Fashion that hurt

Wow! Those sexy shoes are great, but the pain isn’t. Be sure to try on those shoes before buying and do it in the afternoon when your feet tend to swell. Too tight straps will cut into your ankle and you’ll end up with small blisters. Who wants to wear Band-Aids that everyone can look at? If a blister happens, try instead a heap of ointment to the area so that the strap can slide around while at the same time, soothing the sore. Watch out for those bunions or corns that will come with wearing high, high heels. Wear a flat shoe with a foot-supporting insert to save yourself pain. If heels are part of your necessary wardrobe, skip the pointy toes and go with heels under 2 ¼ inches high. On the other hand, flats can make arches ache because they offer little rear-arch support. Wearing this type of shoe will hurt less if you have flat feet, but if your feet have more of an arch, they will definitely thank you if you slip them into a shoe that provides more arch support.

Now, what about those handbags? You absolutely have to tote that makeup and workout gear around with you, right? If you do, choose a bag with a strong, wide strap that won’t cut into your shoulder blades. Maybe even choose a cross-body bag that will take the pressure off your back and shoulders. Still, don’t stuff more in it than about 10% of your body weight.

Ladies, have you ever had to go to the bathroom quickly and was wearing Spanx? Well, you know what that’s like, not easy. If you are intent on wearing that shape-ware, be sure they aren’t too small and you aren’t going to wear them too long. Too tight of shape-ware can lead to blood pooling in your lower legs and raise your risk of varicose veins. If it’s a shaper that controls those curves, take it off and lie or sit down with your legs raised for at least half an hour, twice a day.

Wool type of fabrics can cause your skin to break out in rashes because of skin irritation. Other certain fabrics can do the same and cause an itchy feeling. You can try layering your woolen sweaters over fitted, long-sleeve cotton shirts so you aren’t scratching all day long. Keep yourself moisturized, as dry skin tends to be itchier.

Heavy Earrings are really cute, but they can permanently stretch out your earlobes. Even though that seems to be the fad with the younger guys and gals right now, is that really what you want? Prevent that droopy look by wearing light plastic earrings instead of metal ones and switch up those heavy earrings with small ones every other day. Sticking to studs is even better.

All that workout gear can give your skin a hard time by chafing or causing breakouts. Find that well-fitted gym clothing made of synthetic fabrics, not cotton, that will draw moisture away from the skin. Change into dry clothes immediately after working out and shower with a benzoyl peroxide body cleanser.

When it comes to those headbands, they are great for catching all that sweat during exercising. They are also cute and festive, but some of them can also give you a headache. They press down on the nerves in your scalp and forehead. It could be as bad as a migraine. If you feel you need to wear headbands, do so only for a short period of time.

Last but not least, those cute but leg-cramping jeans. As hard as you might work to wiggle into those skinny jeans, you feel rejoice at the accomplishment. The problem is, they might be so tight you can’t walk or sit comfortably, so you need to loosen up. They should be fitted, but not pinch your waistline or cut off your circulation. You might just choose a pair with a little bit of stretch so they allow your body to move freely.

We all want to look our best all day, but its best to try to do it with common sense. Why should we put ourselves in constant pain just to convince ourselves we look great? Choose wisely and enjoy life more fully.

-Dr Fredda Branyon