Step out right this rainy season

It has been raining non-stop all week and while you might think your feet are not suffering any after-effects, what you didn’t know is that when your feet stay wet for a very long time, you can develop certain health conditions, such as trench or athlete’s foot.

Furthermore, fungal organisms thrive in moisture; so, keeping your feet dry will help keep fungus at bay. Any excess moisture that stays between your toes can create an ideal environment for a fungal infection to grow. There are very few things that are more uncomfortable than walking around with cold, wet feet. Often, if your feet are cold, the rest of your body will feel cold as well. Besides, long exposure of your feet may be an invitation to blisters. This is why it’s very important to use the right shoes this period.

Sturdy and waterproof shoes will protect your feet from potential hazards, prevent you from slipping and keep your feet dry. It’s very important to keep your leather shoes and patent heels away at this period, as water can and will destroy the suppleness of your shoe’s leather. Water warps the shape of the shoe in an undesirable way and cracks your shoes.

Here are some tips on keeping your leather in tip-top condition in this weather:
1. Never wear your leather or patent shoes in the rain

2. If they get wet, put a newspaper in them. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 48 hours before you wear them again. Shake off the water right away or use a dry rag or towel if available to wipe off the water. Pull the moisture from the inside of the shoe. This can be done with newspaper or a small dry towel. The key is to draw the moisture out, so every hour or so replace the moist paper with dry paper. Depending on the extent of the soaking, this could take from two hours to two days. Wet sole leather will wear out twice as quickly as dry sole leather.

3. If you are walking through wet surfaces, it is really important you treat your shoe with care immediately you reach your destination. A simple, brisk wipe off will suffice.

4. If you live in salty areas like Lekki and the likes, have you noticed your leather or patent shoes getting a whitish stain? That’s salt, and it is hard to remove. Wiping your shoes off immediately you get inside will prevent this.

5. Despite what you might think, leaving your shoes next to a heat source only makes the problem worse. Let them dry slowly at room temperature. If you heat them you will cause the moisture to leave too quickly and greatly increase the chance of the leather cracking. Cracked leather cannot be repaired.

6. Wipe down your shoes after walking through the rain.

7. Polish your shoes regularly. Polish them with plenty of polish and allow them to sit with the polish on as long as possible. Ideally, let the polish stay on overnight. Make sure you get plenty of polish into the welt and the crack between the upper and the sole.

8. Conditioning and polishing the leather will help keep your shoes in tip-top shape and ready for whatever you throw at it. Think of it like moisturizing your skin after showering. If you don’t moisturize, you dry out, skin gets rough and cracked. Your shoes work the same way.

That it’s raining doesn’t mean you should walk with your feet or look raggedy. You can dress for the rains and slay while at it. So what can you wear you ask? You can wear the following:

Rubber Sandals
We like these kinds of sandals for three reasons. First, the plastic-type material won’t get soaked by the water; second, open-toe shoes are great for the rain since they give your feet room to breathe; and third, they’re very fashionable.

Jelly Flats
Of course, open-toe shoes aren’t welcome at many workplaces, but not to worry: the office-appropriate jelly flat is just as great in the water. These aren’t the zany jelly shoes from your childhood either, with sleek pairs in a neutral black or navy blue, you won’t even be able to tell the difference from your normal cloth ballerinas.

Waterproof Sneakers
If you walk a lot, don’t let the weather stop you. Switch out your usual kicks for a pair of comfortable sneakers constructed from waterproof materials like EVA or Goretex, and you won’t even notice the rain.

Slides
Sliders were made for comfort and wetness so it’s not a stretch to make them your go-to casual footwear in the rainy season. The footbed is very comfortable, and they couldn’t be easier to slip on, plus with the rise of athleisure, they’re very on-trend.