LilSugar

Little Soles: Not Your Mama's Mary Janes!

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:00:40 PST

The cold weather is coming and open-toed shoes, sandals, and crocs just won't do. The Canadian company, Little Soles, offers up some sassy alternatives to your mama's Mary Janes ($45) that will have your daughter kicking off her current shoes. The bright-colored and bold-styled leather strap shoes come in traditional styles that offer strong foot support for growing feet and look terrific when paired with tights.

Inversion Issues: How to Remedy Common Shoulderstand Complaints

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:14:27 PDT

You're loving your yoga class from Half Moon to Pigeon Pose, but as soon as you get to Shoulderstand, you're less than psyched. Although a basic - challenging, but basic - pose, Shoulderstand can put you at risk of strain and injury when done incorrectly. Turn this pose into your favorite by checking out these common complaints and ways to remedy them.

"I Can't Breathe"
If you're well endowed or carry extra weight in your belly, then gravity causes added pressure on the lungs and throat, making it tough to take in a deep breath. A supportive bra and fitted top can help, but if you still have trouble breathing, then changing how you do the pose will make a huge improvement. Instead of stacking your pelvis and feet directly over your shoulders, hinge at your hips slightly, pressing them away from your face so your feet extend slightly behind your head.

Still can't breathe? Try the Legs Up the Wall variation; rest your lower back on your mat or, to give your hips a little lift, rest your lower back on a folded-up blanket or flat bolster.

Continue reading to learn how to alleviate neck pain and feelings of imbalance while in Shoulderstand.

Savvy Confessions: Asking For a Raise (It's Complicated)

Savvy Community — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:22:17 PDT

This post was submitted (anonymously, as always) to our Savvy Confessions group. Got any advice? Leave it in the comments.

Hi, fellow Savvy Confessors. I've got an issue I've been struggling with that I could seriously use some help on. I am in a job where I am paid to be "available." I am paid salary (based on an hourly rate at 40 hours a week) regardless of how little or how much I work. Some weeks I work four hours, and some weeks I work 40. Sometimes I have whole weeks off at a time - but only with extremely last-minute notice. Usually, I don't know my schedule until late the night before or early in the morning the day of.

There have been only three times since I started this job almost two years ago that I have gone over 40 hours, but I was compensated for overtime. I am on the books and paid weekly via direct deposit, but receive absolutely no benefits - health, dental, 401(k), etc. After 20 months, I am still on the same salary as when I started. For the most part, it's an amazing job - the actual work is really rewarding, my boss is really nice and friendly, and (as you can see with my fluctuating schedule) I have plenty of downtime to myself. All in all - a really awesome job!!

So what's the problem? Read on.

5 Reasons Being a Single Man is Kind of Overrated

The Good Men Project — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:47 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Damon Young names five reasons being a single man is overrated.

While most will probably remember 2012 as the "Year Of The YOLO" (and by "most" I mean "like seven people"), it holds special significance for me because it’ll likely be the first year since 2002 where I spent the entire year single. I haven’t completed a full calendar year yet - May will make it seven months since the former Lady Champ and I decided to go our separate ways - but because I seem to enjoy doing random anthropological experiments on myself for absolutely no reason (and because I’m an INTJ and INTJs apparently suck at relationships), I’m confident that I’ll make it to 2013 without having to change my Facebook relationship status again.

Three Little-Known Stressors That Are Killing Men

Anyway, if I could sum up my seven months of singledom in one word, it would most likely be "interesting." I’ve met some "interesting" people, done some "interesting" things, made some "interesting" decisions, and, most importantly, thought some "interesting" thoughts. The most "interesting" of these "interesting" thoughts? Being a single man is kind of overrated.

Now, as I stated on the day where I wrote about orgasms, "overrated" doesn’t mean "bad." In fact, as the careers of Tupac and Derrick Rose continue to prove, something can be very, very good - even great - and still be overrated. I’ve enjoyed being single, and will likely continue to enjoy it. But, while it seems like many assume that being a single man (a single Black man, at that) is nothing but an utopic stream of easy popsicles and cold pancakes, there are a few downsides.

It can be very lonely. As a person who wanted to be single, is a natural introvert, and generally enjoys doing things by himself, I’m surprised by how, for lack of a better term, "noticeable" the solitude and loneliness of singledom can be. Even when seeing multiple people and/or having tons of friends, being single means that you are . . . single, by yourself, and there may be times when you want to have someone around but there will be no one that you want to be around readily available to be around.

