Refresh Your Wardrobe With Three Steps Into Spring

Spring is just around the corner, and your winter blues are finally starting to ease off. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about your summer wardrobe and digging your sandals out from the back of the cupboard. Unfortunately, many of us are worried about showing off our feet in summer. In a recent survey by Footner over a third of people (34%) said they hate the way their feet look⁽¹⁾ !

You needn’t be anxious about embracing shoe trends this spring and summer. In three simple steps you can put your winter wardrobe to bed and get your feet ready to wear those summer shoes with confidence.

Step One- Say good-bye to your winter boots.

Rather than rely on your winter shoes to stay fresh until next winter, now is a good time to give them a good end-of-season clean and waterproofing and place them in proper storage so next time the temperature drops they are ready to be used straightaway.

Choosing the correct storage solution can help shoes keep their proper shape and structure. When thinking about where to store shoes opt for a temperature-controlled environment and, if using plastic boxes, make sure shoes are thoroughly dry before storing to prevent mildew growth.

Before putting your old favourites away for another winter of use, have a careful look at the bottom of the soles and heels, checking for signs that grip has worn away. Shoes with worn-down heels will put less distance between us and the elements, not only leaving us at risk of stepping in a deep puddle and getting wet feet but also more likely to have slips and falls on icy and wet surfaces.  Check the condition of the in-soles as well as midsoles can start to become overly flexible. Wearing old, tired insoles can cause heel, foot and back pain.

Step Two- Give your feet a break.

Getting our 10,000 steps a day is more popular than ever, with lots of us reaping the benefits on our physical and mental health. However, this also means our feet can take a battering from the constant activity.

Day to day foot problems can affect us all, regardless of age or activity level, and can range from dry, cracked heels to fungal nail infections, corns and calluses, verrucas and bunions. These can cause pain and discomfort and leave us hesitant to get our feet out on holiday or in the pool. In a recent survey as many as 40% of women said hate the way their feet look and more than 4 in 10 people said they were too ashamed to show off feet in the warmer months.

Thankfully, at-home treatments can help us to refresh our feet and leave them looking beautiful and baby-soft just in time for summer, helping us get over any embarrassment about showing them off in sandals. Products such as Footner Exfoliating socks (myfootner.co.uk) can be used to remove hard and dead skin and can leave you with baby-soft feet with just one 60-minute application. Three out of four people said that the “Footner experience” was more effective than traditional footcare products such as creams or foot files.⁽²⁾

Fungal nail infections can be embarrassing and leave nails looks unsightly. Nailner’s Treat and Colour offers a two-step programme, first a clinically proven solution to treat the infection and then a breathable nail polish that leaves nails looking healthier and brighter. Beautiful toenails mean open-toed shoes needn’t be a “no-no” over summer.

Step Three- Dare to bear all in style.

Once you’ve taken care of your foot health to leave your skin soft and supple and nails bright, you can opt for lighter summer styles that take you into spring and keep feet cool in warm weather. Now more than ever, we are daring to bear more of our feet. With new survey data revealing that more than half of us (52%) would be willing to wear open-toed shoes to work, it seems summer shoes are no longer just for holidays.

Barely-there strappy sandals and ocean-club flip flops are on-trend this summer. Geometric shapes also remain popular with both Burberry and Balenciaga sending square toed sandals down the runways this year.

If you want to evoke the feeling of the French riviera, even in your office block in Slough, go for nautical inspiration with woven rope styles in natural, earthy tones. For a high-street option, try Dune for styles combining chunky leather straps and rope soles, for a rustic yet sophisticated look that nods to catwalk Espadrille trends.