Score goals!: Puma put it in their contact

As part of their PUMA football boot contract Sheffield Wednesday players Darren Purse (Captain),striker Akpo Sodje and Sean McAllister will donate their goal bonuses this season to Sheffield's Childrens Hospital.

Anti-Heel Lobby: Unions show solidarity

First it was the British unions that put their foot down on high heels now it is the Australian unions and health professionals turn. Unions in NSW are now seeking employers to carry out risk assessments on footwear. The call relates to the potential association between inappropriate footwear and foot pain. It seems foot, ankle and lower back pain are the highest causes of workplace injury in Australia.
Wearing high heels for long periods of time may cause muscle fatigue and imbalance. According to a spokes person from the British Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists about 2 million days a year are lost through sickness as a result of lower limb disorders. UK and Australian Unions are genuinely concerned at dress codes enforced by employers which require women employees to wear fashionable high heels that may result in injury. Unions want employees who feel that the dress code enforced in their workplaces poses a risk to their safety have the right to question that code under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Shoe sales: If it is cheap I will buy it

When it comes to shoes, fashion trumps function and even comfort for many British women, according to a survey by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. According to their survey more than a third of British women will buy shoes at a sale that do not fit them. From a poll of 2000 people found 80 percent suffered from a passion for footwear fashion with problems ranging from bunions and corns to cracked heels and in-growing toe nails. Somewhat surprisingly women were not the only ones squeezing their feet into shoes that don't fit them. Almost one fifth of men (17 per cent) bought shoes in the wrong size.

FFANY Shoes on Sale

Jessica Simpson has donated her shoes to TV shoppers, in honour of her grandmother, as part of a breast cancer fundraising drive. The Texan singer also appears in a series of adverts promoting the QVC FFANY Shoes on Sale event that will air on US TV on October 13. FFANY stands for the Fashion Footwear Association of New York. Sitting on a wooden box and armed with a red high-heeled shoe in one hand and a clutch of open-toe sandals in the other, the 29-year-old is pictured next to a message that reads: "These are for my nana." She goes on to say: "My grandmother had breast cancer, which is why I am donating shoes from the Jessica Simpson Collection and shopping FFANY Shoes on Sale on QVC." Viewers can buy the shoes for half of the suggested retail price and net proceeds will help fund breast cancer research and education. Other donors include the makers of Dr Martens, Ugg boots and AK Anne Klein.

Nerdy clothes for nerdy people:Ankles put the ‘rad’ in trad

Fashion weeks from Melbourne to New York have come and gone. The fashion cogniscenti have spoken and it is clear to all that if you want (men) to be in vogue this season it is the simple action of leaving your socks off. The old Miami Vice trick of exposing the ankle "sans chaussures" is de rigueur for stylish men who are wearing tailored trousers hemmed above the ankle. Trim slacks with classic footwear without socks will get you noticed (and probably bitten by every dog flea within a mile). Designer Duckie Brown had his foci on suits with the trousers cut off into walking shorts. The trend to no socks and flood (crop) trousers started with the collections of Thom Brown a few years back. The ‘half mast’ guru preferred his pants abbreviated, Pee-Wee Herman style. Ankles are the new male erogenous zone and need to be accentuated by tailored trousers and traditional footwear like clunky brogues, function-first desert boots or old school penny loafers.

How can I look taller?

