Louise Roe -Fashion writer, television presenter and stylist whom you might recognize from The City -is beauty and brains all wrapped up in a super stylish package.
Although you may want to hate her for being blessed with those legs, you can’t help but love her for infectious smile, killer work ethic and overall warm personality.
Louise Roe, you rock!
xoxo,
coco
I think it’s time we start caring about our feet. Growing up as a dancer and working in nightclubs in heels, I’ve always done more complaining about sore feet than taking action in decreasing the pain. I did a bit of research and thought I’d share some tips on how to preserve our tootsies.
Some visuals to encourage you to care:
Victoria Beckham has been the bunion queen for a while now but wearing pointy, tight heels has not helped her case in any way. It was said back in ’07 that she may have to undergo surgery to correct her problem. Katie Holmes has corns galore which can be somewhat prevented.
WHEN BUYING:
Size Matters!
Make sure to buy the right size! I almost ALWAYS buy shoes that are too small. It’s a bad habit of loving the look of little feet. Remember, your feet expand throughout the day, so make sure to get the right size. There’s always the option of adding an insole which will make them more comfortable anyways.
Different brands, Different sizes, Different styles
Don’t assume you are a 7 across the board. All brands fit slightly different so make sure to try them on, and be honest with yourself on what is most comfortable. You may be a 7 at Browns but try to fit into a Christian Louboutain 7 and your feet won’t be very happy! Also, many of us have one foot that’s bigger than the other so buy the size according to the fit of the bigger foot.
If you feel off balance in heels, choose a thicker heeled shoe. Booties are good, as well as heels with a front strap to help hold the shoe on. This will prevent you from having to grasp your toes in the hopes of keeping your shoe on.
Pleather vs. Leather
If the shoe is made of plastic, do not justify buying the sale 7 although a bit too tight because you think it will ‘stretch out’. It’s plastic, it’s not gonna happen. Oh and by the way, the rubbing of a sweaty foot in a plastic shoe will leave visible damages ie corns, blisters, scars…NOT CUTE! Also, avoid extremely pointy heels.
Think of a pair of heels as an investment. Go for the natural materials even if they are a bit more pricey. Your shoe will adjust accordingly and allow your feet to breathe.
More on how to wear heels and what to do when enough is enough under the fold.
WHEN WEARING
Posture
Wearing sky-highs shifts your center of gravity forward, which means your spine has to adjust by bending backwards a bit. Remember this and make sure to square up your shoulders, lengthen your spine and engage your core muscles. Also, remember to disperse the weight evenly on both feet.
Stretches
Your calf and achilles put in a lot of work when wearing heels. They tend to tighten and shrink, so make sure to take the time and stretch them out once you’ve removed your heels.
WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Know your limits. I often push myself too far and end up with throbbing feet by the end of the night. There are a lot of things you can do to take care of your footsies and help decrease the pain.
Orthodics
Orthodics are custom insoles that help correct the way you walk and stand. This helps with back, hip and knee pain as well. Although a bit pricey, they’re an investment. They don’t really make insoles for heels as they caution you on the negative factors of wearing heels which brings me to my next option.
Insoles, Tootsies and Butterfly Twists
Steppies are my fave. Tootsie Shoppe has a great solution to decrease rubbing of your toes on the insides of your high-heels and Butterfly Twists have created a solution to carry with you wherever you go. Whether you’re in transit, spend long hours in heels or are traveling and want to slip on something more comfortable, these compact and comfortable flats are a GREAT option!
Massage and Epsom Salt Foot Baths
I love getting a good foot rub and reflexology is a great option. Read more about reflexology here.
Another good way to release tension is by pouring an Epsom Salt Foot Bath at home. Epsom Salts have been known to soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin which may contribute to the pain. Add half a cup of epsom salt to a large pan of warm water and soak for as long as you’d like.
Try some of these options and I’m positive it will help maintain your fabulous feet!
xoxo,
Lowe
Although we were in different parts of the world this week, I still got a chance to catch up on all the Style Collective fun!
Since I’ve been home, I’ve been battling a cold and when I went to Kim Vallee and saw this Japanese Green Tea Pot, I wanted it to magically appear on my door step!
It has a separate handle and built in strainer.
Then it was over to Gifted. I wish I would have seen this post before Coco’s wedding.
This Wishing Tree is so great or parties, showers or weddings! Everyone can participate in a wish and it only costs around $40!
The Style House gave us some coat advice by saying “Get it. Belt it. Love it.” in regards to The Row’s beautiful winter jacket and Chick Advisor found a great cocktail ring made by Brooklyn’s finest, Carrie Bilbo.
WhatWomenWant‘s guest blogger, Jyoti, posted her fave iPad app which we could have definitely used on our trip. It’s called Kayak and it’s a traveller’s bestfriend!
Then it was over to the beauty blogs, Beauty Geeks which featured Goody’s new hair coil and Beauty Editor gave us the face cleaning 101 called “Order of Operations”. Love it!
This week, the Style Collective also participated in Clairol’s Day of Pampering! We will have a full recap shortly.
xoxo,
Coco & Lowe
I saw this line at Bath & Body works yesterday and this particular product jumped out at me. It’s oil with shimmer in it. You can put it on after tanning, or before going out for a night on the town. If lightly spritzed, I don’t see it leaving a disaster all over your clothes.
If you give it a try, let me know what you think. It retails for under $20
xoxo,
Lowe
People are always asking our bestie Mimi how she does her hair (she’s the one in the pic on the right) so we decided to do a little video tutorial.
Click read more to watch and learn
xoxo,
coco
Clairol Natural Instincts is looking for a lucky few Coco & Lowe readers to attend an uber exclusive VIP day of pampering in Toronto on Monday August 16th. The contest winners will spend the evening being spoiled fab-u-lous with makeovers using Clairol Natural Instincts which you will see gives you soft, shiny, rich looking hair, PLUS a makeup application and a professional photog will take your before and after pics! You will also have a chance to be part of a national marketing campaign for Clairol!
There will be yummy snacks and delicious cocktails and an all together smashing good time. The event is FREE, but as any good thing, the space is extremely limited.
xoxo,
Coco & Lowe
*No purchase necessary. Natural Instincts Makeover Challenge closes August 11, 2010. Open to residents of Canada (excluding the province of Quebec), must be of legal age to enter. Click here for details*
The warm weather continues! The refreshing ideas from our Style Collective partners keep coming as well.
Kim Vallee gives us great tips including this Strawberry Mojito made well with or without alcohol.
Afiya over at The Style House posted this image of a mixed tomato salad that had me salivating.
Other food ideas I saw this week were over at Gifted was this Hamilton Beach Single-Serve blender which I have! I got it when Coco and I went on the Isagenix detox and I now use it to make chocolate almond milk smoothies with fruit in the mornings.
Gifted also mentioned these Phuze crystal rings that come in all shapes colours and sizes. They are hand made so they are all unique.
Other fashion mentions include WhatWomenWant‘s post on Rebecca Minkoff‘s new collection. I especially like this one!
Then it was over to ChickAdvisor. With all this wedding planning, the 10 tips for the Bride post really caught my eye with things to remember such as facial planning, water intake and spray tan warnings, all the info was super helpful.
Beauty Geeks shows that the Epilator seems to continue as a useful option for hair removal and has been revamped by Phillips. I’d try this before expensive laser.
I got the low-down on the actual products that gorge girl Gwen Paltrow uses over at Beauty Editor. Some of her choices aren’t cheap but others are things you can grab at your local drugstore.
That’s it for this week!
xoxo,
Coco & Lowe
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