Ski boots: from Dr Martens to Timberland to Versace

Timberland continues to be out of fashion, with their core boots and kid’s business failing. The manufacturer of quality waterproof work boots recently recalled some of Timberland PRO Direct Attach Steel Toe Series products due to a potential safety issue. Timberland now forecasts revenue to fall by about 5% from 2006, and plans to downsize their US operation are imminent with 40 stores to close. Investors are getting jittery and although there will be product diversification , it is unlikely these will impact in the short term. The rise of Timberland came in the wake of the success of Dr Marten’s Shoes in Europe. What the skinheads wore in Europe became ivy league fashion in the US. The “four wheeled drive” shoes, made to withstand all manner of extreme activities were seen strolling through the shopping malls of America. Interesting to see Doc Martens are enjoying a new vogue so it may be Timberland’s misfortune will have the same fate in the not too distant future. The origins of Doc’s came after a sking accident, when Dr Maertens, the victim recognised by trapping air in the sole of a shoe would reduce peak pressure across the sole of the foot. The sturdy Doc Marten provided comfortable workboots which crossed over into utilitarian street fashion. Not sure if the same can be said for the latest Versace creation The Quilted Sport Boot . At $900 (US) per pair that seem like the ski slope itself, too steep.

Fashion fiesta

Fashion shoe shows to the left of us and shoe fairs to the right, this month has been busy with record crowds from New Zealand to New York; and from London to Dusseldorf. At the top end, organisers of MICAM ShoEvent, the National Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers (ANCI) reported bumper attendance. Many overseas buyers came to the international trade fair and Japan, Germany, Spain, France, Russia and the U.K., were all represented. In Dusseldorf, the Chinese company, Jierda Shoe Company from Wenzhou received orders for 180,000 pairs of leather shoes with the promise of much more to come. Good news for Wenzhou shoemakers and the Chinese Shoe makers now consider GDS is a more important international exhibition than the Canton Fair. At the London Fashion Week, Estethica had on display the best in fairly traded, environmentally friendly, and organic fashion is currently on show. The show was particularly popular this year signalling that sustainable fashion is not a passing fad. A number of designers were showcased including Stewart & Brown, People Tree , Del Forte, Noir , Ciel, From Somewhere and Terra Plana . Terra Plana use corn husks in the soles, and chrome-free and vegetable-tanned leathers. Hetty Rose SS08 collection featured vintage kimonos for the uppers, wooden heels, and recycled leather soles. Others included sandals with uppers made from mesh produced from recycled bottles.

iRB practice ball: Is it the real thing?

Acceptance the boot is the most influential match winning factor in modern rugby may not ‘kick butt’ with the purists but it appears to yet again be confirmed at the Rugby World Cup 2007 France. Now there have been reports the training ball used in preparation for competition is not the same as the match ball. Despite reassurances from Gilbert the manufacturer of the IRB ball, both training and match balls are the same, there now appears to be significant differences. The All Blacks, and other teams, had found that Gilbert balls issued for trainings were different from the actual match ball and the officials of the cream of New Zealand rugby were annoyed to discover the team would not play with an official match ball until the final warm up against Scotland. Claims that key boot players, like Johnny Wilkinson, are hampered in their game preparation have been cited. All Blacks’ manager Darren Shand has been assured the matter will be rectified.

Shoe Theft

Last year America Online released information that feet were the most commonly searched fetishistic term on the Web. Not really that much of a surprise since most people are partial to feet in intimacy. This information certainly does not confirm a paraphilic epidemic, nor should it be taken as such. In an unrelated incident the Italian police have captured a shoe mugger, reputedly responsible for scores of shoe theft. Later a search of his home revealed 200 pairs of women’s shoes taken from unsuspecting female and children pedestrians. The accused admitted he stole to order for other rest fists, kept some for himself and transacted sales of the remaining loot through the internet. The accused had no previous criminal record.

Take care of your pair

Marc Jacobs has given the world its first back-to-front shoe and I like it! Seen in New York this week as part of Marc Jacobs’ 2008 collection, the shoe attracted mixed reviews. The elevation of the rear foot is achieved by a horizontal wedge projecting backwards from the ball of the foot. Needless to say the new style has met with condemnation from the foot police with the same old same old criticism of heeled shoes. In truth, an elementary understanding of shoe history would see the similarities in design to the pre-stiletto era when shoe heels in fashionable women’s shoes were positioned away from the heel to support the arch of the foot. The fashionable shoes are designed to be worn for short periods and over flat surfaces, and as such would present no more challenges to the human body than any elevated footwear. Condemnation of shoes and particularly those which challenge the perfect concept of a shoe (only it does not exist in reality, nor has it ever) are filling copy and the internet with increscent innuendo about the dangers of certain shoe choices. The latest to meet this woeful wailing is Crocs and reports of injuries caused on moving stairways. Choice of shoe is important and particularly in urban settings where there are potential hazards such as walking stairways. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission over the last five years, there have been 53 reports filed concerning escalator-footwear incidents and Crocs were named in four, with one resulting in an injury. Lamentable as these incidents are there appears to be no logical reason why Crocs alone are being marginalised in this way when the real problem is escalator safety. Manufacturers do claim walking stairways are safe but remind all care is required when riding them.

