"In this handbook, find out: how shoe sizing standards got started; how to get a better fit; how various shoe lacing patterns can improve the fit and comfort of your shoes; indications of quality and comfort in shoes--and why quality and comfort are not always synonymous; what makes a shoe an oxford, a blucher, a mule, or a Mary Jane; the five types of running shoe and which you should wear; the relative advantages of EVA and PU in the midsole of an athletic shoe; the three types of orthotics; signs that designer shoes are authentic; which designer grew up on a banana plantation; which designer first banned models he considered too thin; which designer's family made its fortune selling fertilizer; which company's success was largely a result of a member of the Communist party who inherited the business; the irony in the meaning of the Nike "swoosh"; why you may want to add Vaseline, nail polish remover, a tube of toothpaste, and a toothbrush to your shoe care kit; when and why you may want to put your shoes in the freezer; how duct tape can be used to repair your shoes; [and] the ultimate destinations of the shoes you donate to Goodwill or the Salvation Army."--Cover, p. [4].