NATIONAL SHOE FITTING WEEK 2017
Coco Chanel famously said that ‘luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it’s not luxury’. In the world of footwear, we believe that the quote can be paraphrased to read ‘style without comfort, isn’t style’.
Comfort has become a neglected value for shoes. Surveys regularly show that people believe that comfortable shoes must, by definition, be ugly, or old-fashioned or both. Here at Foot Solutions we know that this inaccurate and unfair. Leading brands like Ziera, Xsensible and Finn Comfort provide fashionable shoes that are comfortable and affordable.
But it’s not just about the shoes. Measurement and fitting are equally important. That’s why we support National Shoe Fitting Week which is run by the Society of Shoe Fitters (SSF) and, this year starts on 8th April.
Poorly constructed and ill-fitting shoes inevitably cause pain. To avoid this pain, people often adjust their gait and walk in an unnatural way. This wears out joints and tendons and leads to problems with knees, hips, backs shoulders and even necks. If untreated, these joint problems can lead to rheumatism and arthritis.
What most people don’t realise is that adult feet change in size and shape as a person grows older and experiences different life stages. Pregnancy for example can change a foot size dramatically.
But, because most adults have not had their feet properly fitted and measured for years, they assume the ‘usual’ shoe size and then cram their feet into footwear that appears to match that size. Also, people have become used to self-service in shoe shops and being left to buy by trial and error with no advice or product information. This is exactly why many people buy shoes on the internet.
As the SSF regularly point out, footwear is the only item of clothing that can seriously damage your health and your health is far more important than any pair of shoes.
So, next time you need new footwear:
- Visit a specialist and make sure your feet are properly measured for length and width
- Choose well-constructed shoes that fit properly are which are appropriate to your lifestyle
For more information or advice, please contact the Richmond store. Our highly trained consultants will be happy to help.