The Debate: Wedges or Platforms? The Answer: Why Not Both?
Sandals have been a popular footwear item since time immemorial, and for good reason. They are tough, durable, easy to take on and off, and comfortable. They are also lightweight and can be worn with most outfits. Sandals have now evolved to include extra height, like the wedge and platform sandals. Because there are so many kinds of sandals, it can be tough to make a decision about what kind of sandal you’re looking for.
So what’s the difference between wedges and platform sandals, and what are the benefits and drawbacks of each?
Wedges are an outsole that thickens at the heel to form a wedge. The advantages of wedges are that they provide additional height without the instability of a traditional heel.
Wedges were first introduced to the fashion scene in the late 1930s by Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo, and have remained there ever since.
If you’re looking for a sandal that will support your arch, wedges are for you. Unlike traditional heels, in which your arch is subjected to balancing on a tiny stilt, wedges allow your foot to widen out more naturally, which support the natural balance of your arch.
Wedges also happen to be very “in” at the moment. Their popularity has ebbed and flowed for decades, and you’re in luck, because the wedge rage has not slowed recently.
Basically, wedges give you the height and style of heels without the discomfort. It’s a serious win-win.
Before you settle completely with the idea of wedge sandals, you should take a minute to consider platforms. Platform sandals have a thick sole all the way across the shoe, instead of just thickening at the heel. While platform shoes were worn hundreds of years ago to keep people further from the street and to give royalty a bit of a height advantage, they were not popularized in modern fashion until the 1970s. Platforms were extremely popular among women and men in the disco era, but now are preferred mostly by women. They still hold the image of a “party shoe.”
Platform sandals have had a boost of popularity in recent years as ‘70s and ‘80s fashion is making a nostalgic comeback, and this is something to be excited about. As an article in the Wall Street Journal proclaimed, “You don’t walk [in platforms]. You stride.” It’s true that the added inches will give you confidence, but it also reduces the stress put on the balls of your feet with the extra padding.
Both wedge and platform sandals can add a bit of flirty fun to your wardrobe, and will do your feet many more favors than flats without any cushioning or high heels that put too much stress on the toes.
Check out the different varieties of wedge and platform sandals available on AlohaShoes.com and ponder whether you’re a wedge kinda gal or if platforms are more your jam. Maybe you can do both! Either way, AlohaShoes.com has a variety of products to choose from so that you can be a fashionista from the city to the beach. Try the wedged Pualani or the platform Wahine and strut your stuff.
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What is Polyurethane Leather? Benefits of PU Made Sandals
You’re looking for a shoe that is smooth and durable, and feels great on your feet. Perhaps a shoe coated in Polyurethane, abbreviated as PU, is for you. But what exactly is PU?
Polyurethane is a polymer, or synthetic resin. PU is desirable because of its strength, durability, water resistance, and because it generally dries as a transparent, taking on whatever color it is dipped in or whatever it’s brushed on. It also tends to be scratch-resistant.
But, you may be wondering, what does this varnishing material have to do with shoes?
PU is most commonly connected in the shoe world to PU leather. PU leather is split leather, or an animal hide that has been split into thinner sheets than top-grain leather is, and then dipped into the PU resin to create a thicker, water-resistant, and more durable material. This PU leather is what is generally seen on shoes, although regular PU may be brushed onto a rubber or EVA surface to make it tougher, or PU may be molded into plastic sheets to be used on the outsoles of shoes, especially running shoes and sandals.
Although PU leather generally has a hide base, it is categorized as a synthetic because it has been altered by the polyurethane. Some PU leathers, called vegan leathers, do not have any animal hide products at all, but instead are made of fabric brushed with polyurethane made to look like genuine leather.
There are some definite upsides that PU leathers have that top-grain leathers do not. First of all is the cost. Genuine top-grain animal-hide leather can be prohibitively expensive because of the amount of labor and time it takes to complete the finished product. Using PU leather maintains the look and feel of leather while keeping costs down.
Secondly, because of the PU varnish, polyurethane leather is more waterproof than top-grain leather, which is perfect for sandals, flip flops, slides, or other shoes that might be brought on adventures that involve water.
It’s also lighter than genuine leather. Think of a 100% leather boot. It’s usually tough and very heavy. For a sportier shoe, there’s a great advantage to having PU leather, and that’s the weight (or rather, lack thereof). PU leather is very light, so when a sandal or other shoe is made with PU leather, it’ll be easier to walk in, travel with, and hop into when you need to get moving quickly.
PU leather looks and feels great on shoes, but many other products take advantage of PU leather. For example, wallets and purses often use PU leather, as do office chairs and other office supplies, backpacks, journal covers, and low-cost car interiors.
Still, PU leather arguably looks and feels best on footwear, as it is one of the only products in which the PU leather, which feels like top-grain leather, comes into contact with your skin. PU leather takes the stress off, because you can rest assured that you didn’t have to pay an exorbitant amount for it, and because you can clean it with water---something that simply isn’t an option for top-grain hide. Because it is water-safe, you can take the caution you’d normally have to take with leather and throw it to the wind. Want to head to the beach with your PU leather sandals? Go for it! The polyurethane can take it.
Make sure to check out the sandals available with PU leather options on AlohaShoes.com to get a sense of what PU leather looks like on sandals and slippers. Chances are you won’t be disappointed, and the price point for these products can’t be beat.
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