Today, Babyslime linked to this article about why shoes are bad for our feet. On the last page of the article, there’s a picture of the various kinds of “almost barefoot” shoes which have been developed recently. I thought to myself that these shoes might be comfortable, but they sure are ugly. Also, I’ll bet you anything they’re expensive.

It then occurred to me that I already own a pair of almost-barefoot shoes. Two pairs, in fact. They’re my old ballet slippers, which I wear around the house sometimes. Ballet slippers are designed to give the foot maximum flexibility. They really are designed to be just like being barefoot - their only purpose is to protect your feet from the friction of rubbing against the floor while turning or sliding. Best of all, ballet slippers are much more feminine than the shoes in the article and a pair only costs $10-$15.

I won the book Granny’s Recipes, Remedies, and Helpful Hints from one of Becca’s Saturday book give-aways. The book contains all kinds of old-timey advice, remedies, recipes, and how-to’s. There’s even a section on beauty, or, as the author calls it, “Cosmetiques.” I thought it might be fun to excerpt a little of Granny’s advice here on my blog.

Value of a sun bath
A sun bath is of more worth than much warming by the fire.

Ladies who have ample leisure and who lead methodical lives, take a plunge or sponge bath three times a week, and a vapor or sun bath every day. To facilitate this very beneficial practice, a south or east apartment is desirable. The lady denudes herself, takes a seat near the window, and takes in the warm rays of the sun. The effect is both beneficial and delightful.

If, however, she be of a restless disposition, she may dance, instead of basking, in the sunlight. Or, if she be not fond of dancing, she may improve the shining hours by taking down her hair and brushing it, using sulphur water, pulverized borax dissolved in alcohol, or some similar dressing.

I suppose it goes without saying that you may want to be careful which window you choose to sunbathe in, depending on how friendly you are with the neighbors.

We’re going to have a spending moratorium starting in May, so I’m stocking up on practical warm-weather clothes before then. I had a bunch of Chadwick’s coupons, and shopping online is so much faster for me than going to the store, so I bought quite a few things from their site.

Chadwick’s is kind of a mixed bag, style-wise. There are dowdy clothes, cute clothes, and basic, practical clothes. If you know what you’re looking for and what looks good on you, you can make out pretty well. The stuff you have to look out for is the dowdy clothes masquerading as basic, practical stuff. For example, this tank top. What a deal, right? And so practical! Except that if you look closely you’ll realize that it’s kind of shapeless, and their clothes run big anyway. It will probably end up being one of those things you can’t get rid of because it’s so practical, but never wear because it doesn’t look good on you.

Anyway, I was happy with everything I ordered. I got a dress that’s no longer on the site, this shirt in navy, these pants in navy, and these shoes in yellow. The pants are actually way cuter in real life than they are online. There’s a button detail on the cuff and a buckle detail on the back, and they’re just the right length for my short legs.

I wanted to take a picture of the yellow shoes to show how well they go with my green pants (green and yellow! I’m so current!), but Gwen kept rubbing on the shoes and getting in the way. I guess she likes them, too.

Like many other fashion bloggers, I keep my eye on the big spring and fall shows in New York to see where trends are going. Looking at the shows gives me some kind of zeitgeist for where fashion is headed, and an occasional longing for some fabulously expensive item that can’t be purchased by mere mortals.

But every now and then I see a designer who really does something different. The Rodarte Fall 2008 collection is a work of art. The looks are beautifully constructed and, I think, offer a fresh perspective on the goth aesthetic. Goth has been really overdone as of late, to the point where you can buy baby clothes at Wal-Mart with skulls on them. This Rodarte collection, by contrast, is a far cry from “mall goth” and convincingly dark. Who would have thought that red and white chiffon could look so sinister?

This weekend I threw away an old slip with shot elastic. Since we were going to Target anyway, I decided to buy my replacement there. To my surprise, their lingerie department had dozens of examples of obscure foundation garments but not one plain, simple slip.

I commented to my husband that this shouldn’t have surprised me at all. I see too many women walking around with their underwear showing through their skirts and sunlight outlining every curve and dimple. The variety of examples available on What Not to Wear and Glamour’s Dos and Don’ts is evidence that a lot of women just toss on their clothes and walk out the door with nary a glance in the mirror.

Maybe the modern woman sees a slip as anachronistic, but I can’t think of anything else that serves the same purpose. If you’re wearing an unlined skirt, a slip keeps it from sticking to your tights and bunching up while you walk. A slip hides visible panty lines and keeps the sun from shining through thin fabrics like an x-ray. And, utility aside, a slip and bra can be a sexy and unexpected lingerie combination.

I guess I’m going to have to go to Belk’s or Dillard’s to find a replacement slip. Or, Macy’s web site has a good selection. And check out the gorgeous options at vintageslips.com.

What do you think? Do you wear slips, or do you think they’re a relic from the last century?