If the shoe fits…..

NAIROBI, KENYA: Whenever I hear a man say he owns two or three pairs of shoes, I am always tempted to ask him how long he has had the problem. Similarly, when a woman says her spouse or boyfriend has less than five pairs of shoes, I always wonder if she has had such a traumatic effect him.

We can forgive some men for developing cold feet when it comes to the number of shoes they own, but that does not mean we should suffer absurd reasoning like ‘owning too many pair of shoes makes you effeminate.’ That is rubbish!

Similarly ridiculous is the assertion that a real man’s grooming goes no further than a soap, razor and splash of water. Who said men are not supposed to have a sartorial sense or get fascinated with fashion? Times have changed. The soap, water and razor vanity bag is now bigger and many men are increasingly spending more money and time on grooming than the average woman. Even then, men still like talking about owning ‘two or three pairs of shoes.’ It is ironical for a man to spend thousands of shillings on his feet — foot massages, pedicures — but baulk at the thought of slipping his coddled ‘walkers’ into different snug and fitting pair of footwear every day.

SHOES FOR ALL SEASONS

Let’s face it. A man should have some below-the-knee style. Granted, you may look dapper in a crisp shirt, elegant jacket, tasteful pants and even a voguish watch. But your getup is incomplete without a chic and comfortable pair of shoes. Why suffer the humiliation of a clown’s gait from pinching and ill-fitting shoes. An all-season man should have shoes for all seasons — boots, brothel creepers sneakers, loafers (slip-ons), bluchers, hiking boots, derbies, boat shoes, moccasins, Safari boots, brogues, Chukka boots, Oxfords...you name it, you should have it. And they should come in all sorts of brands: Pierre Cardin, Louis Vuitton, Hush Puppies, Clarks, Red Tape, Lee Cooper, Daniel Hechter, Prada, Calvin Klein, Rockport, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Bata, Nike, Adidas...

Interestingly, it is just as easy as it is hard for a man to get the right type of shoes. Firstly, men’s shoes — whatever hand — are costlier than women’s. You hardly come across cheap or low-priced men’s shoes littering street corners, backstreets and by-lanes, unlike the fairer sex, whose footwear are in every street corner, being peddled by howling hawkers! Secondly, most men want trendy buys, which is a big mistake, because it is hard to keep up. Thus you get stuck with the same battered pair for ages in your pursuit for trendy shoes. But there are a few tricks to getting the right pair. To begin with, do not just buy shoes because they look good on another man’s feet.

Shoes tend to have a soul of their own, just as feet have different shapes. What looks good on someone would not necessarily look good on you. Let us be done with the lazy ‘get-me-a-pair-like-yours-because-we-wear-the-same-size’ approach.

Go to the shop and try them out yourself. Touch, feel and fit them and see how your feet look in them. That is why star athletes — the Messis, the Neymars, and the Müllers of this world — have their sports shoes custom-made for them.

But there is twist to this. “Our feet, like the rest of us are getting bigger,” reports The Wall Street Journal, quoting a study released last month from the College of Podiatry, a United Kingdom professional group.

MAPPED OUT YOUR FEET

“The average shoe size is up about two sizes since the 1970s,” a consulting podiatrist for the College of Podiatry says, and according to the WSJ report, she believes the findings apply outside the United Kingdom as well, “We have all gotten taller and we need big feet to hold us up.”

In the study involving 2,000 adults, more than a third of men admitted buying shoes that did not fit properly.

Different types of shoes have different fittings, thus if Size 9 of Bata’s Safari Boots fits you well, you might discover that when it comes to Daniel Hechter boat shoes, Size 10 will be a perfect and comfortable fit. Considering that most of the shoes in the local market nowadays are manufactured in the East, where sizes are not ‘standard,’ a Size 8 would actually be smaller. This is the reason you need to try on shoes before paying for them.

Does this mean then that we should not bother browsing online for a good pair of boots? Nope. If you have mapped out your feet, you will understand the differences between United States, European and United Kingdom sizes in numbers and letters (for instance 10C, 9EEE, 10.5D), to enable you get the correct fit from any part of the world. International brand sizes are standardised and offer wide and narrow fits, as well as removable insoles. If the shoes are tight at first, wear them without the insoles, since the mid-soles of good-quality shoes are just as comfortable.

CONSTRICT THE TOES

After two or three wearings, the shoes will ‘adjust’ and will soon be comfortable, even with the insoles back. Shoes with a narrow ‘toe box,’ can push the big toe in and create or accelerate a bunion, the WSJ quotes Steven L. Haddad, an orthopedic surgeon and president of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. “It can also constrict the toes, resulting in what are known as ‘hammertoe deformities.’”

According to experts, you should buy shoes between 2pm and 6pm. Feet tend to swell during the day and will be at their widest then. If you want a good fit, that is your window of opportunity.

In a bid to look overly sophisticated, men also go for big brands instead of settling for just good shoes, and many a time get conned. There are very many counterfeit brands in the local market and you can end up with unoriginal Louis Vuitton loafers while thinking you have the real deal.

The internet is your friend. Before you pay that Nairobi salesperson delivering your ‘designer’ shoes, visit the designer’s website and find out if the style actually exists.

Men tend to end up with ‘bad’ shoes — and this has discouraged many from splurging on footwear — because of the vain attempt to keep up with what is trending. Buy shoes because you like them, because they fit and because you look good in them. That way, you will have a shoe room in no time.Take your time when choosing a pair. Study it and find out whether it is real leather, pleather or a cheap imitation.

Good quality shoes and brands have stickers that indicate the different materials used on the different parts of the shoes. Understand what signifies leather, rubber or fabric — oh, and while you are at it, buy enough pairs of socks as well!