In a society where image is all the height challenged are in their element just now with the fashion for high heels. Role models like Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham) assisted ably by designers like Christian (Red Soles) Louboutin have made the 6.3-inch stilettos the norm and available on line (see “Maggy” and “Miss Clichy” on Louboutin’s website ). What is sauce for the goose however must also be sauce for the gander and what seems surprising (to me) is the apparent absence in mens’ fashion for higher heels. Like the vogue for pointed toes seems it’s ladies first and men later. Meantime the carefully manipulated image for real (height challenged) men may involve wearing elevated shoes. Sir Cliff Richard (the Peter Pan of UK Pop) has always admitted to don heels to boost his 5ft 10in (178cm) frame on stage as has Wee Reggie (Sir Elton John). Fashion dictates to look taller you need to wear one colour head-to-toe with no turn-ups on the trousers. Well-fitted clothes which hug the body give the perception of height which may go some way to explain the less than lofty, Sir Mick Jagger has avoided multicoloured outfits and for years worn elevated sneakers. More recently he donned hi- Nikes to appear taller than his 6ft 2in (188cm) girlfriend. Short Ass, Rod Stewart has his 6ft 2in (188 cm) partner, Penny Lancaster well trained for apparently the lady quietly steps off the kerb for publicity and paparazzi photos shots. Perhaps Rod the Mod has been inspired by Hollywood great, Alan Ladd himself bereft of height always insisted he was given preferential perspective (in height) when close up scenes were shot with fellow actors. It is reported his taller leading ladies were required to walk in a dug out so as to appear shorter Ladd on camera. These conventions are well worn and still used. Tom Cruise is a wee lad but always appears taller on screne thanks to favourable camera work. A similar approach has been taken by politicians. French president, Nicolas Sarkozy (5ft 5in /165cm tall) prefers to seen in his photo-opportunities with shorter people to make him look taller. On a recent visit to a motor technology plant in Normandy it was reported only the shortest workers were selected to share a stage with Mr Sarkozy. The Lady Diana was taller than her husband, Charles, The Prince of Wales and Royal protocols demanded the lady wore low heels when in public so as not appear taller than her man. This started the fashion trend for elegant flats but when Lady Di was free from all that palavar she preferred to wear her Jimmy Choos. Sad to report the very day the lady died, the celebrity shoe designer had new heeled pumps ready for her collect. Elevator shoes for men are more discreet than visible heels and attract less comment. Well placed lifts can add a promising height boost of anywhere between two and five inches. Of course if vanity prevents then bring your own foot stool.

Sex advice from podiatrists

Taken from the Nerve.com Sex advice from podiatrists

When is an old pair of shoes, an old pair of shoes? Ask van Gogh

In 1886, Vincent van Gogh moved to Paris to become part of the avant-garde art scene there he studied under Fernand Cormon. During this time van Gogh painted a small oil painting of old worn shoes. When he showed the canvas to his peers this met with open derision with most critical of the absurdity of painting such dull everyday objects. No one is quite sure why these old shoes held such fascination for the artist especially since he was known to rarely wear shoes himself. The painting attests the brilliance of colour and light and the artist was experimenting with coloured accents, tonal elements and shadows so the muse would be intriguing. The painting was constructed quickly using thick impasto, with clearly visible brush stokes. Long after the painter died a controversy broke out among the cognoscenti which centred on the painting and its meaning and set in motion a debate concerning the function of art and the nature of being which rages to this day. Philosopher, Martin Heidegger became fascinated with the painting when he saw it in an Amsterdam exhibition in 1930. As an academic he pondered long on the conundrum of "Sein und Zeit” (Being and Time) and would often refer to van Gogh‘s shoes in his lectures. To Heidegger the painting depicted more than a technical reproduction of a pair of old shoes surreptitiously found in the artists studio instead it had a deeper meaning which encapsulated the essence of the subject, i.e. the shoes of a peasant woman of that time and period. He later wrote an essay in 1936 entitled “The origin of the work of art” in which he detailed his ideas concerning van Gogh's Shoes and art. This view point was not a consensus and American art historian Meyer Schapiro among others took issue with many of Heideggers points. Her thesis was to understand the significance of the painting it was first necessary to establishing what van Gogh's intentions were in painting it. Schapiro argued the artist chose the subject to represent an abstract of senescence. According to her shoes had particular significance to the artist who chose the subject carefully to symbolise the idea of life as a pilgrimage. Schapiro was convinced the artists signature which appears in red at the top left of the painting is the title of the work: "Vincent“. In this way she believed the painting was a symbolic self portrait. The intrigue for most is whose shoes were they? Did they indeed belong to a nameless, female peasant or were they men’s boots, in which case could have been the artist’s own footwear. A contemporary of van Gogh did report he bought himself a pair of second hand peddler’s shoe at a local flea market. The artist wore them once to walk the city streets and when they got wet and were spotted with mud he discarded them to become a muse? The painter was obviously moved by shoes and paint a number of still lives with old shoes.