Then, to add insult to injury, if you’re an angsty motherf*cker like me, you’ll start thinking things like "Wait. I’m a single man. A single Black man. My dad named me after Dolemite. Shaka Zulu is my second cousin. People who’ve never even met me call me "Champ" for chrissakes. Why the f*ck do I feel lonely right now?" which’ll make it even worse.

You have to wear condoms. And, wearing condoms sucks. If you’re one of the 137 people left on Earth who always has protected sex - even if in a long-term, monogamous relationship - just skip this section and move on to #3. Also, I’ve left a plate of gotdamn sugar cookies at the end of this post as a reward for your duty. Please eat them with a gotdamn smile.

If you’re not one of these people, you should be able to relate to how frustrating it’s been to go from condom-less sex to having to worry about having gotdamn condoms all the damn time. And, even if you’re not actively having sex, "Do I have condoms?" and "Since I don’t have condoms, is there somewhere close where I can buy them?" always has to be on your mind.

Also, from a logistical perspective, they’re a hassle to put on, they smell like a pack of slutty balloons, and "sex with condoms" will always be the Mike Conley of coitus. There is always the alternative - just don’t wear condoms while single, either - but I think one Cromartie per generation is enough.

(Btw, is it just me, or has the price of condoms spiked dramatically in the past four years? I was last single in 2008, and I don’t remember a box of condoms costing as much as it does to fill a gas tank. Does this qualify as a "first world problem?" If a Black blogger bitches about condoms in the woods, would Kanye’s missing draws make a sound?) As much as condoms suck, they don’t suck as much as . . .

Having to participate in the dating game. In a paradox so annoying that I almost didn’t mention it today because I plan on spending an entire day on this sole topic soon, I love meeting new, interesting women but I hate the process that usually goes along with meeting new, interesting women. I understand (and appreciate) the purpose of the process, but knowing why it’s necessary doesn’t mean that you have to enjoy it.

The superficial romantic connections synonymous with singledom gets old. Ironically, the best thing about being a single man - possessing the ability to have myriad short, commitment-free relationships AT THE SAME DAMN TIME!!! - ends up being one of the worst after enough time has passed. This actually hasn’t happened to me yet. I guess I’m still in the single honeymoon phrase. But, I’m certain it will, and the thought of this happening is already depressing me. Actually, this entire list is getting depressing. ***Making note to self to make sure tomorrow’s post is about the playoffs or strippers or something***

You start to realize some, um, "unpositive" things about yourself. I’ve been in three long-term - "long term" = "monogamous relationship lasting at least a year" - relationships as an adult. Each of these relationships failed, and my wanting to be single was the main catalyst behind each of these failures. Now, because I’ve always been a guy who did all the "right on paper" relationship things - I’ve never cheated, never physically or verbally abused any girlfriends, always followed the chivalry handbooks, etc - I’ve always assumed that I’m good at being a partner. But, these last few months have made me realize that I have some real deficiencies in the relationship department - personality quirks that have subtly sabotaged each relationship I’ve been in.

I wouldn’t quite call myself a trojan horse - the sabotage isn’t intentional (at least it’s not consciously intentional) - but I’m just not very good at this relationship thing right now, and I intend to spend the rest of 2012 trying to figure out why.
That’s it for me today. Fellas - single or coupled up - how do you feel about the concept of singledom? Is it all the beer commercials make it out to be, or do you agree that it may be slightly overrated? Also, ladies, are the "single man problems" expressed today at all similar to any "single woman problems?"

Tap Into Your Artsy Side With a TOMS DIY Project - We Did!

Marisa Tom — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:30:25 PDT

There's no easier go-to sole than TOMS, and with such a philanthropic business model, it's a shoe-in for all our laid-back warm-weather outfits. Inspired by all the cool Spring styles cropping up, we thought we'd take a stab at embellishing our own Summer-perfect pair. With the canvas slip-on as our muse, we headed to TOMS's NYC headquarters and immediately tapped into our craftier, do-it-yourself sides. From acrylic paints, glitter glue, and metallic sequins to fabric cutouts and Sharpie markers in every color of the rainbow, we transformed our classic white TOMS into bright tie-dyed, ombre-infused, personalized masterpieces - in less than an hour. Want to see the step-by-step process and styled result and glean a little DIY inspiration for yourself? Just keep clicking.

