Read this blog and you will never trust yourself alone with a pair of shoes again. I am a retired university lecturer and shoe and foot savant dedicated to inform and entertain those fascinated by their feet and shoes.
Golden Kicks: The Shoes that Changed Sport by Jason Coles reveals the stories behind some of the greatest shoes in sporting history, the roles they played in sport s most significant moments, and how they have made the transition from classic sportswear to mainstream streetwear. Discover the amazing stories behind the shoes, the people who made them, and the athletes who wore them.
The Sneaker Exchange, was created by Zaid Osman and is where people buy and sell their own footwear. The young entrepreneur's business idea came about after living abroad while growing up. Born in South Africa, he moved to Richmond, Virginia, at four, before moving back to South Africa at 15. Once back in South Africa he was aware the kicks left on the shelves were the very ones which would sell well back in the US. He started buying them and selling them back to the US sneaker freakers. Sneaker Exchange events, also feature live music and the next event is on October 29 in Cape Town, South Africa.. Osman tries to support South African sneaker culture through his store Lost Property. Started in his parent's house in 2010, before Sneaker Exchange, it started as the hub for sourcing limited edition products for customers in South Africa.
The Antebellum Art Gallery in Los Angeles is one of a few erotic art galleries in the US dedicated to Fetish Art. It was established in 2006 and is intended as a hybrid of artistic, cultural, and political iconoclasm. The Latin term antebellum means “before war” and refers to American culture at odds with political/religious/social agendas that threaten to blow the lid off its foundations at any given moment.
In 2008, the gallery hosted Fools For Feet , which featured, among other things, a foot worship workshop, stained glass art, paintings, ceramic sculptures and drawings devoted to the human foot. There is even a foot karaoke session in which lovers of feet got a chance to sing about related songs such as These Boots Were Made For Walking and Blue Suede Shoes.
Nike is releasing their fully functioning, self-tying shoes at select stores throughout the United States on Nov. 28. 2016. The HyperAdapt 1.0 shoes employ what Nike calls “adaptive fit” technology in order to adjust to the individual wearer’s feet and aside from flashy LED lights they have a relatively simple design.
The Swedish Government believe by reducing the cost for labour it will decrease ‘the buy cheap and throw away culture’ and encourage instead a greater consumer confidence in ‘repair mentality.’ The Budget for 2017 will offer tax refunds to people who get their white goods repaired, like washing machines and dishwashers. The VAT rate will be cut from 25% to 12%, and the tax refund will let people reclaim half the labour cost of a repair to white goods and kitchen stoves. Further VAT rates charged on minor repairs to things like bicycles, shoes and clothes will also be reduced. The latest plan is being promoted as a way to create jobs for people who do not have high educational qualifications.
The Suit: Form, Function and Style by Christopher Breward is a must for all those interested in the history of menswear, this beautifully illustrated book offers new perspectives on this most mundane, and poetic, product of modern culture. The Suit unpicks the story of this most familiar garment, from its emergence in western Europe at the end of the seventeenth century to today. Suit-wearing figures such as the Savile Row gentleman and the Wall Street businessman have long embodied ideas of tradition, masculinity, power and respectability, but the suit has also been used to disrupt concepts of gender and conformity. Adopted and subverted by women, artists, musicians and social revolutionaries through the decades – from dandies and Sapeurs to the Zoot Suit and Le Smoking – the suit is also a device for challenging the status quo.
As American fashion has become more casual sneakers have been elevated as high-end status symbols. Mainstream designers are now designing upscale sneakers to be worn on the fashion catwalks. With prices like $495 for a pair of cap-toe Lanvins to $895 for studded Valentinos these have become the preserve of the must have bella figure. Upscale sneakers are designed to go with slim jeans, tailored dress pants and the stylish suit.
For women, pairing fashionable sneakers into businesswear and formal attire, has been a challenge for designers. But where there is a market there is a way and high fashion sneakers are being sold to women from $695 high-tops by Isabel Marant to $990 crystal-encrusted Gucci slip-ons.
Comfortable rubber soled canvas topped kicks are also proving popular with brides and for $60, you can buy a pair of monogrammed Keds from their wedding collection .
wikiFeet is a photo compilation website that exclusively shows photos of female celebrities’ feet. The site brings in over three million users each month and features hundreds of photos of the feet of actresses, singers, models and politicians. The tens of thousands of photos are often based on ordinary photoshoots and paparazzi shots of celebrities in sandals or barefoot. Photos are often zoomed in to show the feet alone. Each profile lists the subject’s nationality, shoe size, and a rating of her feet out of five, accompanied by five labels ranging from ‘beautiful’ to ‘ugly’. Currently Emma Watson appears to have the most highly-rated feet but the shoe less Hillary Clinton has caught subscribers’ attention. Even former Australian PM., Julia Gillard and her wardrobe malfunction, under pressure gets a mention.
