IT’S ALL IN THE TOES
SHOES haven’t been this exciting since the glitter platforms of the Seventies. Ranging from gladiators to skyscrapers to espadrilles, there’s just about every fabulous colour, heel and fabric imaginable to indulge even the wildest Imelda-esque shoe tastes.
Women have always loved buying footwear, probably because your shoe size tends to stay the same whatever your waistband does; and quirky, unusual shoes seem to go on and on until they collapse.
Your footwear can make or break your outfit, and yet time and again I see well-dressed people let down by their shoes. Generally people going to the office know that sandals are a no no – it’s not so much the shoes themselves, it’s the feet. Our toes and heels are a very personal part of our body, and like our underarms, we don’t expose them to our work colleagues unless they are in impeccable form. So when we at last get our toes out they may need serious time and attention.
I saw an attractive woman going to a lavish do at the Dorchester recently. She had on a stunning evening dress, fabulous make-up, hair and evening shoes but had forgotten to paint her toenails. How could she possibly have overlooked this simple task? I presume she thought it unnecessary, as eyes would have been on her face and frock – but I noticed, and I dare say other less trained eyes would have noticed too. It’s your toes that make the open-toed shoe, not the other way round. So either treat yourself to a pedicure, or buy some orange sticks and coloured nail varnish and do it yourself. You wouldn’t forget your shoes, would you? So don’t forget your toes.
Sara Hollamby is an image consultant at workingvoices.com: email [email protected]