NOW CLOSED: Toes out? Sandals on? How do you prepare? Share tips and experiences with Clarks and you could win one of ten pairs of their gorgeous summer sandals!

[AnnMumsnet]

Hello

We've been asked by the team at Clarks to get you talking about the (sometimes) dreaded first time you get your sandals on for spring/ summer....if it's not here yet - it is coming!

Share your thoughts on this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where ten lucky winners will get a free pair of shoes.

So, have you got your feet out for summer yet? Is it a 2 stage process for you (tops of feet and then toes) or do you go for the full sandal straight away? Or do you NEVER bare all?

What's your favourite type of sandal? Flat and relaxed, a height-boosting wedge or maybe a strappy number?

What date or occasion did you you/ will you do it? Does it need to be a special occasion?

Do you have a pamper ritual before getting your feet out? What it is? Full scrub, pedicure or a quick slick of a nude varnish? Share your tips (please!)

If your feet never see the UK sun, why not?

And if they're out all year round and look ok how do you manage it?

Clarks have a bigger promotion running at the moment and there are chances to win some lovely prizes by checking out their comps on <a class="break-all" href="http://instagram.com/clarksshoes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">instagram</a> and <a class="break-all" href="http://bit.ly/14SjJH7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Facebook</a>. On Instagram they want you to tweet a picture of your sandals with the hashtag #FreeYourFeet and you could win £500 worth of Mr & Mrs Smith vouchers and £150 worth of Clarks shoes, whilst on FB you could win one of five pairs of shoes simply by answering their sandal survey. Check out the links for full details and T&Cs.

In the meantime please do share your experiences on this thread.

Thanks and good luck.

MNHQ

I usually start with the footcream about this time of year. I like a good thick one for overnight and a lighter one (I love the Body Shop peppermint one) for daytime. I file my heels when I remember to do it but generally find that regular moisturising keeps my feet looking better than trying to get rid of all the dead skin.

I love painted toenails and my feet feel naked without them!

I always wear Birkenstocks in the summer but I love the look of the Clarks Originals sandals.

I cut my toenails and paint them. Sometimes I use shimmery pale pink varnish, but usually just a colourless one.

I'd love to flit round in pretty, strappy sandals with a nice heel, but they always end up shredding my feet to bits . So I usually go for something practical that I will feel comfortable in.

My feet aren't great looking at the moment - very dry skin round my heels - but I've started preparing by filing with Soap & Glory foot file and then slathering with foot cream (also S&G, Heel Genius). I'm also trying to get rid of a verruca that I've had for three years (don't ask).

I did wear sandals over the bank holiday weekend when the weather was good, I prefer comfortable leather strappy or gladiator style with a very slight wedge. No nail polish yet but I tend to go for opalescent blue/purple or sometimes a pinky brown.

I get pedicures every three weeks all year round, so my feet are usually in pretty good shape.
I am pretty boring with my clothes (lot's of neutrals) so I wear brightly coloured shoes / boots / sandals. Right now my toes are painted fluorescent orange.

I love flip flops, and sandals and have a pretty large selection of them. I wear strappy sandles or gladiator sandals to work, and have a pair of wedges that I love for evenings. I am big on comfort and I show my feet as much as I can.

I just go for it, I dont really have that much time to carefully prepare my feet in advance! I love when its hot enough to wear flip flops, puts you in a better mood

I generally don't 'prep' my feet for summer because wearing sandals isn't really practical in the UK .

I put cream on my feet but can't seem to get rid of the hard skin properly. If I do wear sandals, I prefer flat and comfortable or wedges. I'm yet to find a pair of wedges that don't hurt my little toes though.

The only occasion I can think of is when it's warm enough.
I'm too lazy to have a pamper ritual, I might go for a pedicure if I have the money.

I love red shoes and I always have a pair of simple red patent sandals on the go in summer - mainly wedges or a low heel. My best buys have been Hobbs and Stuart Weitzman, (sorry no Clarks, I look every year but they just never seem to suit me). I have to be able to walk a good distance in them.