Foot Assaults and fetishism

Recently another report of a foot assault and taking uninvited voyeuristic photographs of womens’ feet was recorded in the press. This time in Massachusetts but these assaults are quite common and arise all over the world. Foot assaults as described in weeklydig.com are not usually sexually motivated rather an uninvited physical assault on an individual which contravenes the law. Traditionally the judiciary (not the police) has dismissed this kind of behaviour as aberrant (uncharacteristic) and cases were rarely brought to prosecution. The increase in the crime of "up skirting" and "happy slapping" has forced a change in thinking and brought the matter to public attention. Neither of these crimes however constitute a sex crime. The action has more to do with power and bullying. Across the world, foot assaults are reported more frequently which may have more to do with better policing than an epidemic of foot paraphiliacs. It is quite common in a consensual relationship to be partial to specific parts of the human body in precoital activity, which means foot partialism is within normal behaviour. The vast majority of foot worshipers fall into the partial to low level category of fetish. Mid to high level fetishism is much rarer in the population and accounts for an estimated 0.75% of the males between 17-60. This is a paraphilia (abnormal fetishism) because it describes an anti-social preoccupation where the foot and only the foot (without the owner) is the complete object of sexual desire. The high level fetish for shoes is probably as common, but foot fetishists are rarely shoe fetishists and vice versa. Something which has not been studied in depth is 'graduation' or the incremental increase in the serious nature of foot assaults. The profile of serious sex criminals would suggest many start off their criminal career with minor offences such as stealing knickers (snowdropping) then progress to attempted sexual assault, before rape and murder. Some of the reported foot assaults might indicate the abnormal behaviour of a mid to high level fetishist, but only in their embryonic development. The consequence of a foot assault by a high level fetishist would be more dire.

According to recent research involving a matched study of 75 men and women, small feet in women were an attractive feature and favoured by both sexes. Men were more likely to find women’s feet attractive than the opposite although some women had preference for large feet in men. Small slim women were more likely to wear pointed-toe and high-heel shoes. Researchers also discovered most of the respondents found their own feet attractive models for others. Another study found in men and women of the same stature, the male foot was longer and broader with significant measurable differences in the calf, ankle, and foot. Womens’ feet differed in a number of shape characteristics, including the arch, the lateral side of the foot, the first toe, and the ball of the foot and rarely were these physical characteristics factored into shoes design. Another study compared fit and comfort in sport shoes and researchers reported the three vital factors which may determine a comfortable shoe was skeletal alignment, shoe torsional stiffness and cushioning.

Interesting Sites
Foot and Shoe Fetish
Foot Sex
Foot Torture
The Foot Fraternity an organization and support group for homosexual men with a foot fetish.

Overrated types: Ballet Shoes

David and Victoria Beckham are having it tough in Hollywood. David has been sidelined from the LA Gallaxy due to a badly sprained knee and his wife Victoria was publically ignored recently by the town’s former wild child, Britney Spears in the Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont. Now the super chavs have been voted the most overrated people in American Life by a Radar magazine. The New York cult publication pulled no punches branding Becks as an overpaid soccer star and Victoria, “ a pointless collection of body parts." Also included in the "Overrated 100" but well below the Beckhams were Keira Knightly (15) and Brad Pitt (3). Victoria has already been dismissed by The New York Times as being "somewhat famous for being sort of famous." Other creations of contemporary culture to earn the ire of Radar magazine were ballet shoes, cocaine, jeans and pilates. Wot no Crocs?

The Seventh Stuart Wiseman Annual Celebrity Shoe Auction

The proceeds from the Seventh Stuart Wiseman Annual Celebrity Shoe Auction this year will go to research the cause of ovarian cancer. Glenn Close,Courteney Cox,
Marcia Cross,
husband and wife Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart,
Fran Drescher,
Minka Kelly,
Queen Latifah,
Mario Lopez,
Jennifer Love-Hewitt,
Rose McGowan,
Kyle MacLachlan,
Debrah Messing,
Hayden Panettiere,
Kelly Ripa,
Anika Noni Rose,
Nicollette Sheridan,
Molly Sims
Sharon Stone,
Charlize Theron,
Vanessa L Williams and
Oprah Winfrey and
Rachael Zoe,have all teamed up with Stuart Weitzman to design their own shoes. Bidding on line is up until October 4, and all bids start at $200.

