At the top of many women’s Christmas wish list this year is a pair of Reebok Easy Tone Sneakers. The marketing for these shoes shows a slim model with well-developed calf muscles that clearly spends a lot of time in the gym, and the brand’s slogan is “nice booty. Great sole.”
These shoes are not the first to venture into the toning arena, or strictly target women looking for an easy way to tone up. MBT Shoes has made rocker shoes for years, with claims that they challenge your muscles and work your abs, butt, back, and thigh muscles. You’d expect them to be flying off the shelves if they really worked, right? The problem with MBT’s is that they are decidedly dorky-looking. Other brands have attempted to imitate the MBT technology: Sano by Mephitic actually makes some that look quite a bit better, but the cost is prohibitive to many people. Earth Shoes claims that their negative heel technology strengthens and tones, helping to build a healthier core. Their Exert-fit line of sandals is comparable to the Fit Flops brand that is also quite popular for summer wear.
Shopping on the internet? Comfortablefoot
What makes Reebok’s Easy Tone different? First and foremost, these are Reeboks, one of the best known and widely respected sneaker companies in the world. Secondly, they actually look good- you could wear these anyplace you normally wear your sneakers and no one will point and laugh. Third is that Reebok’s huge marketing budget is creating the need for these shoes, and the feedback says that the shoes actually do what they are designed to do! Women everywhere want them and are willing to pay the $100 price tag that is pretty steep for a Reebok product. Also, Reebok is holding the price line on them- no discounts or coupons apply, and the Reebok Outlet Stores are not even carrying them. Online sources that discount them at all are difficult to find, and they quickly sell out everywhere at ComfortableFoot.com.
Still, podiatrists and other experts are quite skeptical about the claims being made by manufacturers of all of the toning shoes. Many wearers report soreness in their leg muscles that they take as proof they work, but studies have been limited, with each being commissioned by the company which makes the shoes. So, for now, the jury is still out on effectiveness.
Crocs enter the Mainstream
Michelle Obama was spotted a few months ago wearing a pair of Crocs’ sling-back style sandals, Malindi. French Vogue featured them in a recent photo shoot. Since then, the company that once made just, well, ugly plastic shoes have morphed into the mainstream by adding lines which fit in better with average lifestyles. The company is now making shoes, sandals, and boots from other materials, even leather, and appeal to a much wider audience. Many lovers of the original Crocs tout the comfort and low price of the shoes as the reason for their loyalty. Suffering from a lack of new customers, however, Crocs had some financial woes and laid off many workers in its Brazilian factory at the beginning of the year. If Crocs can maintain that loyal fan base while also engaging a much larger shoe buying public with their new styles, they should be back in the black in no time at all.