 After a couple of weeks of glorious sunshine, Irish women are back in their fitflops, the sandals that claim to give you a workout while you walk. You see women wearing them in the supermarket, you see them in the park – everyone seems to have a pair and everyone talks about the Fitflop comfort factor. The thick soles give a nice bounce to your step and the ‘wobbleboard’ technology is what generates the workout element.
If, like me, you have a high instep, your Fitflop style options have been limited up to now, it’s time to take another look because the new Fitflop Hooper has a little adjustable velcro strip under the buckle that will give you that all important centimetre or so. All of which means you will be able to purchase the right size and, if my experience is anything to go by, your Fitflops will be a lot more comfortable as a result. I didn’t realise what I was missing until I started wearing the Hooper. The leather strap has a nice soft underside and there is none of the chafing that I blogged about last summer, Solving the Fitflop Toepost Dilemma.
In fact, the Fitflop toepost dilemma has been solved in a much more effective manner with the introduction of some other new styles including the Gogh clog and the Positano and Gogh slide sandal styles.
If you’ve been holding off thinking Fitflops weren’t for you, it might be worth taking another look. I did, and I liked what I found.
 I bought a pair of these Crocs Sassari Wedge Sandals yesterday. They were on sale and I snapped them up for just under 20 euro. Considering the height, I have to say they are surprisingly comfortable – very bouncy under foot with the circulation stimulation of those little nodules under your sole.
Having succumbed to flats in my thirties, I’ve been struggling to get back to heels for some time now. These are not heels, of course, but they are quite high at about three inches.
I spent most of the day in them yesterday and they are easy to wear – I’d go so far as to say they’re even quite restful on the feet. The only thing you need to watch out for is that you could slip in them on a wet floor.
Snow Tips 2 – How To Walk on Ice
Well, the snow persisted. After two weeks of snowfall and sub zero temperatures, the footpaths are hard packed with ice. Drizzle, or the merest hint of a thaw makes walking hazardous and, by and large, we don’t have a clue what to wear on our feet. There are plenty of wellington boots to be seen on the ladies while the gentlemen of the metropolis appear to favour trainers. In the department stores, if you can get there, plenty of fiftysomething women are to be found looking for boots with good grip. Fashion goes out the window when stability is threatened and price is not the object it might otherwise be.
 Jane Shilton Russia Boot Last time I blogged on the subject, I considered that I wouldn’t get enough wear out of them to justify purchasing hiking boots. Two weeks of trying to walk on ice and snow were enough to change my mind. Having perused the available options, I plumped for a pair of Jane Shilton Russia fleece lined boots on the basis they are comfortable, warm, and have soles that remind me of a tractor. Surely such deep cleats must provide improved grip? I hope so. How can you tell? Am I slithering around less than before or have the conditions underfoot simply improved? We may never know. I comfort myself with the thought that this is investment shopping since some chap on the radio mentioned that there are sun spots positioned such that we are likely to have harsh winters like this until 2014. If I get three more years out of the boots without falling down, well they’ll have been cheap at the price which, if you are curious, was Euro 138 in a Dublin department store this week.
But what, if new boots are beyond the budget? Well, I’m told that pointing your feet out like a penguin changes your centre of gravity and may help you stay upright when walking on ice. Holding your arms out to the side may also assist with balance although, admittedly, that’s not the easiest manouevre on a crowded city centre footpath. Taking short steps is better than striding manfully forward and shuffling may also have some advantages. Best of all, of course, is to stay home if you can.
 Snowmen, Ireland, 2010 Snow Tips 1 – Socks over Shoes
Snow is always a challenge in Ireland because we get so little of it. Those of us who go back far enough can recall a big snow in the early ’80s and before that, another in ’63. For us, and for the rest of the nation, this week has been a bit of a shock. Daily snow showers and freezing temperatures have kept us on our skates all week. With little folk wisdom to draw on, drivers are what Craig Revel Horwood might call a ‘disawster, dahling’. While the roads are hazardous, the footpaths are positively lethal. And, of course, we have no idea what to put on our feet. Sprains and breaks are ten a penny in the classier quarters where high finance and the law sport dapper suits but highly polished shoes prove unable to cope with highly polished pavements. Our Polish nationals smile quizzicly when they see us natives in our wellington boots and wonder just how cold, exactly, our feet must be. Despite their excellent grip, I left the Menopause Wellies at home this week and opted instead for trainers which, curiously, attracted admiring comments from several of the men in the office although the ladies seem to have better taste. Hiking boots are really what I need but there is not much point in investing when it could be 20 years before I’d get to wear them again. Instead, I am reliably informed, that a good pair of men’s socks (easier to come by than a pair of good men’s socks) will provide good traction on the ice and may prevent a nasty accident. So that’s Izzy’s Ice Tip #1. Should the snow persist, I’ll be back with more.
 I have had quite a lot to say about Fit Flops recently. If, like me, you have a high instep that makes getting into FitFlops difficult, then maybe Crocs might be worth a look instead.
Mine are surprisingly comfortable. I bought them on holiday a couple of years ago and they are still good as new. The heel bed is quite springy underfoot and there’s enough of a sole on them to protect you from the pavement. I find them easy to walk in and they add a bit of bounce to my step. The celery shade that I purchased is summery but doesn’t go with everything. My sister has a much more elegant pair in black.
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After a couple of weeks of glorious sunshine, Irish women are back in their fitflops, the sandals that claim to give you a workout while you walk. You see women wearing them in the supermarket, you see them in the park – everyone seems to have a pair and everyone talks about the Fitflop comfort factor. The thick soles give a nice bounce to your step and the ‘wobbleboard’ technology is what generates the workout element.
