Elaine Overton

Archive for the ‘Shoes’ Category

Fit, durability and style are the key factors to look for when purchasing mens footwear. The top criteria, however, must be comfort. No one is going to wear fashionable shoes for long if they are not also comfortable. Shoes that pinch, bind or cramp your feet can make you miserable, and can also damage your feet.

Shopping for mens shoes should always focus on fit and comfort first, and finding a fashionable, stylish brand second. Quality shoemakers know this and offer a wide range of comfortable footwear options. Brands that are merely fashionable are not going to serve you well if they don’t fit right.

Shopping for shoes that are comfortable and also look good is easier than ever. In order to get a proper fit, you should shop for shoes later in the day, when your feet are larger, and be sure that the brands you try on aren’t too tight. You should be able to wiggle your toes. You shouldn’t hold on to the old notion of foot size – your body changes, and you really should get your feet measured each time you buy shoes. Also, make sure that you get both feet measured, as sometimes one foot is larger. The shoes should fit the larger foot comfortably.

How Do They Fit?

For the most comfortable shoes, you should try them on with the same socks that you will normally wear with the shoes. Make sure you try on both shoes, and walk around the store a bit before purchasing. Buckle or lace up the shoes as you normally would during regular wear. Make sure they fit and bend in the same places that your foot bends. Don’t buy leather shoes that are too tight and expect them to stretch out and be more comfortable once they are “broken in.” They should be comfortable when you try them on and walk.

An experienced sales person in a store with a knowledgeable staff can help you find the right fit and the right styles for your needs. They will be able to steer you toward brands that offer special features for your personal fit needs, such as arch support, and proper cushioning.

Are you looking for the perfect shoes you can wear this season? How do you pick the right shoes, though? Here are some tips for you to buy those perfect shoes:

- Find shoes that you are comfortable in. No matter how cute they look, if you are not comfortable in the, you will not wear them. And, if you don’t wear them, you just wasted your money.

To make sure you are comfortable in the shoes you want, make sure you try them on at the store. If you are shopping online, make sure you find the correct size you need. Check with the web site’s measurements, to make sure that the size you are getting is actually your size.

- Find shoes that match with different clothes. Even the best shoes will not be worn too match, if they only match one outfit. Make sure you purchase versatile shoes, that will match with different outfits you have.

The best colors for shoes that will match with many things are black, brown, grey and white.

- The more expensive they are, the more things they should match. Of course all of us own a pair or two of pink or red shoes that we love, but that don’t match too many outfits. So, create a rule – the more expensive the shoes are, the more outfits they should match. If you find a $20 pair of pink shoes that you just must have, get it. However, if the pair costs $100, it should match more then just one t-shirt you have.

- Don’t buy shoes that are extremely trendy. While they are really hot right now, they will be out of style next year. Instead, spend the money on the shoes that can be worn a few seasons.

Remember to pick the shoes that you are comfortable with, and they are stylish, but not extremely trendy – those are the shoes that will last for a while.

Bloch Pointe Shoes

The Bloch pointe shoe is available in different styles including Sylphide, Sonata, Suprima, Serenade, Aspiration, Concerta, Triomphe, and Alpha ¾ Sole. Beginner dancers will be suited to the Sylphide, Sonata, or Suprima. The Sylphide has broader widths than other Bloch pointe shoes and helps beginners with untrained feet roll up onto pointe more easily.

The Suprima will feel comfortable to beginners and advanced students as it provides good flexibility while maintaining good arch support. Note that some Bloch pointe shoes have the narrower box shape and snug heel which is not suited to a “fleshy” foot. Shoes such as the Aspiration and Alpha pointe shoe are designed with the advanced student in mind. These shoes offer better arch flexibility but should not be worn if you do not have strong feet and ankles.

Capezio Pointe Shoes

Capezio Pointe Shoes includes several styles, each intended for specific needs. The original Glissé features a hard shank, broad toe-box and a U-shaped vamp to allow dancers to roll up to pointe comfortably. The Glissé ES offers the same, but with a harder shank. The Glissé Pro and Pro ES are intended for more experienced dancers and feature a lower side and back height, with a medium and hard shank respectively. The shankless Demi Soft is based on the Glissé design, and intended for pre-pointe students.

