According to The American Podiatric Medical Association, ‘42% of women admit that they would wear a shoe they liked even if it gave them discomfort, 73% admit to already having a shoe-related foot issue.’ Sadly, this statistic is not surprising as the majority of women do not know the negative impacts of their daily footwear.

Different Footwear Styles: What Is Causing Strain?

High Heels

For decades high heels have been the staple footwear style for women which has only resulted in decades of unnecessary foot pain. Whilst it is not totally wrong to wear heels, it is recommended that you don’t, especially for such long periods of time. When wearing heels, your foot is in the plantar flexed position. This position is unnatural for your foot alignment and as your muscles are stretched you begin to feel pain.

According to Healthline: ‘An injury to any of the muscles that support plantar flexion can limit your ability to flex your foot or stand on tiptoe. Ankle injuries, including sprains and fractures, are one of the most common causes of plantar flexion problems.’ It is important to remember that other parts of your body can be injured due to your choice of footwear, especially areas such as your ankles, legs and lower back.

Pointed Toes

Footwear with a pointed toe design can cause many problems. When wearing the shoe, your toes are confined to a small space, similar to high heels the positioning then creates an unnatural alignment. This is backed by Piedmont who says ‘The awkward positioning of your toes can also cause them to contract and eventually curl under permanently, a condition known as hammertoe.’ As well as Hammertoe occurring, these shoes also increase the likeliness of developing Bunions. If left untreated Bunions can then lead to problems such as arthritis and ingrown toenails.

Flats and Flip Flops

These styles of shoe can cause a lot of pain as they lack a very important feature, arch support. Arch supports help to distribute pressure when standing and walking. Without the correct support, your feet are put under pressure because of your body weight, this then causing pain in sensitive areas of the foot like the ball, heel and arch.

Cincinnati Foot and Ankle Care recommends using supports because ‘Arch supports serve as extra cushions for the plantar fascia, providing elevation and shape for the foot as you walk and run.’ Flat shoes may be seen as a comfortable solution compared to high heels however it is suggested not to wear them too often in order to prevent these conditions from occurring.

Alternate Styles Better Suited For Support

Ankle Boots

Ankle Boots are a style which can be worn all year round. Often made with extra space around the toes, boots are less likely to cause problems like hammertoe and bunions. As well as this, they will support the wearer’s ankle, whilst looking after your feet is a priority it is also important to remember that ankles need to be cared for as they too take a lot of pressure whilst walking.

Wedges

Wedged heels are a great alternative to traditional high heels. With weight pressure evenly distributed across the Wedged heel provide the wearer with complete support, with this stability and comfort are both improved, and you won’t be left with painful feet after walking. This is supported by Dr. James Amis who speaks about the benefits of wedges rather than heels, in the SheFinds article he says ‘Wedges can actually relax the gastrocnemius (or calf muscle) a bit, which in turn reduces the linked tension on the plantar fascia. In most cases, my patients will experience short-term pain relief for their foot and/or ankle ailments when wearing a wedge shoe compared to high heels.’

Trainers

With people increasingly seeking comfort, trainers have become the most purchased shoe style in the world. Trainers are a reliable are made with the intention of protecting the users’ feet from injury whilst exercising. The tip of a trainer is also often wider to allow help increase stability and movability. Other features often included are arch support and heel cushioning, trainers are constructed in this way in order to minimise pressure on the feet whilst walking.

Dressed to impress: What to wear this autumn

A wardrobe essential for everyone should be a trusted pair of ankle boots as they are a great option when elevating your outfit, so why is it that they are so popular during the autumn and winter months?

Here’s the answer: Comfort! Ankle boots are a great fashion statement in the winter months because they can enhance almost any outfit and keep you feeling cosy and comfortable despite the changing weather.

Autumn and winter fashion: Nature inspired colour palettes

As the colder seasons approach you want to be wearing warmer, earthier colour tones. As nature evolves and leaves begin to brown, this will inspire what colours we wear so during autumn. An autumn-inspired look colour include a variety of colour shades, with the most prominent being shades of brown complemented with oranges or deep shades of red. Pair these colours with neutrals such as white, grey, cream and black for a dynamic autumn look.

As the season changes, the colours we see in fashion do too. For example, during winter you are likely to see a lot deeper, richer tones like emerald green, sapphire blue and burgundy. These colours are often paired with lighter tones like white or cream for a colour contrast or complemented with darker shades of grey and brown.

Outfit check! Incorporating Uufey into your Winter wardrobe

As briefly mentioned, ankle boots popularity soars during the winter months as people seek comfort and support, these are elements that are built into Uufey products as we want to help people look after themselves.

Pairing the Cill Cut-Out Bootie

The Cill shoe is an extremely versatile addition to your wardrobe as it can complement many outfits. Pair your Cill with a long white sleeve t-shirt, brown corduroy dress and black tights for a playful autumn look.

Keep cosy with Kene

Pair your Kene with Jeans and a Chunky Knit jumper or cardigan for a staple Autumn look. Pair with an additional colourful peacoat to keep you warm, whilst the Kene will look after your feet, with it’s cosy faux fur lining.

Style your Sarah-Zest

Our Sarah-Zest range comes in 3 different colours: Black, Burgundy and Navy. Black ankle boots are an extremely useful addition to your wardrobe as they can be paired with any look.

