How To Wear Mandals

Did you know that men’s sandals are also called mandals? No? Now you know!

Your feet sweat a lot because you have more sweat glands per square inch on your feet than any other part of your body. Each foot has around 250,000 sweat glands which are always producing sweat whether it is hot or not.

See, your feet need the sweat to remain soft. Without that much sweat, they would harden and crack and it would be painful to walk.

Photo courtesy of www.batakenya.com (Click to enlarge)

Having said that, wearing closed shoes day in day out can cause feet to smell because of the bacteria acting on the sweat.

This is where mandals come in.

Once in a while, it is beneficial to let your feet breathe by wearing open shoes. This post seeks to share a tip or two on how to choose a good pair of mandals and how to rock them with style.

Buying sandals

  • Get the the right fit – As with every kind of shoe, it is important to fit your sandals before buying. No part of your foot should be hanging outside the sandal.
  • Comfort is key - “Select sandals with a lightly padded footbed for more comfort. Standing for long periods or walking on cement floors or sidewalks can cause pain in the feet and lower back if the shoe does not provide good support.” – E how

Wearing sandals

  • Keep it casual – Mandals look great worn with casual wear (jeans, shorts, etc.) However, open shoes are a no-no at the work place even if it’s casual Friday.
  • Get a pedicure – At least a simple Do-It-Yourself kind of pedicure where you trim your toe nails and thoroughly clean your feet. Few things are uglier than unkempt toe nails peeking from an open shoe..
  • Never wear sandals with socks.

 

 

Comfort, Style and Cuddly love

Comfort

Wrap your feet in soothing comfort . The cushioned insole, and the general lightness of these sandals makes them the preferred choice for anyone looking for comfort and durability.

Style

Back due to demand are these stylish pumps. Stand tall. Stand confident. Because your feet are taken care of . See more

 

Cuddly Love

Adorably cute …… like baby’s first steps. It’s quality, made with love.

 

Earn It While You Flaunt It! : UPDATED

Due to Facebook Promotion rules and guidelines the rules of Earn It While You Flaunt It! change.

To participate, you will NOT upload your photo on our Facebook wall but you will now be required to send your picture wearing Bata shoes to bata.kenya@gmail.com.

Winners(five people with the best photos) will be chosen on Friday evening  and we shall post the winning photos on our page.

The other terms and conditions remain.

Click here to view the terms and conditions of the contest

Earn It While You Flaunt It!

Please click here to see an updated version of this post indicating a change of rules.

We are doing it again! Having ran a successful Mothers Day contest we are now introducing another contest : Earn It While You Flaunt It! . Here is how it works. Take a photo of yourself or your feet in Bata shoes and upload it on our Facebook page. Get your friends to vote for your photo by liking it. send it to us on the e-mail address bata.kenya@gmail.com.

And what’s a contest without terms and conditions? :) Below is what participants will have to abide by.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. The contest is open to people residing in Kenya.
  2. To be eligible you must be over the age of 18.
  3. Once the winners are announced, we would require their email ID for further communication.
  4. The prizes would not be couriered or sent to the winners. Instead, the winners would have to pick their prize from the designated store(s).
  5. Prizes are to be picked within 7 days after the winners have been announced.
  6. Judges decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  7. The photos of the winners may be published in our website and/or blog.
  8. Prizes not exchangeable for cash.

Happy Participation and let’s have fun!

Mama Knows Best

“God couldn’t be everywhere so he created mothers.”  So goes a Jewish proverb. We set out to celebrate moms on Mothers day this year by offering our customers a free scarf with the purchase of ladies shoes.

For our social media platform, we ran a contest on Facebook and Twitter dubbed Mama Knows Best. Share with us, went the instructions, a life lesson you learnt from your mum that you still live by to this day. There were prizes to be won(see some photos of the winners). Here are some of the things those who participated said they had learned from their mums. Gems. Priceless bits of wisdom..

Check these out. And add yours too. Mama knows best!

Daniel K Mwangi : “Do what you can today and if you delegate a task and it’s still not done, don’t complain. Do it yourself. You will live a happy life.”

Sophia Ndunge: My late mother taught me that a woman is the center of her family, she got to know where to get the best for her family – keeping everyone’s needs, styles, preferences and tastes in mind.

Jane Janine Omondi-Awalla : Dearest Mom taught me to always smile n take challenges positively as stress makes you age faster.. and to eat healthy too! This has worked for her as she’s now in her 50′s n still got her good looks n you’d think she’s 30! I live by the same rule n find it working well for me too! I’m married now n most people still think I’m a school gal! ;-) “keep those wrinkles away. . smile. . .”, says Mom.

Fridah Murithi : “It is by your own sweat that u will enjoy freedom”.

Eve Lynn : “If u want the best, sometimes u have to risk”.

Krishna Lakhani : “No matter who the other person is always respect them the way you want to be respected.”

Maaria Essak : “True beauty is a combination of outward appearance and inner values.”

Alexis Lina-Lin : “Nothing is forever,work very hard and do what you love.”

Jackie Stany : “You should never look down upon others since you never know if you will be at the same place you are today the next day. Show respect to everyone you meet.”

Joy Mecha : My late mum(R.I.P) taught me to live well with house assistants i used to do the dishes while she does the house now i’m a mother and still practice the same the result is she takes good care of my son.