Ulcers: Smart Technology

ZephyrTM is a company based in New Zealand and specialise in wearable technology and biofeedback. They are currently developing in conjunction with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) high tech insoles using real time sensors to measure temperatures on the soles of the feet. The insole is called the ZephyrTM ShoePodTM (the name is enough to put you off!) and contains sensors which measure ground reaction force (GRF). The thin insole also has a wireless data transmitter and recorder. Bluetooth-type protocols allows communication of critical information to a mobile or other such device and the wearer is given a audible and/ or visible feedback. Softwear enables real time data presentation on performance trends in posture, technique and fatigue. This information can be stored for later use. Now the company have mounted temperature sensors on a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB), in an ambitious attempt to include temperature feedback. In the final design the company intends to have printed temperature sensors built into the insole. This would potentially provide an important monitoring function in ulcer prevention in the diabetic population. Minute skin temperatures arise just prior to skin breakdown as the area goes cold with local ischemia. These miniscule temperature changes go unnoticed in the normal course of events and clinicians are almost always presented with an indolent ulceration. Currently the ZephyrTM ShoePodTM is undergoing clinical trials in the US. Electrical Stimulation Therapy has proven to deliver excellent results amongst the increasing number of Advanced Wound Care therapies including negative pressure wound therapy, low level laser therapy, oxygen therapy, ultra-sound and nanotechnology. Now BIOFiSICA have produced smart skin patches which restore electrical signals (voltage patterns) to the wound area to very good effect. Smart skin patches like the POSiFECT® monitor now contains a low voltage battery supply and controlled micro-current delivery system. When this is attached to the wound dressing a customised bio-current emanates through a coupling medium of biocompatible hydrogel. The system continuously and automatically adjusts the micro-current to levels clinically shown to initiate the wound healing process. Each dressing has enough battery life for 48 hours.

Celebrity's shoes: What's the story?

Actors and philanthropists Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle ) and Bradley Whitford ((West Wing)) founded The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation® following the 2001 Primetime Emmy® Awards. Many celebrities never wear their sumptuous dresses and designer tuxedos again. Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford had the idea of collecting the costumes and auctioning them off for charity. Since its inception, The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation® has raised over two million dollars for children’s charities. These include America’s Second Harvest, The Art of Elysium, World Education and autism research. The Sixth Annual Primetime Emmy® auction allows you to bid on the gowns, tuxedos, sunglasses, shoes, celebrity decorated items, costumes from your favourite television shows, and other Hollywood-related items.

Personally, I would like Riki “Are you hav’en a laugh?” Gervaise’s (Extras and The Office) shoes.

Talking of celebrity, Manchester, England has its own “Walk of Fame,” not exactly like the one in Hollywood but a collection of foot moulds donated by local personalities from the worlds of sport and politics. Well it is Britain after all. Salford University have opened a state-of-the-art new podiatry clinic and invited locals celebs have donate their feet to be cast and displayed in the reception area of the new facility. The university podiatry clinic has a long association with Manchester City Football Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club.

Yao Ming: Local hero

In China last year there was a celebrity auction organised by Yao Ming (Houston Rocket) and NBA All Star, Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) to raise money to help educate impoverished children. The auction attracted a bevy of pop stars and cinema celebrities and raised a total of 6.75 million yuan. Signed shoes were the key attraction and local hero Yao’s shoes went for 10 times more than a signed Chicago Bulls jersey belonging to Michael Jordan. The signed shoes and some other items went for 3.6 million yuan (480,000 dollars) at the Thursday night event, while the jersey signed and worn by Jordan during the 1996 NBA finals sold for 380,000 yuan.

Crocs bite back:Workplace Crocs

Recent concerns (all ill founded) about Crocs in the workplace have been silenced now the company have released an new range of work shoe specifically for doctors and nurses. The new range, called The Specialist and Specialist Vent have been designed to meet workplace dress codes. The new Crocs have a closed heel, thicker metatarsal protection and have an uninterrupted cover to protect the top of the foot. Available in eight colours, including white, black, chocolate, khaki, navy, sea blue, light blue and fuchsia, they retail at US$34.99 to $34.99. Snappy!

Cardiff: Dr Who and big rugby boots

The city that hosts the filming of Dr Who is the capital of Wales and arguably the real centre for rugby football. No surprise then to read Cardiff’s sport shops which supply rugby boots for larger than normal larger feet. Something Fijian players were particularly looking forward to prior to their fixture with Canada in the Rugby World Cup 2007 France. The well portioned fellows with big feet were seen carrying bags full of extra large rugby boots just prior to their victory over Canada. The Fijians won by 13 points, lucky for some.

