""If you wish to prevent or cure a bunion or hammertoe deformity naturally, you must be willing to view your footwear as health equipment, rather than as fashion statements. Even our walking and running shoes have tapering toeboxes, heel elevation and toespring, which encourage bunion and hammertoe formation, yet the market shows us that fashion and style rule most people’s agenda when it comes to buying footwear." - Dr. Ray McClanahan"
Since early childhood, I've had foot deformities that have always severely limited my footware--even brands like Naot, Born, Dankso, Alegria are off limits. Because I wear a brace between my toes (https://nwfootankle.com/correct-toes) and have severe bunions, my footwear is pretty limited to the following these sneakers http://www.lemsshoes.com/women_c_32.html and Birkenstock's clogs. I've seen all the footwear blogs, and god knows how many ugly Mary Jane and orthopedic models to make me weep, and have exhausted all options. Ugh. For dressy occasions, I'll wear flats or my Fluevogs, but if I wore them everyday, my feet would worsen, and my only surgical option requires breaking bones in my both of my feet and reconstructing the entire foot.
For me, fashion begins with the feet; shoes always make or break outfits. My sense of never having anything to where, despite liking the clothes that I own, is because my outfits often clash with the shoes. 'Functional' shoes like sneakers and oxfords that work with skirts only work because they don't look chunky, and have tapered toe boxes. My shoes, in contrast, must have broad boxes, giving the foot a duck or Birkenstock like silhouette. While I prefer tailored items--jeans and pencil skirts--these tend to look awkward with my size 9-11 footwear, short and broad calves and 5'5" height.
In that situation, would you view your shoes as instruments, and outliers to the rest of your outfit? Recognize it as something beyond your control, and try to ignore it?
Or would you adopt a permanently sporty look?
More broadly, how do you cope when you feel you are constantly restricted from expressing your sartorial sensibilities?
