If the shoe doesn't fit, ask a surgeon to alter your foot. As bizarre as that statement sounds, the trend of shortening toes or narrowing the foot to fit into high-fashion shoes is real and growing--and anathema to foot experts. The very idea of cosmetic foot surgery puts Johanna Youner, a New York podiatrist and director of the podiatry clinic at New York University Downtown Hospital, in mind of foot-binding in imperial China. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, as well as the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, similarly warns against such procedures, saying the medical risks outweigh any potential benefits. Indeed, when AOFAS surveyed its members recently, half of them reported treating patients who had experienced complications from such surgery.
There is a better way. To sidestep shoe-related pain and still be chic, learn to shoe shop like a podiatrist. Youner, who admits a fondness for the elegant lines of Chanel shoes and has even "limped through a date" in killer heels by Manolo Blahnik, provides a scouting report from Bloomingdale's hip new store in New York's SoHo.
In the second-floor women's shoes department, bright colors, bold prints, and flashy stripes entice in an abundance of flats, heels, sling-backs, slides, and ankle-strap stilettos. For casual wear, fashion sneakers--spritely rubber-soled lace-ups from Polo, Diesel, Puma, and Lacoste, among other well-known designers--offer several pluses over an equally fashionable rival this season, the wispy, ultraflat ballet slipper.
Placed side by side, both styles are designed in the shape of a real foot, with a roomy toe box that won't squeeze your toes out of their joints. Both keep you balanced on the ground. But the ballet slipper is too flat, with no arch support, a situation that can lead to plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the arch.
The bends. By contrast, fashion sneakers offer a slight heel, and the rubber soles provide some cushioning. Two models on display--a Lacoste Keds-like sneaker in periwinkle and white or rust and gray and a suede and mesh Puma in raspberry and gray--seem a bit sturdier than the others. (Youner's litmus test for stability: The shoe should bend only at the forefoot; if the heel collapses or if the shoe twists at the arch, the shoe is too flexible to support comfortable walking.)
Even so, don't be misled by their streamlined design into thinking that fashion sneakers are hardy enough for a workout or a jog. "You'd look cute at the gym, but your feet would not have enough shock absorption or support," Youner says. "These are adorable with a skirt for summer. But they are fashion statements, not exercise shoes." And don't even think about trying a marathon in the stiletto-heeled sneaker by NM70. For a real athletic shoe, Youner swears by the Asics Gel-Kayano line.
Love thongs. As for sandals, thongs are the rage this summer. From Youner's point of view, that's not bad at all, because this style "keeps the forefront more stable" than most other sandal styles since your foot will not slide forward as much. Even so, she cautions, be prepared to wear band-aids between your toes for the first two weeks until the skin thickens from the friction. Other points to look for include uppers made with natural fibers that wick away moisture (plastic and acrylic may be in, but the feet will sweat, creating "a petri dish for athlete's foot") and a stiff sole (remember the twist test). |
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