I, like many women I know have for many years struggled when trying to find a balance between shoes that look stylish and shoes that are comfortable. I love wearing high heels but if I know I am going to be walking some distance I always take a pair of comfortable shoes with me to change into.
Driving too can be a bit of a problem. Lots of women change their high heels for flatter shoes when they get into their cars so that they can drive with more control and limit the chance of accidents and having to claim on their car insurance.
I only realised a few days ago that a solution to this problem had been invented. I don’t know exactly who was the first to come up with the idea but back in 2004 a lady called Ella Kilgour, a 23 year old design graduate, was reported on the CNN website as having designed a shoe with a collapsible heel called the Declic, shown in the picture below. The Declic’s heel can be folded away into a recess under the shoe or can be extended to create a four inch heel.
Another student called Marte den Hollander designed a similar shoe naming her project ‘Footloose’ and there is an American company on the website called CAMiLEON Heels which offers customers the chance to buy heel adjustable shoes.
Wherever it originated, I think it is a great idea and one that I would definitely be interested in. As long as the shoes still look stylish then I can see these being a big hit and a wardrobe must for many women.
Is it something that you would wear? Do you think that there is a demand for ‘convertible shoes’? We would love to know your views.
March 20th, 2008
It seems that this year’s ‘Most Wanted’ present - or at least ‘Most Wanted But Hard to Find’ present is the Nintendo Wii. This is the games console that famously comes with a wireless controller that lets you simulate playing golf or tennis by waving it like you were swinging your club or racket. From the reports in the media, there are going to be a lot of disappointed children - and adults too - who don’t get their Wii for Christmas. One article suggests that the shortage is a deliberate ploy by Nintendo so that parents buy the software games now and then are committed to buying the hardware (the games console itself) later. This seems too far fetched to me: I’ll bet that any child old enough to want a Wii will not be impressed by a couple of games in boxes that they can’t play until some unspecified future date.
Anyway, if you are still on the hunt for a Wii, then you could do worse than visit this clever website. You just leave the site open and every 60 seconds it crawls though webistes of a wide range of retailers and pops up a message telling where if anywhere a Wii is available as new stocks are added online. Just be sure to check the delivery dates when you order if you really need it in time for Christmas!
December 17th, 2007
Q: When is a destination not a destination? A: When it’s only a stop-over of course. Okay, so it’s not the best riddle you’ve ever faced, but it does provide a link between two articles published by the Telegraph and Times this weekend.
First up is the Telegraph’s insider guide to Dubai and covers all you need to know about this oasis in the desert from the world’s first ’seven star’ hotel - the Burj Al-Arab - to the huge indoor ski slope - ideal if you miss the snow while in the desert - and all the best places to shop, eat and be seen! Check out the full article for the low down on the high-life to be enjoyed in Dubai.
The Times chose to focus on Dubai too - as well as neighbours such as Qatar and Abu Dhabi but only to commend it as a stop-over on the way to the Far East or beyond on account of the cheap fares available should you travel via the Middle East. The article keenly notes that despite the subsidised fares - hoping to entice you stay and spend - one can stay just an hour or three, before flying on to your final destination, and save a fortune in air fares. Lots of bargains to be had - though you may of course spend all that you save in the shopping malls.
October 29th, 2007