Ballet pumps are the groove: the sexy shoes

The Italian word, ballareto, meaning to dance gave English the word ballet. The dance form describes classic, formalised solo or ensemble dancing, of a disciplined, dramatic nature performed to music. Foreshadowed in mummeries and masquerades, it emerged as a distinct form in Italy before the 16th cent. The first ballet was a combination of dance, decor, and special effects and performed in 1581 at the French court of Catherine de'Medici. Until 1681 court ballets were danced by males only and incorporated opera and drama. In 1708 the first ballet for public performance marked the appearance of a separate art form. Choreographic notation came into being and mythological themes were explored. Italian influence brought elevated and less horizontal movement, and Pierre Beauchamps established the five basic foot positions. Marie Camargo introduced a shortened skirt, tights, and the first ballet slippers, allowing great freedom of movement. Her rival, Marie Sallé (the first female choreographer), wore a liberating, Grecian-style costume. The ballet d'action, was developed circa 1760 by Jean Georges Noverre and told a story through movement and facial expression. Modern ballet technique, stressing the turned-out leg and resulting variety of movement, was set down in 1820 by Carlo Blasis. With La Sylphide (1832) the romantic period began. Brilliant choreography emphasised the beauty and virtuosity of the prima ballerina wheras the male dancer functioned only as her partner until the 20th century, when virtuoso male dancing was revived. Conflicts of reality and illusion, flesh and spirit were revealed in romantic love stories and fairy tales. Under the pressure of naturalism in the theatre, ballet declined through the mid 19th century but after 1875 a renaissance in romantic ballet began in Russia, where Marius Petipa and other European masters created many of the great standard ballets, like Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. In 1909 the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev brought his Ballets Russes to Paris. In the following 20 years the Russian style, with the revolutionary music of composers like Stravinsky and modified by the modern dance influences of Isadora Duncan and others, brought the ballet renaissance to Europe and America. Paris, London, and New York City became major centres. Today Russian and English ballet continues to exemplify storytelling and lavish production. American ballet, under the influence of George Balanchine, displays an opposing tendency toward abstraction in theme and simplicity in design. Foot binding was known to take place in both the French and Italian Courts, practised by courtesans keen to attract the attention of the regent. Ballet shoes are thought, by some, to be an historic remnant of this practice. The plain seamless pump started life as a heel-less shoe which was a slip on. Originally the shoe was held onto the foot without a fastening, although later a wrap around strap was used. In the UK the ballet pump was known as a court shoe, with reference to court dancing. By the nineteenth century the slip on pump had become a sophisticated form of footwear, worn by both men and women. Low fronted pumps were worn deliberately to tantalise all by exposing suggestive toe cleavage. When dandy Count D'Orsay introduced a pump style which was low cut on the sides to expose the curve of the long arch and the sinuous movements of the foot the shoe took on extra sensual components.

No shoes could save us from the Dancing Plague: Choreomania

Between the 13th to 16th century large populations of Europe were afflicted with frenzied dancing. People gathered together and danced until they dropped with exhaustion or sometimes death. The Dancing Plague or choreomania was a significant challenge to public health as it pervaded through the populations of Germany, Holland and Italy for three centuries. First described medically by Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim better known as Paracelsus (1493-1541), the cause of the dancing plague (or dancing mania) remains unknown. Paracelsus, (semtimes also known as) Philippus Aureolus, was a Swiss physician, chemist, alchemist and metallurgist, he gained wide popularity, although his contemporaries often opposed him. Paracelsus classified variants of the disorder according to whether the underlying cause was lust, an abnormal mental state, or some unidentified physical factor. The condition was later defined the condition of choreomania as a psycho-physical disease in which the will, intellectual faculties, and moral feelings are more or less perverted, with an irresistible impulse to motion, and an insane love of music, often sporadic, but with a tendency in certain circumstances to become epidemic. The essential features of the disease were it could occur sporadically or in epidemics. It was a psychological disease distinguishable from modern chorea, and from organic nervous diseases. Choreomania was always characterised by an uncontrollable impulse to dance, and a morbid love of music. Physical contact with an affected person was not a prerequisite for contracting the disease (the sight or sound of someone already afflicted could be sufficient). In its epidemic form, an attack was generally preceded by premonitory nervous symptoms and the disease was commonly manifest by physical symptoms including death. Many claims were made as to the actual cause including demonic possession, epilepsy, tarantula bites, ergot poisoning as well as social adversity. It is unlikely to have been caused by any one single event but instead due to multiple factors combined with predisposition such as cultural background, and triggered by adverse circumstances. Corrupt clergy claimed baptism prevented the disease and hence, by reverse logic, claims were made the dancing plague was caused by demonic possession. Because the involuntary movements during an epileptic seizure appeared similar to dance like movement many contemporaries confused the condition but it is unlikely the dancing plague had any connection with epilepsy. In Italy from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries as deforestation took place a large population of tarantulas appeared in the Apulian region. Many claimed spider bites were the cause of choreomania but due to the nature of the disease this is also thought unlikely. The most plausible cause was poisoning due to eating rye contaminated with a fungus, claviceps purpura. This resulted in ergot poisoning which gave symptoms such as nausea, abdominal cramps, itching, muscle pain, spasms, and visual and hearing disturbances, all of which may precede epileptic convulsions. Larger quantities of rye were consumed during periods of hardship when people could not afford meat.

