Some Winter Walking on Ice Advice

These boots are gorgeous, but hardly suitable for winter ice.

We all know how it is when you buy a gorgeous new pair of boots or shoes and you can’t wait to wear them.  Although you may be set on showing those beautiful short leather boots off with their crystal-embellished buckle, thin stiletto heels of a safe 2-1/2-inches, you may want to rethink that decision during winter.  When there is a chance of walking on ice on the roads or running into those slick black patches, you are taking a dangerous risk.  

Before you leave the house, I suggest checking the soles of your boots or the shoes that you plan to wear first to prevent a possible tumble and trip to the emergency room on those snowy, icy days.  Make sure that whatever boots or shoes that you want to wear have grooved bottoms for traction once your feet encounter those slick spots.  Smooth flat soles will give you no help.

Maybe you hate wearing gloves and prefer sticking your hands in your coat or jacket pockets to keep them free.  After all, you might be riding the bus and need quick access to your bus pass or money instead of fumbling for those things with gloves and a crowded bus.  The problem is when your hands are inside the pockets, then you have less control balancing when suddenly meeting up with a slick spot.  On the other hand, if you wore gloves and had your arms free then you could stick them out to balance yourself much easier.

Naturally, we all try to leave early to work on those bad winter days.  Though your commute may get you to your destination without much of a delay, you still need to pace yourself and walk slower than usual when trying to make it to your office.  Instead of being preoccupied with your smart phone, watch where you walk because there could be a white patch that you might miss.

Finally, you might want to change how you walk.  Try shorter strides instead of longer ones that will keep your legs rooted to the ground more.  Another thing that helps is putting your whole foot down as you step for distributing your weight for better control. 

Sometimes, a little extra precaution can help keep you safer.  After all, pain from an ice-related injury is not beautiful.

How to Get the Best Fit of Boots That Are Right for You

A thick heel may appear to be made of wood, but it could be hollow ands extremely slippery in the snow.  I know because I made this discovery upon falling.

If you’re thinking of heading to the mall to shop for new boots, then you’ll have better luck bringing home the pair that you love when you remember to do a few simple things.  The first is rethinking the time that you want to shop.

Feet swell the more you stand on them throughout the day.  Therefore, shopping for new boots or shoes is always a better idea in the evenings than a weekend morning or afternoon.  Stopping in at the store to try boots on after work will give you a more realistic fit after being on your feet all day.

Another thing to consider is packing a pair of socks or tights to take with you before you shop.  Stores will only supply a flimsy pair of nylon footies, which are hardly thick enough to guarantee an accurate fit. Even if you’re wearing stockings, the socks or tights will give you a more realistic fit.  

This style has adjustable detailing that can help the overall look of the leg.

Finding the perfect style for your legs can be tricky.  However, you can solve this dilemma by working around your body’s shape.  For example, if you have legs like a dancer that are curvy with defined muscles, then focus on styles that have a narrow toe base reaching from just above the ankle to the widest part of the calf.

Anyone with slim calves will find boots with detailing such as fringes, bright colors like red that is so popular this year to tall, acid-tinted furry ones, glitter-adorned styles, boots loaded with logos or other writing to unique heels the most flattering. 

Perhaps, you try on the boots and still don’t like what you see.  What else that may help is to look for a pair that has details that can be adjusted like buckles or laces over a zipper, which can alter its appearance once your foot is in it.

These are just a few boot shopping tips for making sure you get a comfortable fit that will save you time while making it easier to find chic and trendy styles that look great on you.

You also might be interested in reading my earlier posts on how to care for leather boots after wearing them in the snow or how to preserve your leather boots for maintenance.