Pair your Burgundy ­Sarah-Zest with a dark grey or black pair of leggings, simple block coloured t-shirt and playful cardigan for an amazing Autumn inspired look.

Following the seasonal colour palette, for a cute Winter look, you could pair your Navy Sarah-Zest boots with a pair of jeans and cream chunky knit jumper.

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Did you know?

The oldest pair of shoes in existence come from 3500 BC Egypt! Made from leather and grass, these shoes have a close resemblance to today’s shoes such as moccasins. Looking through the history of footwear and recognising how it has evolved is extremely important as we can learn how to progress even further.

A brief look into women’s shoemaking

High heels are a style of shoe that is often associated with women, however originally high heeled shoes were made for Persian warriors who needed support when riding horses in battle. Believe it or not, men wore high heels up until the era of Queen Elizabeth 1^st. Gradually over time designs evolved and heels appeared more feminine to become ‘women’s shoes.’ Whilst the popularity and use of high heels changed over time, the popularity of heels really increased in 1920s as designs become more ‘decorative’ to match the current fashion styles.

Despite the past popularity of heels, in present day according to researchers at Mintel* women are purchasing more sneakers than high heels.

*‘It seems that the popularity of heels is falling flat in general as 59% of female footwear buyers prefer to wear flat shoes, compared to just 12% who prefer to wear high-heeled shoes.’ (Mintel)

As preferences evolve, supportive footwear with comfort is becoming more of a priority over high heels. Comfortable shoes such as trainers and sneakers originally formed from plimsolls shoes that were worn on boat decks to limit dangers when slipping, gradually becoming inspiration for tennis shoes which become the first ‘athletic shoe’.

The search for comfort (1900-2020)

Below will briefly discuss the past century of women’s footwear, as you read on you will see that comfort was not the most important factor to influence the range of designs. As society developed the needs of ladies footwear also changed, in recent decades it is noticeable that many designers are taking form and function into account. They have recognised that the public wants footwear which will provide comfort as well as allowing them to keep up with current fashion trends.

• 1900-10s: The Practical Lady Of Leisure

Around the years of WW1, it was practical for women to wear low-heeled shoes to get them around their daily activities, it was towards the end of this period that high heels began to increase in popularity once again and boots with heels become all the rage.

• 1920-30s: Rising Hemlines

Early on in this period ladies began to wear shorter dresses, and as a result led to the production of more decorative high heels. A design often noted with the 20’s and 30’s is the T-Strap heel which provided ankle support whilst dancing.

• 1940-50s: War Restrictions

In the 40’s materials were limited due to the ongoing war and shoe design was put to the side. However, the 50’s introduced the world to…stiletto heels! One, if not the most well-known heel design, however due to its construction also happens to be for many one of the most uncomfortable forms of high heel.

• 1960-70s: Post War Fashion Freedom

The early 60’s was a time of experimentation and as fashion was a high focus point within society. In terms of heeled shoes, Cuban heels took the forefront and were worn as a compromise between comfort and fashion. However, younger generations began to recognise that for daily wear heels were not necessarily the best choice which led to the increase in demand for tennis shoes.

Dance was a major activity within the 70’s as music and pop culture expanded, which led to designers trying to increase comfort and manoeuvrability for those who enjoyed going to the disco. This is when chunky heels first became popular, it allowed for the user to feel supported whilst also making a fashion statement.

• 1980-90s: Form vs Function

By this time, people began to recognise, that despite the popularity of heels other shoe options were available and caused a lot less pain. The 80’s was the decade of ‘the boot’ with subcultures like punks becoming more mainstream, people would take inspiration from bands / artists they listened to. This also allowed the wearer to express themselves and many often would decorate their boots or use different laces to add to the unique look of their outfit.

The 90’s was a decade of the platforms. Inspired by many celebrities such as the Spice Girls, platform shoes became mainstream. Despite popularity these shoes were often a safety risk and resulted in many people hurting their ankles.

• 2000-10s: Trying To Compromise

As in previous decades many audiences looked to celebrities for fashion inspiration. Heels lost a lot of popularity, and many people began to wear comfort shoes. From flip-flops, to sandals, to low heeled boots celebrities inspired a range of footwear, no more so than sneakers.

Heels were not forgotten about, as many celebrity icons were seen sporting various styles however Ugg boots and sneakers became a staple in many people’s wardrobes. There was even a moment in time were people were seen sporting wedged trainers, fusing together the popularity of a high heel but in the style of a sneaker.

• 2020’s: Finding A Solution: Support and Style

Which leads on to today, were the search for comfort and style is being answered. People are recognising the importance of looking after their feet and are now seeking brands who offer both comfort and a fashion statement. Here enters Uufey Shoes, who creates products specifically to provide comfort and support throughout your busy lifestyle.

So, what is the solution?

Interest in comfort shoes is increasing, and Uufey have designed a range of footwear that provides comfort and support for general day wear. Our footwear also help to ease existing and tries to prevent customers from suffering from various foot health problems.

Uufey shoes were made to move, incorporating our three-zone comfort technologies the wearer is assured that their feet are protected and looking fashionable all day long.

Our three-zone technology focuses on increasing stability, provides arch support and cushioning for the toes.

To learn more about this browse our range of products HERE.