June Jebet Migui : “Never settle for less than you deserve.”

Faith Ondeng’ : “Always carry your own bedding (bed sheets) when going to visit.”

Humble Joseh : Do not do things for granted, think the aftermath before you do anything.

#mamaknowsbest My mother taught me never to punish my son in a way that punished me too. – @Ubabz

#mamaknowsbest

“If you’re not sure about an outfit.. Change.”

“Forgive people even when i have reasons not to.”

“Never rush out across the road. It clears up eventually.” – @michellemartins

#Mamaknowsbest

“Baby, no matter how tough you feel or think you are, always try and get home early.”

“Do not visit your neighbors too often.”

“You are responsible for the actions you take .”- @Gitalry

#MamaKnowsBest

“Urembo ni usafi. ”  (Beauty is cleanliness)

“Tithe! Even that 50bob aunty gave you.”

“When it’s cold…Wear that sweater. You are still my child, I can spank you.”

-      @Malmuza

#mamaknowbest never have chipped nail polish :) – @victoriaambre

#mamaknowsbest always carry extra cash… – @beenduta

#mamaknowsbest

“Peel you fruits no matter how clean they seem.”

“ Never walk away from challenges before proving it’s not worth it.”  – @WanjikuMwaurah

#Motherknowsbest no matter how tall your grandfather is, you have to do your own growing [and my, wasn't grandpa tall!] – @soul_fool

#mamaknowsbest

Whenever we were invited for lunch or dinner mama would say. ‘Eat first before we leave. Don’t you dare embarass me!’

“Always wear good underwear. You never know when you’ll fall down.”  O_o – @JeriMasala

#MamaKnowsBest “A spoonful of cod liver oil a day keeps the doctor away. (I don’t find it yucky anymore.”) – @IquiraKenya

#mamaknowsbest “Always make your bed in the morning before leaving the bedroom. The beating emphasized it. I do it every morning.” @RafahyEl

RT @VincentOchieng #MamaKnowsBest @batakenya I learnt how to cook and cook really good from my mother

#mamaknowsbest If you can lie down and do it, then you can sit up and take care of it. – @Warhia

How to Look Hip in Boots

Fashion blogger Stylifiq who blogs at Style by Stylifiq   gives us tips on how to look fabulous in boots.

The short rains are here with us, again. The strappy sandals and cute ballerina flats that served us so well during the hotter months don’t seem to be cutting it quite as well with the muddy puddles and overflowing storm drains that are quite common during the rainy season. So begs the question, what shoes would be perfect for this weather? The answer, boots! Boots come in a variety of lengths and designs.

Calf length boots from Bata Kenya

They also vary based on the material they are made of. Whether you are tall, petite or plus size, wearing the right pair of boots can add instant chic points to your look.

How to wear boots:

Tall boots, {Knee length and over the knee boots}
Wear these with full or narrow skirts that just cover the top of the boot or opt for short skirts with brightly colored tights or thigh high socks. Tall boots can also be paired well with your every day dresses. When wearing pants, the skinny jeans tucked in look is perfected by tall boots.
Ankle boots
These boots go very well with long skirts that are fuller at the bottom as well as long narrow skirts. Preferably the skirt should be long enough to go over the top of the boot.
These boots can also be worn with short, close fitting skirts, with or without tights. If you must wear midi skirts with ankle boots, be sure to have tights or stockings on to cover your legs. These boots go well with all kinds of pants, except of course, cropped pants.
Boots for petite women
Although petite women can get away with almost any kind of boots, it would be wise to steer clear of over-the-knee boots. These make the legs appear even shorter and make a woman appear stumpy which isn’t flattering. Mid calf and ankle boots are most flattering with either a lot of leg or no leg showing.

Knee length boots from Bata Kenya

Wide leg boots and plus size women.

These are boots that are made with women with wide legs or larger calves in mind. They provide a way for plus size women to wear stylish boots while still being comfortable. Plus size women should opt for tall boots as opposed to ankle boots for a trimmer look. Wear boots in a heel size that is comfortable for you or opt for flat boots.

Tall women and boots
While a slim stiletto boot may be tempting for most women, many tall women may shy away from this boot as they may not want to add to their height. For tall women who aren’t particularly fond of flat boots, Kitten heels become a welcome middle ground. Go for slim one inch heels tucked under the heel. Short wedges also form a fashionable compromise. You can find flat boots in interesting cuts for that chic classy look.

Available at selected Bata Stores

Tips:

  • Either show no leg or show a lot of leg. Showing just a little leg can be quite unflattering and take away inches from your height.
  • Before buying any boots try them on to make sure they fit properly, are’t too tight and are comfortable to walk in. Ask to take a few paces while wearing them to feel how they rub against your legs.
  • Do not wear boots that are too tight as these may block proper blood circulation in your legs. Wear boots that are close fitting around the calf.
  • Do not tuck baggy or wide legged jeans into boots to avoid ballooning at the calf which can be very unflattering
In summary, pick boots that flatter your overall frame and that you feel comfortable and confident in. Walk with your head held high knowing come rain, come shine you are rocking the scene! XoXo, StYl.
About the author:  Claire ‘Stylifiq’ is a Kenyan fashion blogger, the founder and editor of Style by Stylifiq. Find her on Facebook or on Twitter.