Diabetes Buz Day, Australia

Friday 21st September is Diabetes Buz Day

On line merchandise

Information passed on in good faith.

Blue Ribbon Campaign New Zealand

Iti noa ana, he pito mata.

The Blue Ribbon Campaign highlights the need to report suspected or actual child abuse. The blue ribbon logo is symbolic of the bruising and injury sustained by children following abuse. The movement started in the US in 1989 when a bereaved grandmother in Virginia tied a blue ribbon to her vehicle aerial in protest against child abuse. Many states now hold an annual Blue Ribbon Campaign. The protest against child abuse has a new champion in New Zealand and Parani Howes, mother and nurse from Palmerston North, has decided to march barefoot from Cape Reinga to Wellington (1096 kms) to raise awareness of child abused in New Zealand and how to prevent it. Parani will walk up to 50 km a day barefoot and act as if gagged to emphasize that children are in pain but too young or small to have a voice to speak out against their abusers. She plans to arrive in Wellington on 8th October and has asked supporters to wear a blue ribbon, or sport a blue ribbon on their car aerials or just go barefoot for the day.

More information from Blue Ribbon Campaign and Prevent Child Abuse America .

Also worth a look Angie the ant .

This is not the first time New Zealand has been walked and was done so by Podiatry Students in 1993. The walking load was down by teams of walkers and they were shod.

Clarks: Wot no shooties?

“Shooties," are the hip name for the new kid on the feet this season. Shoe boots had a brief popularity in the 80s but the new look, now less ostentatious, feature zippers or buckles, so no more foot corsetry. The liberated tootsies have attitude with tassel adornment as the ‘it’, shoe accessory. The symbolic significance of tassels is they represent ‘the testicles’ of the vanquished. Shooties with attitude. The popularity of the Australian duo The Veronicas may have a lot to answer for because their favourite shoes, the Mary Janes are now the other fashion find for the season. No self respecting metatarsals would be complete without their high-heeled Mary Jane’s from Max Studio, this autumn. CrocsTM have a fashion range of Mary Janes which adds colour to the girlie shoe. Just to reinforce the vampish nature of the late 07, pointy toes are back with textured patent leathers, reds and two tone colours all available in exotic materials. Woop de doo! As an alternative toe cleavage with peep toes is sure to hold the attention of the fashionista, fantasists and fetishists. A win, win, win situation.

The two giants Clarksand Rockport have both released their seasons’ range full of techo tricks but with no sign of ‘shooties‘. Clarks Unstructured collection of sport and casual fashions for men and women feature softness, flexibility, lightness and climate control. A patented shoe cooling system (by convection) allows air exchange through the vents in the sole and mid-sole to keep the foot cool. The light in weight Unstructured collection are available in soft, supple leathers with lambskin linings. The mould injection sole of Ethyl vinyl acetate (E.V.A.) gives robust sole flexibility. The new Rockport collectionincorporates adidas TorSion(R) System which was originally designed for athletic footwear in 1989. It is claimed the system provides greater foot stability and control during foot strike and according to the manufacturer, is compatible with natural rotation which occurs between the rear foot and the forefoot. Rockport have combined adidas TORSION technology with the company’s Dynamic Suspension air cushioning system, in the new range of 14 styles from athletic-inspired casual to modern, contemporary dress looks.

