About Shoes

There are so many children’s winter boots and shoes in the shops for the season, they are spoiled for choice!  Children, these days, tend to go for sophisticated, elegant styles, often against the wishes of their parents.  Influenced by their favourite celebrities, they demand expensive designer ranges which can be totally impractical, rather than practical, well-fitting shoes from children’s shoe specialist shops, such as Clarks or Start-rite.

Children’s foot size can increase considerably throughout the season, and it’s important for both feet to be measured by a foot specialist.  When children find a shoe style they like, after being measured, the child should be asked to walk round the shoe shop to check whether they hurt anywhere.  With the child standing, press at the front of the shoe to check how much room there is to allow for growth.  Check that the sides don’t ‘bag’ out and there isn’t too much spare room at the heel.

As the shoes – or boots - are to be worn during the coldest season, it’s important that they will protect against the bitterly cold temperatures typical of the season.  It’s always best to buy leather as this will protect against cold and rain, and allow the skin to breathe.  Leather also stretches slightly resulting in shoes which last longer and fit more comfortably.  Lace up shoes or shoes which have bars across the front are more suitable for children as they won’t come off when the child is running and playing.  Check that the soles of the shoes are strong and made of thick rubber, making them skid proof.

Children, of course, have their own ideas of the fashionable shoe styles they want to wear, and usually they don’t always correspond with their parent’s wishes.  Children often choose something like ‘moonboots’ made from silver lurex, priced at £45.  They are also tempted by Fizz boots, priced at around £50, in light pink or turquoise colours.  Fashionable styles like these are expensive and aren’t designed to last for the coldest 5 or 6 months of the year.

Really fashionable children’s shoes and boots are often not designed for vigorous rough and tumble play, and are often built of materials too thin to protect against severe winter conditions.  If parents and children can compromise, there are some great and practical styles available in the shops.
Start-rite, among other children’s shops, has a large range of winter shoes and boots specially designed for children.  Designs are guaranteed to last against normal children’s wear and tear, and styles appeal to the most fashionable kid.  Boot styles such as Amber-Leigh  and Flowerchild are made from leather and come in appealing trendy colours.  Both parents and children love them.

As we head into winter, the thought of plunging temperatures must be striking fear into the hearts of many a shivering citizen (well, when I say we, I mean you, I’m basking in Spain and unlikely to see snow, or ice on the inside of the window). With utility bills rising faster than inflation in Zimbabwe, it seems that many people will be wondering if they can afford to turn on the heating this winter. Fear not, there are ways that you can keep warm without taking out a second mortgage to pay your gas bill.

The best way is to think smart. Suppose you have to spend a lot of time at home, because you’re retired, or not working. Well, there’s no need to sit around shivering, especially if you have the right Damart thermal clothing. If you live in a city or large town, try enjoying some of the cultural sites. Visit museums and galleries; after all, you are paying for them in your council tax, and take advantage of their central heating. You could even volunteer as a guide, and stay warm all day.

An even more useful tool is your local library. Make maximum use of this wonderful resource (and its warmth). No-one will think it odd if you spend all day, every day, there – unless it´s closed, in which case it will be unheated, and you´ll be arrested for breaking and entering. I can´t promise the police cells will be heated, so you may want to avoid that option. Anyway, the library is a perfect way to save on your own heating bills, and it has enough material to give you good reason to stay there for hours. They have newspapers, internet, even books (if you look hard enough among the DVDs). I am writing this on my laptop in the local library, and even though it is warm and sunny here (sorry to rub that in … okay, I´m smug, not sorry), I am still saving on lighting and electricity.

Supposing your libraries don´t have the generous opening hours that we do in Spain, which are open until 9 pm? What do you do on a weekend, for example? Simple – go shopping. Visit your local mall, and check out the Damart winter clothing range to keep you warm while walking back and forth to the library. Shops are guaranteed to be overheated. Or why not visit a friend, who can afford heating? In fact, you could while away the winter spending a week here, a week there, and before you know it, spring will arrive … You might have to invent some creative excuses for wanting to stay with friends in your own town, but it´s better than staring at a four-figure electricity bill, and wondering if you can pawn your children …

In the current climate it is essential that everyone considers investing in a lovely set of thermals. Although they are perhaps not quite as fashionable as they could be they should become (and remain) a staple of your winter wardrobe. If you live up in the north of Scotland they should become a staple of your winter, spring, autumn and sometime summer wardrobe. Honestly.

As the costs of heating our houses increases (at a fairly alarming rate) we must act now before it’s too late. The soaring cost of fuel has resulted in many families unsure how they are going to heat their houses (a dilemma faced by many a pensioner year after year). The answer has got to be Damart thermals whether they’re thermal undergarments, thermal pyjamas, thermal blankets, thermal baby grows or even thermal socks. The list is endless, but they’re all valid. If you are going skiing and are a bit chilly then you put on a set of thermals – why not in the comfort of your own house as well. After all thermals are possibly the most comfortable clothes ever invented.

