Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Pretty Feet

I love nail polish.  I have been lacquering my nails since I was 7 and could only paint on a clear coat of Sally Hansen, but times have changed and so has my nail polish.  I still can't pass a Revlon section without looking at Cherries in the Snow or Revlon Red and thinking of Mama Dear.  If I had approached her with DuWop's Toe Polish with tea tree oil, she would have started to sing "doo waa diddy, diddy dum, diddy do."  She would have said paint them that Slingback, rich red color for some fire. 

Nude nails weren't happening when I was growing up.  I love a nude color, but have been wearing the same 3 shades for the past 5-6 years.  Is it about to change, nope.  I like when it chips you can barely tell.  But baby, my baby love, I need you, oh how I need you.  This is just not a song, it's the name of one of Deborah's new spring shade, Baby Love.  It's a pale pink, which is perfect for the massive exhibits, courtesy of pre-trial work, that I'm about to start doing.  I hate having a perfect set of "done" nails only to find a chip after one day because of going through massive amounts of documents.  Oh how Mama Dear would have loved the new Deborah Lippman Vinyl Collection.  The collection is at Bath & Body Works and it's based on songs that were originally recorded on vinyl.  To my younger readers, before there were cds, cassettes, or 8-tracks, there was vinyl.  My aunt Peepsie still has a record player and there is nothing like going to Lousiana and listening to old Nancy Wilson albums and having a glass of wine with my other mother.  Plus, Deborah recorded a CD to go with the collection.  Her cover of INXS' Need You Tonight is too hot for words.  This picture is of the shade You Give Love a Bad Name after Bon Jovi, which I am rocking on my toes right now.

My favorite products right now for achieving the perfect pair of pretty feet for the summer, along with the above mentioned nail color:

1. Artemis Woman Heel Smoother Pro.  This is wonderful in between those trips to the salon, when you have been walking in bare backed shoes and need a good rub down.  Follow with the Topaz Butter and you will be dancing on the ceiling. 
2. Esthetic Plus Ceramic Pedicure File.  This is the tool to use while you are soaking in the tub, that won't slit your foot, because you really can't get to that dry area on the side like your favorite nail tech. 
3. Airplus for Her.  I drove 35 miles, after church, to the nearest Walgreens to pick up a prescription, get out the city, and I stumbled upon these products.  I put the My Footprint, an insole into my new TB flats.  So comfortable.  I also picked up a few of the Ball of Foot Cushions to go into all my summer sandals and pumps.  What did I do before these gel cushions I have no idea. I also picked up the Spa Therapy Socks, Foot Scrub, and Heel Creme.
   

Even though the "Easter Snap" has caused the weather to drop, we still have to think of the coming months.  Therefore, ladies, raise your right hand and take the oath.  The Open Toed Shoe Pledge, is from my post of last year called Giving Good Toes.

The Open Toed Shoe Pledge:

As a member of the Cute Girl Sisterhood, I pledge to follow the Rules when wear sandals and other open-toe shoes:

I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps. I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh, intact and chip-free. I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe. I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow. I will shave the hairs off my big toe. I won't wear pantyhose even if my misinformed girlfriend, coworker, mother or sister tells me the toe seam really will stay under my toes if I tuck it there.

If a strap breaks, I won't duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck it back into place hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoe fixed or toss it. I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr. Scholl's if my feet need him. I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enough to fit into the kids' sizes.

This is out of concern for my safety, and the safety of others. No one can walk properly when standing in a pool of sweat and I would hate to take someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle. I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages. I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes are as long as my fingers and no sandal makes creepy feet look good. I will promise if I wear flip flops that I will ensure that they actually flip and flop, making the correct noise while walking and I will swear NOT to slide or drag my feet while wearing them.

I will promise to go my local nail salon at least once per season and have a real pedicure (they are about $20 and worth EVERY penny). I will promise to throw away any white/off-white sandals that show signsof wear. . . nothing is tackier than dirty white sandals.

Don't keep this to yourself - pass it on to other sisters.

Comments

[Jacquie]

I heard this awful sound this morning, so I just have one more comment: The shoes are called flip-flops for a reason, they make a flipping-flopping sound, not called flip-slide-alongs. Julia, knows how I hate the sound of shoes sliding along and heals that need to be repaired. My skin just crawls. UUUUUGGGGHHHHH......OK, I'm done :)

[Beth]

I totally agree and I'm pretty religious about my foot care regime, mostly as a result of my mother. Sadly, she is a prime example of how a womans feet shouldn't look. I bought her some gorgeous L'Occitane Foot Cream for Christmas and its still sitting in its box unopened!

Loving those Deborah Lippmann colours!

[Jacquie]

I'm am sitting over here having church - Preach, Sista Preach!!!! I couldn't agree with you more. Every woman should have to sign this pledge at the begining of "feet out" season. I hate to see toes getting a foot scrub, courtesy of the pavement and ashplat :(