Barefoot runners keep on running

Barefoot running is building up a cult following according to rise in interest on the World Wide Web. The opinion abroad appears to be barefoot runners are of the opinion running shoes, with arch support and thick cushioning and more, are the common cause of common injuries. In a bid to over come this many runners have chosen to avoid full fashion designer sportsgear in preference for minimalist footwear. Others have abandoned footwear altogether and run au naturelle (their feet, that is). Many barefoot runners were inspired to give up their shoes after reading Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall that tells the story of the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico who run long distances with ease. Currently there is no independent evidence either way and the matter is very much personal preference. Running across hard surfaces and at the risk of injury from sharp objects like broken glass or discarded needles etc. would suggest a protective foot cover as an intelligent precautionary measure. Shoes do not however performance enhance contrary to market rhetoric inference. Whilst we maybe born to run barefoot sadly the ravages of age, illness and hard surfaces mean choice is restricted. As we age and older adults take up walking and jogging it makes good sense to protect the feet from serendipitous injuries because of impaired immune systems and compromised circulation and nerve supplies. All of which can compromise life style disease such as diabetes. To that effect shoes which comfortably fit the foot and are appropriate to use over hard surfaces and duration would seem to make good sense.

Goex Collection for only the chosen few

Italian footwear company, Geox are launching a limited run of footwear styles available exclusively from their 7 mono-brand stores across the UK. From 15th October, the Limited Edition Flash collection is launched and consists of four women's wear styles. The new range includes suede boots (over the knee style) and a patent leopard print court. Très chique, however the marketing rouse is each Geox store will stock only one of each size in each style. Good hunting.

toeslayer aside (in cynical mode) - or you could wait until the Chinese copy them.

Shoe auction: Big Movers event in the Big Apple

Glamour mum, Angie Harmon ( Law and Order and Womens’ Murder Club) was on hand to host a celebrity shoe auction in New York yesterday. She and her husband, former New York Giants and St. Louis Rams football player Jason Sehorn supervised baby daughter, Emery Hope as she attempted an obstacle course designed for babies to raise money for charity. Nine month, Emery Hope was joined by other babies crawling through a terrain of mock mountains and ski slopes while their mothers bid on Big Mover sneakers signed by celebrities including Melissa Joan Hart, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Tori Spelling. The shoes are from the Big Movers sneaker collection and the public event was staged to celebrate the release of new Huggies® Little Movers diapers. The proceeds of the auction will benefit the Washington, D.C., nonprofit KaBOOM! which builds playgrounds for city kids. The online auction runs until October 2. You can learn more about the auction at here.

adidas and Puma end rivalry: Bet nobody wore Nikes

The Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach has been divided for over sixty years. Home of sportswear giants adidas and Puma the companies became business rivals when brothers Adi and Rudolf Dassler fell out. No one can be sure what the feud was about but many claim their wives hated each other and there is a suggestion both brothers committed adultery with each others wives. Rudolf was also accused of stealing from the company and left adidas to start Puma in 1948. From then onwards the two companies have remained fierce rivals as each respective workforce stayed loyal to their alma mater. Puma and adidas employees maintained strict social apartheid refusing to socialise with each other. Children formed Puma or Adidas gangs and physical violence was not uncommon as hatred and prejudices flourished. Residents gained the name "Bent Necks," because they always looked down at a stranger’s feet to see which trainers they wore before engaging them in conversation. Over the decades the two firms have spent millions in court fights. September 21st was non violence day organised by the Peace One Day organisation and to celebrate this event employees of both companies shook hands and stepped out to play the beautiful game for 90 minutes. In mixed teams the rivalry between both companies ended with representatives of both companies shaking hands.