Another, more globally responsible, reason for wearing Damart thermals is of course that the burning of fossil fuels is adding to global warming. If people stopped burning fossil fuels to keep themselves warm and snuggled into a pair of thermals then the world would be a better place. Indeed I can’t think of a better reason to switch off the heating, put on some thermals and snuggle up with a loved one. Maybe the world would also be a happier place.

The only issue I have with thermal wearing for younger folks is that the clothes themselves are awful. They have been designed for people with old fashioned taste. This is fine for people with that type of taste, but not those who prefer more fashionable clothes (ie most of the younger generation). So come on designers, make us some nice thermals made for snuggling.

I think a uniform gives children pride in themselves and their school.  They have something to identify with.  All the top fee-paying schools have a uniform and it gives the students something to have pride in.

A uniform and smart school shoes also makes children come to school - ready to work.  This is a good preparation for life.  Dress standards are necessary in many walks of life.  You wouldn’t go to a wedding in jeans, T-shirt and scruffy hair - there is an acceptable dress code.

It also saves parents the problem of how to dress the children every day for school.  And children will not be competing with each other over who has the best jeans or T-shirt or trainers.  It is a level playing field - everyone is the same.  Most parents like the idea of uniform and school shoes, providing they can obtain the items at a reasonable price.

On the sports field children readily accept a uniform if they are playing football, rugby, cricket, netball or hockey.  They feel part of their team.  It is the same with school uniform - they feel they belong to the school.

I don’t think that children should be allowed to wear any shoes to school, rather than particular school shoes. At school, it is a good idea to have a uniform, and this should include rules on the type of shoes that should be worn by pupils. Children are at school to learn. It is not the place to be wearing different fashions. There will be time for that outside of school and when they grow older. I do not think that school uniform shoes should be exactly the same for all pupils, though some schools do have a very strict and particular uniform policy, but they should be similar to those worn by others. Sensible, flat shoes, in a dark colour, that are well fitting and a decent quality, are the main requirements for children’s school shoes.

Another reason for children to all wear school shoes that look similar, is that it will reduce jealousy and bullying if there is anyone who has expensive shoes that may be the latest fashion, or cheaper shoes that may have been handed down from an older sibling and are therefore second hand. If everyone is dressed and wearing shoes that look vaguely similar, hopefully they will get on with their education and not be thinking about what others are wearing. There is too much emphasis on materialism these days and keeping up with the latest trends. This can prove to be very costly for many families, and it is not a good message to send to children. Children should be given the opportunity to choose which school shoes they would like, from a selection of appropriate options.

In my opinion, closed shoes are far more practical to wear than open toe shoes when hiking and climbing, purely from a safety point of view if nothing else.

If you wear open toe shoes and you stub your toe on a rock, or trip up then you could be in all kinds of trouble, causing yourself a cut or an injury of some sort to your toes, or possibly falling over if you get your open toe shoes caught up in anything as you are climbing or hiking. A toe injury alone can cause a great deal of pain, and can make it very uncomfortable to walk with. It is much more sensible to cover your toes and have them protected if possible by Craghoppers UK hiking boots, but if this is not an option, then a sensible pair of flat boots or sturdy shoes.

Closed shoes are more likely to withstand the environment of countryside walking and climbing as they are more robust. Open toe shoes could easily split or get damaged, therefore exposing your feet to the same dangers. On the whole, most open toe shoes do not offer the same standard of grip on the bottom that many closed shoes do either, as they are designed for casual use and are not intended for walking or climbing in. It is common sense to know that you do need some kind of grip on shoes for hiking and climbing in.

Closed shoes are more practical as far as the weather goes too. If it is raining while you are out on your hike or climb, then it would be very uncomfortable to continue with wet toes. Even if it is not raining, there are often places out in the countryside that are wet, such as puddles and dewy grass areas and you may come across small streams that you need to cross. It is not a practical idea to walk through water with open toe shoes on.

Keep your open toe shoes for casual use at home or on holiday and stick to sensible closed shoes for hiking and climbing. It makes good sense.

With the exception of trainers, there is nothing more comfortable than hiking boots. Contemporary hiking boots are built very much along the line of trainers and embody many of the qualities encapsulated in the trainers design. Hikers used to wear traditional boots, but these are starting to be replaced by lightweight, low cut hiking boots. They may not offer the ankle support of the earlier models, but they make walking vastly more comfortable. When you have to cover a lot of ground, comfort is the single most important thing.

Can you imagine walking 20 miles in a pair of work shoes? It is bad enough going out to fetch your lunch, let alone going for a long walk. Shoes simply aren’t designer for comfort; they are designer primarily to look smart. Some are beautiful examples, but the fact remains that they tend to cut your heels to shreds and force your feet into a mould. This fact isn’t helped by so many people trying to squeeze into smaller sizes as small is more in vogue. You also don’t get the kind of cushioning that you do with a hiking boot. This means that your feet are vastly more likely to blister on the soles.

