Seriously, today, anyone who comes in and mentions this offer has their choice of El Naturalista, Think! Keen – heaps of great stuff all at 40% off.

Children of the Revolution has stores in Brisbane and Sydney and is the best shoe store in world (okay so that probably hasn’t been empirically proven yet but it is only  a matter of time). It was started by Sally McGregor, a podiatrist who constantly saw people whose feet were causing them pain because they were wearing the wrong shoes in order to look good. “Maybe,” she thought, “it doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe it is possible to have functional footwear that is good for you stores and also looks fantastic.” And just like that, an institution was born. We stock fantastic brands like El Naturalista, Miz Mooz, Think!, Aetrex and Allegria. For those of you that are feeling bitter and twisted because you can’t get to one of our – fear not. We are about to launch an online store as well. If you are interested, sign up and we’ll let you know as soon as it is ready.

Here’s a video about why we believe ugly shoes don’t work – no matter how practical they are.

And just in case you don’t believe it is possible, here’s some photos of our gorgeous shoes…

So

We need your help.

Tell us the brands you can’t live without and we’ll listen. Once you have voted, please visit us on facebook and tell us you have so you can go into the draw (yes this is a new addition – apologies to anyone who has already voted). I guess everyone knows now that we don’t always completely think through our online marketing ideas. It means we can move fast but sometimes mistakes creep in.

And by voting, you’ll go into the draw to win any pair of shoes in the store – your choice – no maximum value.

Unlike most shoes available today, they are not mass produced.

Sally has been to the factory in Kopfing and she was blown away by how much the people really cared. it isn’t a huge factory and apparently it is the kind of place where everyone eats lunch together – cooked for them every day. Everyone has a window looking out onto the beautiful mountainside. As Sally says, “unbelievable green with goats and stuff.”

The people who work at Think! see themselves as craftspeople and artists because they are passionate about even the smallest details.

They believe (and we quote) that “nothing great can ever come without enthusiasm which warms the soul.”

Here’s another quote from their latest catalogue (Winter 2011). One person with dedication, endurance and resolve can achieve more than 100 people whose interests are limited to just one thing.”

From a technical point of view, most Thinks! have a removable insole which means they can work with orthodics. It also means you can air them out. A lot of them also have a rubber sole which helps to prevent you slipping.

Did we mention they are also very gorgeous?

I know, I know, the last couple of blogs have been a bit deep. Seriously though, couldn’t we all do with some more balance in our lives?

Just wanted to share another fabulous Brisbane company that is doing their thang and doing it well. Mary Ryan is fast becoming a Brisbane institution and I love them!

Great coffee, great books, great staff. What’s not to like?

And just for the record, I reckon books are one of the best presents you can give. Personalised, beautiful …….and that smell………

Now take that body and add a pair of traditional high heels. Move all the weight forward, throw the spine out of line and squash up the diaphragm. How does that sound now? Poorly fitting and poorly designed shoes can change the entire balance of the body.

Balance is a bit like breathing. Seems kind of dumb to even talk about breathing. Everyone knows how to do it, right? You just breathe in, then you breathe out. Nothing to it.  Except that now, most people agree that breathing is the basis of our whole wellbeing. It is one of the most fundamental building blocks to our health.

Balance is the same because, everyone assumes that as long as you are not falling down all the time, you have your balance sorted. If you can stand upright, you must be balanced.

Except there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that the way you are positioned on the earth can affect everything about your body, from your breathing to your bones.

Our feet are precision instruments, with each one made up of 52 bones, 66 joints, 19 muscles and a complex network of ligaments, muscles and nerves. Conventional science has identified that the hands, feet and lips have more nerve endings than the rest of the whole body put together.

Many eastern traditions have long acknowledged the power of posture to improve health and wellbeing. Disciplines like Yoga and chi gong regularly focus on centering and grounding exercises designed to reconnect the body with the earth’s energy flow.

And yet every day, people buy – sometimes at enormous cost- shoes that are literally making them unhealthy. Some studies indicate that more almost 9 out of 10 women wear shoes that don’t fit. Fashion can be a culprit as can be buying a pair you love even though they aren’t really your size. But often it comes down to a lack of knowledge about feet, how they are different and how looking after them can be one of the most powerful things you can do for your health.

As a podiatrist of more than fifteen years, I saw the effect of poorly designed and poorly fitted footwear on hundreds of clients. I saw corns, calluses, structural damage and other disabling foot problems. But I also started to notice that poorly designed and poorly fitted shoes can also affect overall health and happiness..

Next time you are in bare feet walk, out onto the grass, close your eyes for a moment and think about how you feel. We are creatures of the earth and from the earth comes much our energy.

Over the last fifteen years, the health movement has undergone enormous growth and change. No longer is it good enough for us to get sick and then wait for the system to fix it.

And increasingly it is no longer good enough to ignore our connection with the ground and imagine it doesn’t matter.

And if you are reading this thinking “yes, but, I don’t want to look like someone’s Nana…..” think again. The days where you could have comfort or style but not both have long gone.

Companies like Earth, Think! And Birkenstock know how important shoes are to your overall wellbeing. They know a person has more nerve endings in their hands, feet and lips than in the rest of the body combined. And they knew that shoes that are designed right and fit right, can help your posture, your breathing, your balance and even your sense of grounding.

And they look fantastic.

In stillness, be like the pine

In movement be like clouds and water

Now I’d like to see anyone doing that in dodgy high heels!