The Kangaroo Kid

Football-themed stories have been a staple favourite in British comics since the 50s with Roy of the Rovers the most popular. Roy Race appeared in the "Tiger (The Sport and Adventure Picture Story Weekly)" which was launched in the UK in 1954. My personal favourite was a spin on the old fairytale Puss in Boots and was called Billy's Boots which appeared in Scorcher, Tiger, the Valiant and Eagle before finding a home in Roy of the Rovers (RotR). Billy Dane was mediocre schoolboy player who suddenly develops an amazing skill and intuition whenever he wears the old boots of legendary striker "Dead Shot" Keen. The stories were remarkably moral with the hero often at odds with himself as he relied more and more on the wearing the old boots. The boots were a metaphor for cheating. Another favourite was the Kangaroo Kid from the Scorcher comic. During Redstone Rovers successful summer tour of Australia the team are marred by an injury to their centre forward in the last game. With only two weeks left to the start of the English soccer season, Redstone's centre forward, "Striker" Short is out with a broken leg. On the way back to the airport, the Redstone team stop for a kick around in the outback. Suddenly, the captain spots a jeep coming towars them chasing kangaroos and trying to catch them. As the convoy moves closer they notice a boy running with the kangaroos. Suddenly the boy came across a loose football and launched it like a rocket at the driver of the jeep. With the driver knocked clear out of the jeep the kangaroos escape. Impressed with the kids ball delivery the Kangaroo Kid is signed as a replacment for the injured striker. Back in Britain he becomes a star.

Shoe masks for the discerning retifist

Shoe designer Minna Parkikka has transformed her love of shoes into a new project. Minna has started to produce shoe-inspired face masks.

Take a step into The Manchester United Experience: Walk-through

Manchester United is the most popular football team in the world and has fans everwhere especially in Asia. To demonstrate how popular the club is a new major visiting attraction in Macau called The Manchester United Experience: Walk-through was openned recenty by former greats Bryan Robson and Brian McClair. The Walk-through experience was
designed by MET Studio and is part of the Venetian hotel in Macau on the Cotai Strip. Visitors experience a highly interactive experience which covers everything from the earliest beginnings of the Manchester United Football Club to a real sense of what it means to support, play for and manage the world-class club of today. This is the first ever visitor attraction featuring Man U to be opened outside of Old Trafford heartland. From huge-scale media walls to exhibits which allow fans to pit their own footballing skills against today’s team, to being directly addressed by Sir Alex Ferguson in a behind-the-scenes look at the Old Trafford Changing Room and joining the players in the tunnel before a game, the experience completes in a wraparound and highly stylised 4-minute presentation of a classic Manchester United game, atmospherically captured and re-presented by award-winning film director Daryl Goodrich ( Beijing Olympics and ‘Sport at Heart’). The hotel rooms are arranged around the perimeter of the complex, which includes a 600 sq m Manchester United Megastore and forms the entry point to the Manchester United Experience.

CelliantLife Socks

Pam

CelliantLife socks are available to buy. Have a swizz at the Celliant website. You can also get them here .

Pain free socks

A recent study conducted at Veterans Administration Medical Center, Long Beach was published in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal found specially designed socks modified the skin's reaction to light and reduced chronic pain. The goal of this study was to evaluate prospectively whether socks made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) incorporating optically active particles (Celliant™) ameliorates chronic foot pain resulting from diabetic neuropathy or other disorders. Using a double-blind, randomized trial subjects twice completed the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), and SF-36 a week apart before receiving either control or Celliant™ socks. The same questionnaires were answered again one and two weeks later. The questionnaires provided nine scores for analyzing pain reduction: one VAS score, two BPI scores, five MPQ scores, and the bodily pain score on the SF-36. Mean scores were compared to measure pain reduction. The statistical analysis revealed subjects wearing Celliant™ reported less pain. The researchers concluded socks with optically modified PET (Celliant™) appear to have a beneficial impact on chronic foot pain. The mechanism could be related to the effects seen with illumination of tissues with visible and infrared light. Celliant™ is a polymer fabric constructed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn containing optically active particles – a proprietary mixture of natural and inorganic materials – which scatter and reflect visible and near infrared light. Garments constructed with such optically modified fibres are thought to influence transmission and reflectance of electromagnetic energy into underlying tissue and skin.

Shape-ups sneakers

Latest in negative heel shoes is the new Shape-ups sneaker from Skechers USA Inc. According to the manufacturers the wedge shape sole creates a cushioned, heel-to-toe rocking motion, akin to walking on sand. The slight instability encourages more use of leg and hip muscles which tone the thighs, calves, buttocks and abdominals. Skechers claim Shape-ups give the wearer a workout, even when just walking.