Boots'r made for trekking

Good quality walking or hiking footwear will generally come with better fitting options and will usually last longer. Ill fitting footwear only inhibits progress making the trekking experience uncomfortable and potentially dangerous, especially in remote areas. It is your preference whether you wear shoes or boots and the all important thing is they fit the feet comfortably. Feet need to be familiar with your walking boots long before starting journey and it is not recommended to take new boots on a trek. Shoes are usually lighter than boots but do not have high ankle support which is sometimes required when climbing steep slopes. With good fitting shoes you can wear ankle straps which are supportive. It takes more energy to walk down slope and sure footedness is critical. The sole of the shoe should be stiff but flexible enough at the ball of the foot to allow natural walking to arise. Waterproof footwear is ideal for cold, wet conditions but in hot weather, mesh uppers are lighter, faster drying and more breathable. On many treks you are likely to run into changeable weather so you may consider taking take two pairs. A laced boot should hold firmly around your entire foot without feeling too cramped. The big toe should not be pressed against the uppers and when you stand on your tip toes the heel should not slip out of the shoe. Ask for an incline board so you can test boots for downhill foot position, or stand with the heel on a small step and the toe on the floor. If the boot feels comfortable but there is a definite foot movement within then there are insoles which can help fit but care is required since not all are ideal for the kind of conditions you will face. An informed retailer should be able to advise. Boots designed for mixed terrain and pack carrying are probably the best for most serious travellers. They have a stiffer sole which gives additional stability and increased under-foot protection to handle some off-track walking. During the trek keeping the feet dry is critical. Footwear must have a tough moulded soles which ensure no water can seep through from the surround. Traditional leather uppers remain popular but there are now lighter, "breathable" and harder wearing waterproof fabrics available. Unless the leather is treated it will absorb water and take longer to dry out, when saturated. Good warm socks are recommended. Ideal socks are made from synthetic looped material to give extra padding around toes and heels and are seamless. Some material can "wick" sweat away from the skin surface. Many people advocate wearing two pairs of socks, a thin pair made from cotton or synthetic fabric next to the skin, and a thicker outer pair on top, this helps cushion the feet, keep the feet warm and prevents blisters Carry a small container of baby talc and puff the skin to reduce friction over vulnerable areas like in between the toes. On long treks, bumps, holes and darning stitches cause severe irritation and blistering, so keep plenty pairs of extra socks. Keep the feet warm and dry and covered at night. Feet swell during walking, so lacing (or Velcro fastening) is best for fit adjustment. You can also take out the shoe insole to give you more room. There is approximately 6mm of dead space in any shoe and most shoes will have replaceable inlays which improve comfort. Inlay materials vary with some better suited to harder conditions than others. Plastazote is a very good lightweight material which you can fit yourself. The material is thermoplastic and insulates the skin, keeping the feet feeling warm. It is important to keep your boots as supple and as waterproof as possible, always treat them according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Make sure your boots are kept clean and, if they become wet, fill them with scrunched-up newspaper and place them away from direct heat to dry over night. To improve traction especially on rough terrain keep the sole free from muck. Always cover any abrasion like a blister with band aids (several on the market) as soon as they arise. Do not be tempted to pop blisters as these can become infected easily. At the end of the day bathe the feet in warm (hand hot) water with a handful of table salt. The saline solution is antiseptic and has a mild stimulating effect and make aching feet feel better. Pat the feet dry with a towel and apply face cream to the feet (very soothing), before a light talc all over. Cover with dry warm socks. Avoid steeping your feet for long periods in hot water as this can have adverse effects on the function of the foot.

Shoe Shine Boy: Cultural Icon and modern Cinderella

Shining shoes was a respectable urban living in the past and gave many successful business types their first foot hold on the corporate ladder. Such notables as pilitico’s, presidents and past presidents , Malcolm X, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil) and Alejandro Toledo (Peru). Musicians, James Brown , Paraguayan composer José Asunción Flores, and influencial Ethopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed. Other notables include, African American film maker Oscar Micheaux, professional golfer, Lee Trevino and motivational speaker Dr Adolph Brown III . By far the most controversial shoe shine boy was Dick Rowland, who innocently was the catalist of the 1921, Tulsa Race Riot.
Before the Depression, no bustling city street in the US was complete without fleets of shoe shine boys armed with their homemade wooden shoeshine box, cheap black and brown shoe polish and old cotton rags, all in an eternal quest for nickels and dimes. Shoe Shinning parlors were commonplace in CBDs all over North America, opened for business from early in the morning until very late at night. After the Second World War the enterprising business went into steep decline but personned, shoe-shine stations can still be found in main airports and big city underground garages etc. Shoe shine boys still operate in many parts of the world including South America, Africa, India and other parts of Asia. Many street children use shoeshining as their only means of income but care is always required because some are petty criminals in disguise.
Many of the street urchin shoe shine boys are pray to extortion and need to bribe officials to keep access to prime spots. Railways tender different stretches to shoe shine agencies who then supply “official shoe shiners. ” They may be charged extra day rent by the Railway and need to pay for the privilege of working as an agency shoe shine boy. Many take loans from moneylenders to pay contractors and become desperate to work. Shoe shining has become a modern metaphor for ‘rags to riches’ and is featured in popular culture from around the world. Doug Stumpf’s novel, Confessions of a Wall Street Shoeshine Boy, follows the adventures and observation of the humble immigrant shoe shine boy who is privy to shady workings of the share market. The best known is the fictional life of a Mumbai, shoe shine boys, in
Yash Chopra‘s movie
Deewar (1979), starring Amitabh Bachchan. But there are others including; Shoe Shine Boy (1943), Italian film, Shoeshine (Sciuscià) (1946), the Hindi film Boot Polish (1954), and El Bolero de Raquel (1956) a film from Mexico. Crooners, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra have both recorded Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy, and Billy Connolly and Gerry Rafferty sang Shoe Shine Boy when they performed as the Humbelbums . Next to the recording studio used by Fats Domino in the fifties was a shoe shine parlour and the big man had to squeeze past as he entered and exited the building. Clearly this subconsciously influenced his thinking and singing because he had more hit songs about walking than any other artist. The concept of the respectable shoe shin boy as an asset highly prized by their customers (and society) has become a strong metaphor suffice in western street talk, ‘shoe shine boyz’ is a term of endearment referring to all young men and women who take personal pride in whatever job they do, regardless of how humbling the experience. Shoe Shine Boyz is a recording label and clothing line which encourages young people to be all they can be. Shoe Shine Records is an independent record label in the UK.