The Plié style is best suited for dancers needing a vamp that extends beyond the toe. Plié I offers a medium shank, and Plié II features a harder #5 shank. The Tendu style offers a medium shank and boasts a quick break-in time. Tendu II has a broader box and wider platform. Both Aerial and Pavlowa shoes feature a Russian-styled tapered box. The Aerial is best to support high arches, while the Pavlowa offers a harder shank, longer vamp and heel height. The Contempora is an American-style wide-platform shoe with a longer vamp and lower heel.

Freed Pointe Shoes

Freed Pointe shoes are available in the Classic, Studio and Studio Pro styles. The various lines are designed for a specific level of dancer, as well as their physical requirements. The handcrafted Classic is particularly designed for the needs of the experienced or professional dancer. It features a deep, round vamp, but those needing more support will favor the deep V-cut vamp and stronger insole of the Classic Wing Block.

The Studio line is intended for the younger dancer and offers extra support. The Studio II style features a wider platform and lower profile than the original. The Studio Pro is also designed for the younger dancer, but it includes a V-shaped vamp and ¾ shank for greater flexibility.

Grishko Pointe Shoes

The line of Grishko Pointe shoes features Eleve and Releve models. The Eleve include the Ulanova I and II. These shoes are intended for dancers instructed to roll up on pointe. You can find out more about dancing en pointe at www.balletdancestudio.com . Ulanova I has a medium height vamp and versatile box for dancers with toes of an even or slightly varied length. Ulanova II has a deep vamp and is best suited for dancers with longer toes or narrow feet.

The Releve styles, Fouette and Vaganova, are designed to accommodate the Russian–style of springing on point. The Vaganova has a deep vamp and tapered box. This style is particularly suited for dancers with a flexible arch, longer toes or narrow feet. The Fouette has a broad box and wide platform best suited for dancers with shorter toes or wider feet.

Gaynor Minden Pointe Shoes

Gaynor Mindon Pointe shoes differ from many brands. While manufacturers commonly feature a variety of styles, Gaynor Mindon instead designs shoes over six fitting options; shank, vamp, heel, regular fit, sleek fit and size. So many variations can feel confusing, but the benefit of this brand is that dancers essentially custom fit their shoes. The entire line is designed to minimize the shock of impact and comfortably fit every type of foot. Shank options run from flexible/little support to hard/ample support. In order from flexible to hard shanks, options are Pianissimo, Featherflex , Supple, Extraflex and Hard. Vamp options include Regular, Deep and Sleek.

A deep vamp is best for dancers with pronounced arches, while the sleek vamp is best for feet wider along the ball and narrower towards the heel. High, Regular, Low and Sleek heels are available. Choosing between them is a mainly a matter of comfort. The Regular and Narrow fit shoes differ only in width, but less heel and vamp options are available with Narrow Fit shoes.

Suffolk Pointe Shoes

Suffolk Pointe shoes includes the Solo, which features a slightly tapered box and longer vamp. It is available with a range of shoe types, Standard insole, Hard insole or Light insole. All but Light feature a standard box which provides uniform support appropriate for most dancers. The Light version is a flexible choice designed to help dancers go on pointe more easily. Hard insoles are available with either a full or ¾ shank, so dancers have the choice of greater flexibility along with ample support. No matter the variation, the Solo Pointe shoe features a low profile to provide comfort throughout the metatarsal area without sacrificing support or function.

How do you choose?

There is not one shoe that overall is considered better than every other shoe. It really is a matter of individually fitting the right shoe to your foot. Be wary of other dancers recommendations because your feet will differ from theirs, and their shoes may feel very uncomfortable on you. You now know the major brands of pointe shoes and their different characteristics. You should have a good understanding of which style of shoe and which brand will fit best on your feet. I recommend finding a good retail dance store with a good shoe fitter. Get them to take you through the process of fitting different shoes and working out which shoe will best fit your feet.