Well it has happened.  I am once again in the Medical Roundabout.  I have had foot issues for years.  Yes, those high heels did quite a number.  Anyway, I have tendon issues and have developed a type of cyst around the ankles.  Since October of 2014 I have been to see Doctors.  I now have four doctors and four opinions!  The latest is by far the most upsetting.  The Ortho Doc  wants me to wear an AFO.  I had no idea what this was.  I am an intelligent woman, strong and people fear me.  I must tell you, I walked into the Orthodics place and became a crying bag of crazy.  Never ever did I think I would have to wear sneakers and a very cumbersome brace...  I broke down to the very bottom a person could go.  I ordered and had to pay for this ugly hardware.  Monday they fitted me.  Now mind you I had to buy sneakers----really yes sneakers!!  I am not a gym person, I don't enjoy other peoples sweat and smells.  If I exercise it is in the privacy of my own home and barefoot.  So sneaker shopping was quite an experience.  Let me tell you the sneaker companies have totally ignored an entire market.  You either can find ridiculously colorful sneakers or old people looking ones.  My family is done listening to my complaining.  I almost can't blame them.  So here I am with an ugly, heavy, cumbersome brace and sneaker.  HELP ME!!

New Year and new attitude.  Clothes, make up and hair keep the attitude in check.  This year make the extra effort.  How have the years flown by and why am I not the person I see in the mirror?  Let's see if the year brings the whole person into one line? 

Hurricanes can certainly impact your look.  Take the loss of electic and water - OMG.  Hair is one of the greatest accessories.  I spend an enormous time on my hair.  Does it look fabulous - No - but it allows me to go out in public.  So now the dilema....not able to use electricc blow dryer to dry hair.  Hair washed and just air dried is fine but either flat or unmanageable.  Enter the heated blow dryer.  I must say one of the best inventions since the wheel.  The power of heat helps to adjust the hair to straight, wavy, or full.  Holding the round brush for a minute after removing the heat helps to set the curl.  I cannot, I repeat, I cannot stand myself in public if my hair has not been blow dried.  I guess I might have to be a hat accessory type of hurricane gal.  No, I am not a hat person.....enter the headband.  Now here is an invention.  The headband hides all kinds of flaws and adds style at the same time.  Drastic times call for drastic measures.  I might be sporting a headband if the lights go out again.

Design of fabric actually makes or breaks an outfit.  So I purchased a beautiful white/grey/black skirt.  It is lined and fits beautifully.  Here is the problem. The waist is mostly white and then the skirt fades to black and grey.  Now normally, this would be beautiful, however, white around the middle (when the middle includes more than it should) is really a design imperfection.  I hope I bought this shirt on sale.  If not, really what was I thinking. Anyway, everyone seemed to love it but completely understood the design dilema when I brought it to attention.  Hello fashion industry-----really, think before you design, cut and sew.  I know design should not dictate and of course - weight should not be a deciding factor.  I just ask that a little thought go into design.  Yes, I could have passed this skirt by. Yes, It is my fault my middle (white) is a little more than it should be....but just throwing the thought out there. 

So, nail drama.....a broken nail, ugh.  Here is the dilema.  How many nails must break before you cut all the rest?  One, two even three?  Yes, fake nails will never have this dilema, but fake is let's say it - fake!!  Is it hard to grow real nails, hell  yes.  But real women wear real nails,paint them, design them, and buy coffee to make it through the day. Once you start fake nail fiasco, you can never stop.  It is a hook that gets you at your core and will NOT let go. The problem is -----$$$$$$$$ and time.  You must never go past two weeks before a fill.  The longer they are on the softer and more damaged the real nail bed gets.  Sometimes the nail bed tends to grow strangely.  It is a full year before the real nails and nail bed are "human" again.  So I am going to say = Three nails.  If a thumb nail breaks, well live with it, if a pinky nail breaks, live with it...but three broken nails is just time to cut them all down. Painful, yes.  Depressing yes.  But fashion is painful, even when it is on your fingertips.  Cut and clear polish is in my future.

Walk a mile in my shoes.....NO REALLY..Can someone design a comfortable shoe for those of us with foot/ankle issues?  Sometimes we cannot put our best foot forward.  Recently I was told that work boots are the work horse of the foot.  The support is second to none.  In steps the fashion question...can work boots work with any outfit?  Ahh I think not without a little embelleshment. Perhaps I make up fancy laces and change them with each outfit.  I may be on to something?

Fall comes furiously.  What to wear is a real concern.  Still warm enough for the capri pants but just like the stores and holiday items....people rush to wear long pants.  Don't get me wrong, Fall is a beautiful time of  year - summer is just to short.  So the fashion accessory that makes the most of the outfit is the shoe.  Goodbye sandles and flip flops (so very sad)  and hello to the shoe and boot.  Now those of us with a foot problem find this time of year very depressing.  All those wonderful stylish heels and no foot to wear them.  I find it very difficult to find nice, stylish and fun flats and boots that actually feel fine.  Now I am not oppossed to a litte, oh who am I kidding, a lot of pain but the shoe or boot must be worth it.  Here is the next problem with a foot problem.......you MUST buy new flats/boots every year as the foot changes the way I walk.  I am constantly looking for the feel good foot accessory.  Help, is there no one in the fashion foot industry with real pain. Not the OMG my feet are killing me from my heels all day but the Holy Moley my foot just does not walk correctly and my pain is beyond the scary scream.  When I find a company that really feels my pain I will post accordingly.  In the meantime.......it's just a pain in the foot.