The Sportiletto and sporting spectacular: wot's that to do with red shoes?

The new high heel on the catwalk is a combi-shoe made from brightly coloured plastic components more like Lego footwear than anything else and at a price tag of £700 (sterling) per pair a must for all Transformers. Designer by Nicolas Ghesquière
for fashion house Balenciaga the inspiration for the design for the Sportiletto came in part from snowboarding but the real muse was the Fisher-Price 1-2-3 Rollerskate. Colour is clearly the fashion because Christian Louboutin has recently filed a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to protect his red-soled shoes. Apparently the famous shoe designer wants to patent his red shiny shoes as his signature footwear. This seasons clamber for red shoes has made application all the more critical as rival brands like MiuMiu and New Look include red soled shies within their fashion collections. If he is successful in his application, I guess he will be jumping for joy. But will he be as happy as Women’s Soccer player Jill Scott (England and Everton)? The jinky wee substitute took off both her boots and kissed them after slicing past her marker on the left edge of the penalty area, she shot left-footed and then, when the ball rebounded her away, scored with her right foot. The game ended a 2 all draw against Japan at the Women’s World Cup 2007 China.

FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007

Just kicked off is this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007, a competition often neglected by the media and all the more so this year, because of the Rugby World Cup France 2007. Women’s soccer is now the third most popular sport in the world and all the more reason why adidas are interested in attracting customerss by engaging designer, Stella McCartney. Women's (soccer) football became popular during the First World War when young men were off fighting and the leagues were suspended. Now in the workforce, women formed company teams and inter company competition leagues were popular. Women’s international matches started in 1920 with the first major fixture between Dick, Kerr’s Ladies (from Preston, UK) and a team from Paris. The English ladies (national team) took on their Scottish counterparts in the same year and thrashed them, 22 nil (nothing new there!). Women’s soccer proved so popular after the war that crowds of up to 53.000 came to see them play. Concerned at the potential to damage men’s soccer, the Football Association (England) took an unprecedented action in 1921 and banned women from playing the game on Association members' pitches on the pretext women’s soccer was distasteful. A similar decree was made by Scottish football authorities. Undaunted the English Ladies Football Association was formed and ladies soccer was played on rugby grounds and park football pitches. In 1969 the English Women’s FA was formed and the ban on playing on FA pitches was lifted two years later. Union of European Football Associations(UEFA) recommended the women’s game be taken under the control of the national associations in each country and the first professional team was established in 1984.In 1991, FIFA held the first Women's World Championship in the People’s Republic of China and the USA were the victors. It took almost a decade before the Women's United Soccer Association in the United States was established as an all-professional league for women. In this years' competition both Australia (The Matildas) and New Zealand (The Football Ferns) qualified and their first games start on the 12 September. The Matildas are in Group C and play Ghana; The Football Ferns are in Group D and play Brazil on the same day. Australia qualified through the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and New Zealand stormed through Oceania World Cup qualifiers with 100% clean sweep. Germany are favourites to pick up the cup again but host country, China may well have other ideas. Australia may be the dark horse of the competition in 2007 and USA are likely to be strong contenders, too.

Interesting Sites
Women’s Football
womensoccer.com
Competition fixtures
History of soccer boots
soccer.com
The English FA

Flip-Flop Frenzy: CBS News

Charles Osgood looks at the history of the flip-flop and its current trend-setting status.

Naughty Stella, cheap chic and ticket source

Adidas by Stella McCartney
Fashionista, Stella McCartney was commissioned recently to design a new range of adidas sport shoes. In accordance with adidas she has redesigned a football boot made out of kangaroo skin. The news has already caused concern with animal rights campaigners as well as a condemnation from her father, Sir Paul McCartney. Macca is committed vegetarian and spokesperson against the use of animal skin. adidas have been accused of being irresponsible for using the marsupial’s skin for their sports shoes however there is no evidence millions of kangaroos are being slaughtered for this purpose. There are several types of kangaroo and culling does take place but the species used in footwear are farmed specifically and not part of the cull. In Australia feral kangaroos are responsible for millions of dollars of damage to arable land.