Some hiking boots aren’t as comfortable as the lighter weighted versions. Full-length hiking boots are built with stability and ankle support in mind. The last thing you want is to lose your footing and injure yourself on some rough area of terrain. Consequently, there is a price to pay for this stability in terms of overall comfort. Like shoes, hiking boots are designer for a reason and you can choose which is most important to you. Is that reason support and stability or overall comfort? You could also choose a compromise between these two extremes.

Many hiking boots are unisex. This can make it difficult for women to buy a shoe that is right for their feet. Walking over a distance of ground with your feet slipping about can cause a great deal of damage to your feet. They certainly aren’t comfortable. However, more recently, manufacturers are starting to designer hiking boots that are designer with the female in mind. An example of this Brasher boots. These shoes are comfortable and provide support, but the weight of the boots tends to be heavy, which is an inconvenience for most people to carry around.

There is a definite trend towards the lighter, less supportive boot. This clearly indicates that consumers are favourite comfort over any other factors in the hiking boot market. This is also evidenced in the market for work shoes as Hush Puppies and other similar brands start to claim an increasing share of the market.

No matter if you choose shoes or hiking boots you still have a degree of autonomy in terms of whether you seek comfort or style. A lot of the reason why manufacturers still favour stylish, uncomfortable shoes is because vanity often wins the day at work. The consumer market for hiking boots and shoes are very different animals. Hikers don’t tend to be nearly as obsessed with appearance and do what they do for the love of it. People still care more about what people think than their own level of personal comfort in the market for shoes.

Very few companies will permit their staff to wear hiking boots to work. You will, however, find that some have a more liberal interpretation of what is acceptable, particularly on dress-down days. If the business tends to have customers inspecting it on a regular basis you can expect formal shoes to be a requirement every day.

A lot of people see dress down day as a chance to strut their stuff and impress the lady’s (in the case of men) in the office. For me, this cannot be the case.

Dress down Friday is all about chilling out and, as I believe it was introduced for, making workers feel more comfortable in the workplace. On Friday people just want to look forward to a fun weekend, and finish their work feeling as comfortable as possible. This competition element helps nobody.

So, I’m more inclined to wear a standard pair of jeans and a white shirt (with some bland stripes) - un-tucked to emphasize how casual it is. This is all capped off my smart loafers and maybe a sideways baseball cap (just kidding).

We need to recapture the community of the workplace, and one way to do this would be kicking out the over-egotistical chumps whose sole purpose in life is to belittle (further) the little guy.

A formal shirt is a shirt worn for a wedding or for any formal occasion. Or is it?
A casual shirt is worn with jeans for a day at the park. This is the excepted norm for such attire.  This is not necessarily the case. The difference between the two styles is all dependant the clothes that are worn.

A formal shirt is formal when worn with a suit and tie. But as soon as the jacket comes off, the cuffs are unbuttoned and rolled up and the tie is removed it becomes casual. Wear a formal shirt with jeans and it becomes casual.

The reverse is not always the case. A casual shirt is one that is multi coloured, unlike the mono-toned formal shirt. A casual number could be one with a pattern or a logo. Match up a coloured casual shirt will a suit and tie and it looks like a suit and tie with the wrong shirt.

A formal shirt is formal when it needs to be, but when dressed down it is allowed to be casual.  A casual shirt is always a casual shirt regardless of the whole ensemble.

The best fashion accessories are ones that can be used with many different items of clothing.  The more versatile the better!  Items that can be used as a variety of different accessories are also great.  For example a scarf could be used as a belt on a pair of jeans to give them a different look.

Its also good to try and get fashion accessories in colours which match a wide variety of your clothes.  This will mean that you can wear them with many different outfits.  It helps to try and get accessories in lots of different colours that match your clothes and keep them organised by colour.

Useful accessories are also great.  Large handbags look good and are great for carrying round everything that is needed for your day out!  Sunglasses are a great accessory as they go with almost everything and are obviously quite useful!

Fashion accessories are made even better if you can get them bargain prices!  Bargain fashion stores such as Primark are great for stocking up on accessories when fast changing fashions come around.

There are various differences between formal and casual shirts, relating to styling, colour and fabric the shirt is made from.  The most formal colour for a shirt is white, followed by sober blues or pinks.  Brighter colours such as reds and greens, especially if patterned, are chosen for casual occasions when jeans or cut-offs are worn.
Formal shirts usually have a ‘wing’ or turndown collar, especially when wearing a bow tie.  Casual shirts often have a button-down collar, which is usually left open.  This looks great when worn underneath a jumper and wearing a leather jacket.
The sleeve cuffs can also differ, depending on whether the shirt is casually or formally styled.  Formal shirts often have three buttonholes, although some have none, just spaces where cufflinks can be fitted. Casual shirts usually have just one button hole.
Formal shirts are often made of expensive silk or poplin while casual shirts can be made from twill, polyester or less expensive materials.
Either type of shirt is great – just be careful to dress up or down depending on the occasion.