Footwear and falls prevention

Footwear characteristics such as shoe type, heel height, heel counter height, heel width, critical tipping angle, method of fixation, heel counter stiffness, sole rigidity and flexion point, tread pattern and sole hardness have all been subject to research in the prevention of falls. Other footwear features such as heel collar height, sole hardness, and tread and heel geometry are also considered influencial aspects likely to influence balance and gait. Shoe measurements related to lateral stability (heel height and width, critical tipping angle), foot position sense (heel-collar height, sole thickness, and sole flexibility), and the shoe/surface interface (foresole material, shoe-to-ground coefficient of friction, sole contact area) have all been subject to extensive research in a bit to prevent falls.
Tencer et al (2009) reported certain measurable properties of shoes were found to be significantly related to risk of falls in older adults. Wearing shoes with low heels and large contact area may help older adults reduce the risk of a fall in everyday settings and activities. Other recent studies undertaken to determine the relationships between footwear characteristics and the falls risk of indoor and outdoor incidents in older people have revealed no significant association (Menz, Morris and Lord (2009). Instead they found indoor falls were associated more with going barefoot or wearing socks only. Menant et al (2008) have profffered elevated heels of 4.5 cm height did significantly impair balance in older people and researchers generally agree the potential benefits of wearing shoes with a hard sole or a high heel-collar on balance in older people warrant further research in ambulatory tasks. Based on findings of a systematic literature review, older people should wear shoes with low heels and firm slip-resistant soles both inside and outside the home. Further findings suggest older adults are slower stopping gait rapidly than their younger counterparts and that footwear is likely to influence whole-body stability during challenging postural tasks on wet surfaces. It is evident that bare feet provide better slip resistance than non-slip socks and therefore might represent a safer foot condition. However, previous studies have associated barefoot mobilisation with increased falls. However it is generally accepted wearing good fitting shoes should be encouraged. In another study Chari et al (2009) discovered wearing athletic and canvas shoes (sneakers) were the styles of footwear associated with lowest risk of a fall in older adults during everyday activities.

Pink Boots for sale

Time was soccer players wearing anything other than black boots would have their sexuality seriously questioned. Now-a-days anything goes and the more gallous the colour of your boots the more cavalier the player. Last season Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner took things to the edge with his pink soccer boots. Never a shrinking violet the Danish International persevered despite criticism from the crowd and a personal poor run of play. Now the famous pinks are for sale. On eBay the auction is due to close on Sunday, September 13 with the proceeds going to a Danish cancer foundation. Bendtner wore pink Mercurial Vapor Berry football boots when the line was launched last year. Bendtner scored in the Champions League match between Arsenal and Dynamo Kiev at the Emirates Stadium in London on November 25, 2008 wearing his pinks.

Manolo Blahnik Drawings

Manolo Blahnik Drawings Thames & Hudson is a fab keepsake with 134 illlustrations.

Boots4Africa: PFA joins in

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and Boots4Africa have announced a charitable partnership that will see every member of the PFA donating a pair of their boots in time for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. The PFA has agreed to support the charity, which collects and delivers pre-worn football boots to communities across Africa enabling children and adults alike to play football wearing football boots. Boots for Africa is always on the lookout for donations, so if you can help, or for more information, visit their website

Footwear on Free App: New Trend

Fashion and footwear firms are increasingly using the growing mobile phone market to sell their wares. Zappos.com, Sears and Foot Locker are taking advantage of the new marketplace with mobile commerce (or m-commerce) sites and mobile-friendly versions of their own sites. NearbyNow Inc., collects inventory from brick-and-mortar stores to help shoppers find a specific item in their size at local shops either via the Web or by phone. Each month, the magazine Lucky presents shoe picks and gives the user the chance to purchase them online or find them at a local store. NearbyNow introduced a similar app for Runner’s World, which features athletic shoes and is sponsored by Nike. Several other footwear brands have created programs for the iPhone, including Vans, REI, Ralph Lauren, Elie Tahari, Donna Karana and many others. There are also dozens of unbranded apps, including the popular iShoes and Stylish Girl.

Leave your mark: The Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2009

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has been a classic event for several years. The October marathon attracts tens of thousands of runners and spectators with numerous charities gaining benefit from the huge economic impact it brings to the city. At the footprints website runners and supporters can this year create customised running shoe treads with personal images and messages. For each shoe tread submission, Bank of American plans to donate $1 to one charity from among 25 listed at the site. Each shoe tread designer can designate the charity to benefit from his or her creation. Plus, the charity with the most submissions receives a $10,000 bonus.