Kanye West’s New Yeezy Shoes Draw Comparisons to Crocs and a Colander - The New York Times

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• Kanye West’s New Yeezy Shoes Draw Comparisons to Crocs and a Colander - The New York Times
• Kizik Men's Shoes Review: customizable casual sneakers for a perfect fit - Business Insider
• The 5 worst shoes for your feet that *aren't* high heels, according to a podiatrist - msnNOW
• Walking in Ángel Gabriel's shoes | UNICEF - UNICEF
• Matheny Motors collects athletic shoes for kids | News, Sports, Jobs - Parkersburg News

Kanye West’s New Yeezy Shoes Draw Comparisons to Crocs and a Colander - The New York Times Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:39 PM PDT Kanye West knows how to attract attention. Just not always the kind from adoring fans. On Thursday, Yeezy Mafia, an unofficial social media account that tracks news of Mr. West's sneaker brand, posted a photograph of the latest style in the singer's Yeezy line. It wasn't the white shoes' first appearance on the internet; Mr. West's daughter North was seen on Instagram in June wearing a child-size prototype. But this time the chattering cognoscenti of social media had plenty to say. Not much of it was nice. One person compared the shoes to a plastic colander. Another said they looked like hospital shoe covers. Many others compared them to Crocs, the foam clogs favored by chefs and gardeners. "King of Country Crocs," one Twitter user wrote. Soon after, news outlets began sharing their hot takes, and they were no more forgiving. "Run away as fast as you can," read an article on Cosmopolitan's website. "This shoe might be worse than the high-heeled Crocs that were on sale last July." The new shoes are set to debut at the end of the year and will be called the Yeezy Foam Runner, according to an email from Yeezy confirming the shoe's release. Beyond that, the company did not comment. It was unclear how much the shoes might cost, but other Yeezys sell for hundreds of dollars, and sometimes more than $1,000 on the resale market. Still, the new shoes' poor reception signaled a potential challenge for Mr. West. "You don't want to have negative buzz," said Matt Powell, a senior analyst with NPD Group, a research firm. "It doesn't mean it won't sell. But you don't want people taking pot shots at you so soon." To be fair, critics have been taking potshots at Yeezy shoes since they debuted four years ago. In 2017, GQ wrote in a headline, "Yeezy Boosts Are the Coolest Shoes on the Planet — That Look Good on No One." (The article called them "the least wearable.") Despite that, Mr. West's collaboration with Adidas, the German sportswear brand, has been successful. The Adidas Yeezy 750 Boost in gray debuted in 2015 and was an instant best seller, in part because his shoes are released in small numbers and are typically hard to find. Having celebrities like Justin Bieber and Jay-Z wear them didn't hurt, either. And Footwear News named them "Shoe of the Year." According to a recent article in The New York Times, Mr. West earns 5 percent royalties on net sales of shoes and apparel sold under the Yeezy brand, with sales of more than $1.3 billion expected this year. In addition to making Mr. West richer, the collaboration has given Adidas a new cultural relevance. Mr. West acts as his own pitchman for the brand, which can be complicated. Once, the singer showed a reporter from Forbes all the prototypes of his shoes for Yeezy. They were on view in a parking lot. When the reporter asked how many there were — it was nearly 1,000 — Mr. West seemed offended. "You can't calculate love," Mr. West said. Last year, fans of Mr. West threatened to sell their shoes because of favorable comments he had made about President Trump. Mr. Powell said Adidas and Mr. West would probably dole out the new shoes to consumers in small batches to keep supply scarce and prices high on the resale market. "That's how they do things," he said.