Brian Atwood on Living With His BFF Melissa McCarthy, the Power of the Red Carpet, and What Makes a Woman Sexy

Chi Diem Chau — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:51:13 PDT

Brian Atwood's chic shoes have been spotted on a bevy of stars, like Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Trachtenberg, and, most recently, Jennifer Lawrence at the Hunger Games premiere, to name a few, so we're predicting that his gorgeous new handbag line, only available at Gilt.com, will garner an equally star-studded crowd. Last night, Gilt hosted a beautiful event at The Standard hotel in NYC to celebrate Brian Atwood's new collection, and not only did we get to check out the gorgeous clutch collection in person, but we also got up close and personal with the designer himself and chatted about his new line, his most memorable red-carpet moments, and his best friend, and Oscar nominee, Melissa McCarthy. Read below for all of his fun anecdotes.

FabSugar: What was the inspiration behind your beautiful new handbag collection?
Brian Atwood: It was about being surrounded by amazing women, seeing what their needs were. It was about taking that DNA and excitement from what I put into my shoes into a bag and thinking what would that bag look like, how do we make it cool, gorgeous, and showstopping? It's only the beginning, I'm having so much fun.

FS: What are some of your most memorable red-carpet moments?
BA: The first red carpet I had was with Debra Messing at the 2002 SAG Awards. I had no idea, I think she bought them, and someone told me she was wearing my shoes. That's when you really understand the power of the red carpet; it was pretty amazing. Cameron Diaz also wore [my shoes] at the Oscars with a dress which was short in front and long in back. I thought that was perfect. And now we have the shoe cam, I love the shoe cam!

Brian Atwood on living broke with Melissa McCarthy, what makes a woman sexy, and more.

Wear Spring's Peekaboo Trend on Your Feet - We've Got the Coolest Open-Toe Booties to Shop Now

Marisa Tom — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 04:00:24 PDT

We're all for baring a little skin - edgy cutouts, delicate sheer panels, and femme lace details certainly qualify for the express purpose of subtle exposure - but this version of peekaboo relies solely on your kicks. Because of Spring's temperamental climates, an open-toe bootie touches on all functional and fashionable bases. From an edgy zipper-front, ankle-strap Stuart Weitzman iteration to Rachel Roy's blush-hued laceup booties, there are classic, girlie, and superstructured silhouettes for the taking. Style this peep-toe shoe with your favorite boyfriend-cut jeans, a flirty floral dress, or a sexy LBD, and reap the benefits of a sultry flash of skin. Click through for more than 15 ways to shop it - now all that's left to do is to treat yourself to a Spring-perfect pedicure.

5 Ways to Show Your Running Feet Some Love

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:35:45 PST

A runner's feet take quite the beating with all the repetitive pounding, sweating, and muscle exertion. Here are five ways to help ease soreness and prevent foot injuries that could sideline your running routine.

Grab a tennis ball: If you have a loving friend who's offering to rub your feet regularly, that's great, but most of us don't have that luxury. Instead, perform a little self-massage with a tennis ball or racquetball. Sit or stand and place the ball under the arch of your foot, roll it along your arch, and shift to whatever part of your foot needs attention. You'll be surprised at how sore your feet really are.
Trim your toenails: Seems like a simple task that doesn't need mentioning, but since feet are covered most of the time, you may not pay as much attention to your toenails as you do your fingernails. Long toenails can rub against the inside of your shoe or cut the adjacent toes, making it painful to run. When giving yourself a minipedicure, cut or file nails straight since rounded edges can cause ingrown toenails.

Keep reading for more ways to care for your runner's feet.

10 Sweet Shoes For Soon-to-Be Walkers

Kate Stahl — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:34:32 PST

While many experts say barefoot is still the best way for your lil one to learn to walk, during the colder months, it can be hard to leave those little toes uncovered. Luckily for mamas of aspiring walkers, tons of new-technology and old-school soft-sole shoes are out there, specially designed to get your babe up and moving. From Pediped's Grip 'n' Go shoes to Robeez classic slip-ons, tiny shoes have never been cuter - or better designed. Keep clicking for 10 footwear options that are sure to help baby take those first steps.

Keep Running: Prevent Plantar Fasciitis With These Tips

Susi May — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:06:42 PST

From pounding the pavement running to spending a day in fashionable shoes that lack proper support, feet take a beating. If you're training for a race this Spring and upping your mileage, it pays to show your peds some love. You can do some preventive prehab to avoid coming down with a case of plantar fasciitis. This painful condition, which can be common in new runners and affects women more than men, occurs when the the fibrous band that runs from the heel bone to the base of the toes stretches too far and tears. These micro tears cause inflammation of the fascia and the tissues surrounding it, making every footstep painful and abruptly stalling your training schedule. If you're experiencing some unexplainable heel pain, try these methods to keep plantar fasciitis at bay.