs with moderate-coverage sandals
As long as the weather and occasion permits, bare legs continue to be ok in our book! But stay season-appropriate with sandal styles that don’t expose your toes completely.
Example: Peep toes and cutout sandals are the way to go here. The perforated upper on Aerosoles’ Fax Bracket sandals perfectly hits the mark. Sofft’s Reiko sandal features a cage-style design that conveys fall convincingly. For work or more dressy occasions, Sofft’s Pavia sandal and Naturalizer’s Kiril T-strap sandal give you the formality of a pump with subtle sandal attributes. (more…)
Style Solutions: The Does-It-All Sandal
By Meghan Cass
Though known for it’s lazy, hazy days, August is a jam-packed scramble for many women. There’s vacation, back-to-school shopping, end-of-season gardening, and the rush to fit in as much last-minute summer joy as possible before Labor Day…
What does this mean for your feet? You need a comfortable, stylish sandal that quite literally does it all! It’s a well-designed shoe that takes you from lounging by the swimming pool to driving the summer camp carpool – and beyond! Need a dependable standby to get you through? Comfortista’s got you covered.
Exhibit A: Dr. Andrew Weil’s Restore thong is sleek and functional enough to keep up with your busy days. Check out the leather upper and goldtone buckle! And it doesn’t get easier than Crocs Patricia slide. It has a shock-absorbing sole that relieves stress on your foot, leg, knee, hips and back, while massaging nodules on the footbed enhance circulation. A strappy Croslite™ upper and 2″ low wedge heel adds polish.
But if your active August day requires walking the dog or a quick afternoon weeding session, make sure your go-to-shoe has an ankle strap like the Privo by Clarks Mickie sling. This beauty has a slip-resistant outsole and supportive anatomically correct footbed, among other features.
Armed with your “does-it-all sandal” you’ll be ready to take on whatever the late summer season throws at you with comfort and style.
Do you have a go-to-shoe? A sandal that gets you through bus summer days, sunrise to sunset? Tell us about it! And savor summer while it lasts!
Summer Shoes: Guy Style!
By Meghan Cass
Here at Comfortista our main focus is on stylish, comfortable shoes for ladies. But in today’s special edition, we are sharing our top tips for the guys out there and the women who shop for them!
This post is especially necessary in summer because – let’s be honest – warm weather, travel vacations and special events can be a veritable land mine of fashion faux pas for many men.
To help us with the new rules for summer shoes, Comfortista enlisted wardrobe stylist Robert Ballew, the self-proclaimed “style hero for real people.” While some stylists specialize in dressing models and starlets, Robert says he finds his work with everyday people the most exciting and rewarding.
Photo courtesy of RobertBallew.com
“I focus on where my client is today: their current body type, budget and what they have in their closet,” he says.
“Then I help them find their style and their confidence. Oftentimes that starts with a great pair of shoes.” (more…)
Trend Report: Hot Huaraches
By Meghan Cass
No matter how modern and polished Comfortista’s personal style is during the rest of the year, summertime always seems to call for something a little more relaxed, earthy and bohemian. That’s why I’m loving the continuation of the huarache trend! For a few seasons now, designers have been riffing on this traditional Mexican sandal, adding their own unique twist and plenty of comfort technology to a historic construction.
“Huaraches have a boho vibe to them, they look artisanal and hand-crafted,” said Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto.
“Fashion often looks to folk culture dress for a sense of authenticity and tradition.”
But why is the look so popular now? Semmelback explains:
(more…)
Walk the Walk!
By Meghan Cass
How often do you walk instead of driving your car? Can you walk to your grocery store? Your children’s school? To work?
We all know that walking is one of the best ways to stay healthy and fit and theoretically, it should be one of the easiest. But not everyone’s community is pedestrian friendly.
Dan Burden, founder of non-profit organization Walkable Communities, Inc., has made it his mission to plan and develop more sustainable, “walkable” neighborhoods in America. In 2001, Time Magazine named him one of the six most influential civic leaders of tomorrow.
“Walkability is about bringing back the health of the towns and the health of the people,” Burden told Comfortista in an exclusive interview.
(more…)
Comfortista Q&A: FitFlop founder Marcia Kilgore on fitness, family, and fashion
By Meghan Cass
Marcia Kilgore knows what it means to mix brains with beauty.
The 41-year old Canadian entrepreneur is the creator and boss lady behind cult shoe brand FitFlop, but it was her background as beauty mogul that inspired the revolutionary toning line.
Marcia Kilgore
Marcia (pronounced mar-SEE-ah) broke into the wellness business as a personal trainer and freelance facialist before founding Bliss, a chain of hip high-end spas that ignited the day spa craze in the 1990s. Next she went on to launch Soap & Glory, a line of affordable cosmetics, in 2007.
That same year, at an industry cellulite conference (really!) the idea for FitFlops struck.
“I realized we have no free time. We want a workout while we walk,” she says. ”What we girls really need is something like a flip-flop that tones and trims our legs while we run errands.” (more…)
Trend Report: Flower Power
By Meghan Cass
Spring has sprung, and in the fashion world everything is coming up roses… and lilies and daisies!
Meg Goldman
Floral is a major trend this year, appearing on designer runways and in the shoe collections of FootSmart brands. Comfortista tapped fashion stylist Meg Goldman (she counts the TODAY show, Good Morning America and Better Homes and Gardens among her clients) for advice on making the trend work for you. (more…)