Kizik Men's Shoes Review: customizable casual sneakers for a perfect fit - Business Insider Posted: 13 Sep 2019 08:22 AM PDT I love slip-on shoes because they're so convenient to wear. I can throw them on when I want to get somewhere quickly, and slip them off easily when visiting a "shoes-off" household. And I'm not ashamed to say that I'll occasionally pop them off in a movie theater or while driving, or anywhere else where I'm sitting for long periods of time and want to let the "dogs" breathe. The problem with a lot of slip-on shoes is that they aren't very fashionable. It's like designers decided that their shoes couldn't be convenient and attractive at the same time. Fortunately, footwear startup Kizik offers sneakers that look good, provide a custom fit for your feet, and be taken on and off without using your hands. I tried the Boston and New York styles, and both looked great and were customizable to my feet I tested out two styles of Kizik sneakers — the $160 Boston and the $150 New York. The Boston Sneaker comes in 11 different sizes ranging from 8 to 14, and there are three colors — Black, Date Tan, and Castle, which is a gray shade. The New York Sneaker comes in the same sizes and colors, but there are also White and Coffee colors. When I opened the boxes, I was hit with a couple of odors. First, there was the pleasant new leather scent from the full-grain leather upper. However, the soles had a chemical stench to them when I brought them close to my nose. This dissipated over time. I wear a size 15 shoe in most brands, but I've grown used to squeezing into 14s when that's all that's available. So I tried out the 14s in the date color for both styles and found they actually fit perfectly; a 15 would not have fit as well. I tried the Boston Sneaker first. My left foot slid in comfortably, but it was a tighter squeeze for my right foot — it happens to be wider than my left. Fortunately, I was able to adjust the tongue to provide more room. At first, the shoes were slightly uncomfortable and stiff, but after about 10 minutes of walking around in them, they started to feel better. The New York Sneaker seemed to fit better from the get-go. It felt like it had more support for my medium arch. I didn't need to adjust the tongue at all. I have a medium arch and found the shoes provided excellent arch support. A cool feature of the shoes is the adjustable Velcro strips on either side of the tongue. If your foot feels too loose around the bridge, you can just lower the tongue on each side and tighten the Velcro. If too tight, raise the tongue and loosen the Velcro. Neither of the styles have laces, but they each have a series of four elastic bands along the tongue where laces usually are so it looks like you're wearing lace-up shoes. The Kizik Boston, $160 Kizik/Instagram The titanium wire spring in the heel doesn't fold down when I slip my feet into the shoes As I mentioned, I love slip-on shoes. For the past decade, my shoe of choice has been the $79.95 Merrell Men's Jungle Moc. Though it's incredibly comfortable, versatile, and durable, it's not much to look at. I feel like they give the impression that I'm either lazy or don't know how to tie my shoes, but can assure you that I know how to do. The Kizik shoes are comfortable, easy to slip on, and look great. Though appearance is a matter of preference, I like the look of the Boston Sneakers more, but the New York Sneakers felt better on my feet, especially during long walks. Both pairs garnered compliments from friends. The shoes are also truly hands-free. Thanks to a titanium spring wire built into the heel, you can really just slide your foot into the shoe without needing to use your hands to hold the back of the heel up — it'll spring back into position if your heel pushes it down a little. I never had an issue with the heel folding in or staying scrunched down. Though the shoes were a little stiff at first, they have a contoured footbed that provided the right balance of comfort and support for long days on my feet. And I didn't notice any pain after wearing the shoes for longer periods either. My only complaint is that the shoes aren't waterproof. I'm used to footwear that keeps my feet dry in the rain. I like to go for walks in all kinds of weather, and I found that water would seep through in when I wore my Kiziks. On the plus side, they do breathe well, so I haven't developed any foot odors in the shoes yet. The shoes start at $150 so they're not cheap, but reasonably priced for something that looks and fits great, and can be customized for your feet The Kizik New York, $150 Kizik/Instagram The Kizik sneakers are among the best shoes I've worn. At $150, they're not cheap, but the price is not unreasonable, for a shoe that demonstrates your individuality and practicality. The fact that you can move the tongue around to ensure a custom fit is a nice option if you have trouble finding footwear for a perfect Goldilocks fit. Personally, I think the Boston Sneakers look better in the Date color. But if I had the opportunity to choose the shoes all over again, I would get a pair of the New York sneakers in Castle because the shoes felt better to me, and I like the gray color. If you're concerned about having footwear that matches your wardrobe, then black is your best bet since it can go with just about anything. Overall, I strongly recommend the Kizik sneakers if you want comfortable and convenient slip-ons that are appropriate for any occasion. Buy the Kizik Design Men's Boston Sneakers from Zappos, Nordstrom, and Amazon for $160 Buy the Kizik Design Men's New York Sneakers from Zappos, Nordstrom, and Amazon for $150

