Friday, January 8, 2010

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Tips for Maintaining your Sandals

Shoes are just as important as the rest of the outfit that they accompany. However, the only tasks that many people perform with them is putting them on and taking them off. This is bad news because without proper care shoes will not last very long and can even cause injury to the feet. Care is especially important for sandals because more of the foot is exposed. By taking just a few moments to maintain your sandals you can ensure that they stay in good condition and continue to adequately protect your feet from the elements.

General Tips

All sandals are heat intolerant and must not come in contact with heat sources, such as a fireplace or radiator. During the warm months sandals should not be stored in places where there is no ventilation or the temperature is extreme, such as in a car with the windows rolled up. Unless the sandals are made of rubber, they should not connect with water. To remove stains that appear on waterproof beach sandals, all you need to use is lukewarm water and gentle soap. If this does not remove the stain, it is recommended that you seek a professional shoe repair service instead of trying different cleaners.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

History


Esparto sandals from the 6th or 5th millennium BC found in Spain.

The oldest known sandals (indeed, the oldest known footwear) were discovered in Fort Rock Cave in the U.S. state of Oregon; radiocarbon dating of the sagebrush bark from which they were woven indicates an age of at least 10,000 years. [1]

The ancient Greeks distinguished between baxeae (sing. baxa), a sandal made of willow leaves, twigs, or fibres worn by comic actors and philosophers; and the cothurnus, a boot sandal that rose above the middle of the leg, worn principally by tragic actors, horsemen, hunters, and by men of rank and authority. The sole of the latter was sometimes made much thicker than usual by the insertion of slices of cork, so as to add to the stature of the wearer.[2]

The ancient Egyptians wore sandals made of palm-leaves and papyrus.[3] They are sometimes observable on the feet of Egyptian statues. According to Herodotus, sandals of papyrus were a part of the required and characteristic dress of the Egyptian priests.

(from : wikipedia)

Friday, December 25, 2009

Definitions

Sandals are an open type of outdoor footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps or thongs passing over the instep and around the ankle. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometimes be blurry (as in the case of huaraches—the woven leather footwear seen in Mexico), the common understanding is that a sandal leaves most or all of the foot exposed. People may choose to wear sandals for several reasons, among them economy (sandals tend to require less material than shoes), comfort in warm weather, and as a fashion choice.

Usually, sandals are worn in warmer climates or during warmer parts of the year, because feet stay cool and dry. The chances of developing athlete's foot is lower than with enclosed shoes, and wearing sandals may be part of the treatment for such an infection.