Knowledge: Women's shoes
Women’s shoes：It’s not just about design; How to choose women's shoes
From "Japanese Leather No. 2" published in 2009
Heels are what you have to be more careful about than men's shoes. The higher the heel, the more elegant it looks, but the less functional it is as a tool.
The tilting movement of the foot explained in the men's shoes section has the role of a pump that circulates blood. If the heels are too high, the foot cannot lower the heel properly, which inevitably results in immature movement. Women's problems such as cold feet are largely due to their footwear.
Check for the presence of a counter
To stabilize the heel, the counter that wraps the heel from the side becomes important. For women's shoes, which have an overwhelmingly small area to cover the instep and are often designed to lift the heel, the counter is the only part that stops the foot from slipping forward. You want to choose a pair with a core material that holds the heel, even more so than men's shoes.
Check the level of the heel
Even in men's shoes, it is important that the heel is parallel to the ground and stable, but this becomes incomparably important with women's shoes. Not to mention the ground contact angle of the bottom of the heel. You also want to check how the top lift is attached and whether the insole does not wobble when the heel resting part is pushed from above.
Heel height is the key
A moderately high heel has a role to support walking. The standard is 3 cm. It is said that a 5cm heel in ok for wearing daily. Of course, not only the height but also the thickness is necessary for a sense of stability. So-called high heels that exceed 7 cm should be worn for a limited time in select scenes.
Check the toes
When walking, the legs expand and contract as if grabbing the ground. Shoes that do not interfere with that movement should have a loose toe (= throw-away size) and a rounded shape as much as possible. Women's shoes are structurally slippery, so you want to check them more carefully than men's shoes. The guideline for the throw away size is about 1 cm.
Check how the heel sits
If the silhouette of the insole when viewed from the side is straight, it makes sense that the higher the heel, the more the foot slips forward like a slide. Stable heels, a counter that wraps around the heel, and another point to check is whether or not the heel is wrapped like a bowl. You want to try the shoe on and check if the center of gravity is on the heel.
Careful selection of heels, which are essential for women's shoes, is important for stable walking, but the design of the upper, that is, the design, is also a part that should not be taken lightly.
Simply put, if the foot is held by the shoe, it will be stable, and the point is if it has a shape that covers the instep. According to this theory, boots are the most stable. The next is pumps, but the type with a shallow top line, for example, where you can see the base of your toes, is less stable. As you can guess, the average sandals are low in stability.
It is best to get into the habit of wearing different shoes depending on the design, but the points to look out for also differ. Here are some points to keep in mind.
Boots
Boots that cover not only the instep but also the calf are the most stable. However, a structure that holds the heel firmly and has plenty of space on the toes is the minimum requirement for choosing good shoes. For the fastener, which is indispensable for boots, the side fastener type makes it easier to take the boots on and off.
Pumps
There is no problem if the heel is not so high, but you want to avoid the type with a shallow top line that shows the base of the toes. When you put it on, the leather will inevitably stretch, resulting in less grip and making your feet tired. You need to be careful because this is something that is hard to notice when you try it on.
Sandals and mules
For sandals that cover a small area of your feet, you should be careful when choosing shoes. It is important to have a type that holds the foot properly with a strap so that it does not slip forward. For mules without heels, choose a type that has a deep top line and wraps around the instep.