Sports Tickets 411.com
Passed on in good faith. Sports tickets 411.com is a US sports ticket resource guide. The site contains ticket information, team and venue information for every event for every sport.


Cheap Chic Revolution has started
Sarah Jessica Parker’s new Bitten label collection is about to be available, exclusively at Steve & Barry’s stores. The collection contains over 500 women’s items, not one of which exceeds $19.98 (US). Bitten goes up to XXL in tops, size 22 in bottoms and size 11 in footwear. Many of the Bitten garments have been made in China and according to the chief of Steve and Barry‘s, are made in factories operating fair-labour policy. The ‘Cheap chic’ costs are also contained by folding the goods in a less labour intensive way and using transport only when the carriers are full. Steve and Barry’s are also avoiding the use of expensive ad campaigns, preferring word of moth. Thin profit margins are offset with high volume turn over and Steve & Barry’s are anticipating past success with Stephon Marbury (New York Knicks)‘‘Starbury’’ basketball shoes.

New Zealand Fashion Week

The Air New Zealand Fashion Week will be hosted in Auckland and runs from 16- 20 September and provides a forum for New Zealand’s fashion designers. The public can attend Air New Zealand Fashion Week 4 U from the 21 - 22 September. On show will be the works of Kiwi shoe designer Kathryn Wilson. She will be providing footwear for Huffer, Juliette Hogan and Love Lies Bleeding. Sarah Riley andother notable shoe designer the land of the Big White Cloud will prove shoding for the Cybèle show. Mean while back in the US……Ugg Australia are doing really rather well. The shares in Deckers have more than doubled in the past year, with Ugg Australia sales surging almost 23% following the brand's launch of an expanded year-round collection of sandals and casual footwear. Sheepskin lined footwear it appears has become a life style choice and only goes to show the earliest form of shoe is the most everlasting.

Breaking sanctions and ethical threads

Since last year shoes exported to Europe from China have carried an extra surcharge of 16.5 percent of their value to compensate for below-cost imports. Cheaper shoes are thought to be pushing down prices and taking market share that damages European shoe makers. Reported in the European Union's Official Journal, the Commission some Chinese shoe makers are being accused of avoiding the extra charges by re-routing their goods through Macau or by completing the final assembly of goods in that country. Macau is a peninsula and two islands about 60 kilometers (35 miles) west of Hong Kong. It was formerly a Portuguese enclave that returned to Chinese rule in 1999. However unlike, Hong Kong, Macau is governed by different laws. The Macau shoes are then sold without the surcharge to Europe and for less than the prices of Chinese shoes that led to the introduction of the extra charges. The availability of cheaper footwear has also sparked a bitter dispute between European producers and retailers, who benefited from selling more shoes at bargain prices. The Chinese meantime accuse the EU of protectionism and intend to file a legal challenge with the EU courts. A recent study from Australia entitled Ethical Threads was conducted by The Brotherhood of St Laurence and found approximately 50 % of clothes sold in Australia were manufactured overseas. Evidence suggest consumers remain unconcerned about the conditions under which garments are manufactured. Further it was reported the Australian garment industry was slow to embrace mandatory and voluntary mechanisms to protect workers in international and local supply chains. The small and medium businesses surveyed did not see corporate social responsibility and ethical supply as being their responsibility. The Ethical Threads report found many Australian outworkers (i.e. 40% of total employment in the textile, clothing and footwear sector in Australia) were underpaid. Condition for out workers had worsened in the past five years, as a shortage of work increased competition. Despite a regulatory framework and strong legislation to protect outworkers, their isolation meant they felt disempowered. The report also urged companies using overseas manufacturers to ensure that foreign workers had appropriate pay and conditions.

KickInsider.com

KicksInsider.com is a sneaker blog dedicated to bringing their readers daily updated sneaker news and “insiders” information on our culture’s top sneaker brands. From Nike to Vans, to Bathing Ape(ア・ベイシング・エイプ) and Greedy Genius. But they don’t just focus on sneakers, they also cover news on the latest urban clothing, accessories, and toys, which go ‘hand and hand’ with the sneaker culture. KicksInsider.com take the hottest sneaker and urban culture news from all over the internet and bring it to you in a simple and straight-forward way. Check KicksInsider.com daily for the latest sneaker news without getting lost in the lingo and confusion of most information.

Well worth a bookmark

Cool Rugby Union site

With the Rugby World Cup France 2007 poised to start here is a cool site called rugby-union.info.