Summer Feet

Gone are the days when I was willing to wear a gorgeous shoe and grimace through the pain. I remember attending a fashion launch party when I was living in Chicago and I wore a killer pair of boots a solid size too small. (They were Miu Miu! They were on sale!) After the party I limped into my taxi, took my shoes off and it was NOT pretty. Needless to say I learned my lesson. I sold those shoes and never wore any shoe that uncomfortable, again! (Ok, fact check, maybe I suffered a few more times.)

Last week I gave you the run down on my “Summer 6”; six sandal styles to have in your shoe wardrobe. (If you missed it, you can read it here.) But what about all the issues that come along with summer shoes? Hello blisters! I always joke that for the first couple of weeks of sandal season that I’m transitioning my winter feet to my summer feet. Over the years I’ve learned tricks to keep your feet not just looking good, but feeling good too!

Finally got my pedicure! Posh nails in Green Hills felt safe, thoughtful, and they do a great job.

Let’s start with the summer shoe bad boy, blisters. Blisters can show up anywhere and a bandage isn’t always the best answer depending on where it’s located on your foot. The best way to avoid blisters to prevent them to begin with. When you put on your sandals, really focus your attention where you feel friction. If it’s rubbing when you put your shoe on in the morning, I guarantee you it’s not going to get better throughout the day! I like to prevent blisters one of two ways; clear medical tape or moleskin.

Tear off a small piece of clear medical tape, such as Nexcare’s flexible clear tape, and place it on your foot where you feel the potential for a blister. This stuff really sticks and the sandal will rub the tape instead of your skin! It’s also a lot less obvious than a bandaid.

Moleskin is a super soft, adhesive-backed material that you can buy at any local drugstore in the foot care section. Moleskin is meant to stick to the shoe instead of the skin. Simply cut the moleskin to fit the part of the shoe that’s causing issues and stick it there. Now you have a soft piece of fabric brushing against your skin instead of rough stitching, a buckle or whatever is causing the problem.

All of these products can be found at your local drug store, discount retailer, or our corporate retail overlord Amazon.

Inevitably, as much as we try to prevent blisters, they often sneak by us. Once you have a blister, I like the Bandaid blister bandaids for “flat” surfaces like your heels or top of foot and the Nexcare waterproof bandages for toes. They Bandaid brand is cushioned and waterproof too, but I think the Nexcare wraps more easily around the toe area. For that dreaded friction between toes, I like a blister stick. I know this seems like way too many options for blisters, but I’m sure you’ll find one of these methods that works for you!

Another sandal issue you may run into is your foot sliding through the front of the toe box. This usually means the shoe is a little big, and most often happens with heeled, open-toe sandals, but you can easily add a ball of foot pad to the front of the sole to help anchor your foot from slipping forward. This works for pumps and other shoes styles too.

Ball of foot pads are also available in a felt version that work equally as well. I’ve found the gel to be a bit more “cushion-y”.

Don’t forget to protect your suede shoes like you would your suede boots! Suede is more temperamental than other materials and can easily pick up stains, dirt, and water marks. Give suede sandals a coat of weatherproofing spray after cleaning them with a suede eraser and brush. You can find a can of suede protector and brush set at any shoe retailer or places like Target and Amazon. It’s strong stuff, I recommend spraying outdoors!

Lastly, don’t forget your pedicure! If that’s not something you’re comfortable doing right now, I recommend an at-home foot peel. Turn those Disney witch feet into Disney princess feet! This one is called Baby Foot and can be purchased at The Look Facial Aesthetics; $25 for one, or as a special offer to my readers, 2 for $40! Contact their office to purchase and make sure to mention the deal! Be sure to check out their magazine and other goodies too, Haley and her team are the BEST!

I realize this hasn’t been the most glamorous wardrobe post, but there’s no reason to suffer to feel stylish! Do you have a sandal issue I didn’t address? Message me and let’s solve your problem! Happy Summer y’all!

Xx Amanda