The 5 worst shoes for your feet that *aren't* high heels, according to a podiatrist - msnNOW Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:08 PM PDT © Photo: Stocksy/Lyuba Burakova worst shoes for your feet I used to wear heels almost every day, until things like bills and meal prep and burnout became my real life. And while I've always known that heels are among the worst shoes for your feet (something to save for very special occasions), apparently there are a few less obvious choices that podiatrists don't recommend either. For the sake of your feet, Miguel Cunha, DPM, founder of Gotham Footcare, would like you to stay away from five specific shoe styles. What better way to usher in Sad Girl Fall (is that what we're calling it?) than with a list of things you can't have? It's a mood. The worst shoes for your feet, according to a foot doctor 1. Slides Dr. Cunha says to avoid slide shoes that are completely flat, because they don't give your feet any support and can lead to "pronation and collapse of the arch"—which can lead to other bad things like shin splints, knee pain, and back pain. If you do wear a slide, he recommends choosing one with a wedge that's 3/4-inch tall because it will place less tension on your Achilles heel. 2. Sock sneakers TBH I am not mad to see sock sneakers make this list, because I am not a fan. Basically, sock sneakers may feel super comfy but, according to Dr. Cunha, "they are not advisable shoes because they provide no support to the top and outside of your foot which can easily lead to an ankle sprain." 3. Slingback flats "This shoe is an upgrade from a slide shoe only because it has a sling back that adds some support to the ankle," Dr. Cunha says. "Shoes with ankle straps help support the shoe on the foot and eliminates the need for your toes to hang onto the shoe thus reducing the development of hammertoes." Sounds good, right? Wrong. While marginally better than a slide, slingback flats are also, well, flat which can lead to the same arch issues. 4. Western cowboy boots "This is not the natural shape of the foot so the big toe is going to exacerbate a bunion, cause hammertoes and irritate neuromas," Dr. Cunha says. You may be thinking, How can I keep my Free People-catalog aesthetic without my cowboy boots? (No? Just me?) Dr. Cunha says to choose a pair of cowboy boots with a square or wide toe box. 5. Ankle boots with stilettos "The higher the heel, the shorter strides, which means more pressure is placed on the balls of your feet. This throws off your center of gravity putting unneeded and unnecessary stress on your knees and lower back," according to Dr. Cunha. (You can also file this under "advice I plan to ignore even though I know I shouldn't," a frequent theme of my life.) Ankle boots with chunky heels are fine, though, so long as they aren't over 1.5 inches. Slideshow: This is what those aching feet really mean (Provided by Best Life)

Walking in Ángel Gabriel's shoes | UNICEF - UNICEF Posted: 13 Sep 2019 07:17 AM PDT QUITO, Ecuador – It started out just like any other school day for 12-year-old Ángel Gabriel. First, he was woken up by the now all-too-familiar noise from the construction work going on next door. Ángel's mother, Bianca, says the daily pounding has gradually created cracks in the walls of their home in southern Quito. "Every day, another piece of the wall falls on us," she says. Next, it was time for breakfast, which Bianca says is one of Ángel Gabriel's favourite parts of the day because he gets to have milk, eggs and cereal, which the family couldn't get by the time they left their home in Venezuela, a few months ago. One of Bianca's priorities on arriving in Quito was making sure that Ángel Gabriel and his five-year-old sister Victoria could have a balanced diet again, with more protein and less carbohydrates. After finishing his breakfast, Ángel Gabriel pulled on his trousers and shirt and his only pair of shoes before heading off to school. That's when his day took an unusual turn.

Matheny Motors collects athletic shoes for kids | News, Sports, Jobs - Parkersburg News Posted: 13 Sep 2019 10:05 PM PDT Donated new athletic shoes for the Kicks for Kids shoe drive fill a truck this week at Matheny Motors on Ann Street. From left are Tim Matheny, Sharon Marks, Marta Bailey, Jon Six and Randal Price. The shoes will be provided to Mid-Ohio Valley children as the need arises. (Photo Provided) PARKERSBURG — Businesses and individuals provided 250 pairs of new athletic shoes for children in the Mid-Ohio Valley this summer as part of the Kicks for Kids shoe drive. Additional athletic shoes, for kids from pre-kindergarten through high school, will be provided from the proceeds of the July 27 Kicks for Kids 5K run and walk in Parkersburg, sponsored by the River City Runners and Walkers Club. Last year, about 120 pairs of athletic shoes were provided through Kicks for Kids. Customers, friends and employees of Matheny Motors in Parkersburg provided the 250 pairs of new athletic shoes, which were collected at the dealership. Corporate partners in the shoe drive included Jon Six, Garfield Car Wash, MAKO Medical and Melissa Ross. Some people provided monetary donations to purchase shoes. The shoes were delivered to a Wood County Schools storage area this week before being distributed to children who need them. The shoes are kept in a "shoe closet" until school nurses inform Karen Northrup, a Wood County Schools nurse, or Sharon Marks, a Parkersburg High School teacher, that a child needs a new pair of athletic shoes. The new athletic shoes allow children to remain active in school activities and in healthy activities after school, said Monica Matheny, director of marketing at Matheny Motors. Matheny said she hopes the shoe drive will continue next year.

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