In terms of my feet, I'm obsessed. I always joke I'll get old and my face will be wizened but my feet will be perfect. In the past as a treat I've used Creme de La Mer face cream on them ! But in terms of routine maintenance I give them a thorough massage with Vaseline Intensive Care (god I love that stuff!) every night, I also always soak them and clean them with a hard scrubbing brush daily. I use a pumice twice a week. I hate my toe nails because they are ridiculously small and hard to paint - so I always go for nude shades. I keep them trimmed and cuticles sorted.

Unfortunately I've had a few issues with my toenails since I visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar in India and got a fungal nail infection which was difficult to treat while pregnant/breastfeeding. I almost didn't go in to see the Golden Temple because I didn't want to wash my feet in the same water literally thousands of others were washing their feet in. I also saw some real horrors there but my husband convinced me to stop being so prissy . Anyone got any tips apart from curanail and Lamasil on dealing with this problem.

I paint my nails and take care of my feet all throughout the year not just in the summer. I like to wear nail polish, bright colours in the summer and whatever I feel like in the winter as it's not seen as much. I am currently using the Liz Earle foot scrub and foot cream, it smells nice.

I have invested in some cheap sandals this year but that will probably be a false economy. As someone above does I tend to go from winter boots to flip flops, this is one of the first years where i've worn flip flops one day and boots the next!

The best flip flops I had were £1.50 from Primark, they lasted a few years and were so spongey on the bottom and sparkly on the top. I never spend much on flip flops as I chop and change them all the time.

As for sandals, I usually go for flat ones so that I can walk distances in them and drive in them. I'd quite like to try a wedge heel though.

Love wearing sandals, but will only do so when I have painted my toenails (DIY job) and exfoliated. Strangely, I have very ugly toes but I think when they have nail polish on them, and a nice pair of high wedges, nobody really notices (I hope....)!

Another Birkie wearer here. Ill start about now with the S&G foootfile and cream and go for bold shades of polish. Love supportive comfy shoes as Ive been in DM's, Vans and Wellies all Winter. That makes me sound old!

I have a daily routine for my feet. Buff them and cream them every single day after I get out of the shower. Sometimes I put nail varnish on, sometimes I don't. The colour varies from vibrant to pearly. I quite like a flip-floppy type of sandal with a very small heel. If I have a strap, then I like about 3-4 cm heel. Don't like Birkenstocks at all. I don't like to have my foot flat on the ground. When I wear them I feel like my heel is going into the ground!

So, have you got your feet out for summer yet? Is it a 2 stage process for you (tops of feet and then toes) or do you go for the full sandal straight away? Or do you NEVER bare all?
I did get them out for a couple of weeks but back in boots now that the rain is here again. About a month ago I switched from boots to ballerinas (and applied fake tan to the top of my pasty trotters!)

What's your favourite type of sandal? Flat and relaxed, a height-boosting wedge or maybe a strappy number?
I love a flat strappy sandal in tan or metallic. Can't do wedges as I've got spindly legs and ankles and I feel like I've got lumps of concrete on the bottom of my legs. It's a shame because I like the look of them. I had some fab yellow t-bar sandals from Clarks last summer.

What date or occasion did you you/ will you do it? Does it need to be a special occasion?
Usually when we go back to work (school) after the Easter hols, everyone seems to switch to more lightweight footwear, like ballerinas or even sandals.

Do you have a pamper ritual before getting your feet out? What it is? Full scrub, pedicure or a quick slick of a nude varnish? Share your tips (please!)
I can't stand people touching my feet. So I use a Soap n Glory Cracked Heel cream myself, lots of moisturiser (slather it on then wear socks in bed), and a bright neon varnish.

If your feet never see the UK sun, why not?
They do - I try to wear at least ballerinas, if not sandals, for as much of Spring/Summer as I can manage. I love my feet being free.

And if they're out all year round and look ok how do you manage it?
I hide them away in my Clarks work shoes bought for September new term, for most of winter, as I can't cope with cold feet - makes all of me feel cold.

I have worn mine a few times,but winter has returned, so I'm back in trainers now.
I like flat sandals, but they have to have straps cannot wear anything between toes they are so painful.
I will always wear sandals if its warm enough.
I use a hard skin remover,and apply nail varnish to my toes.

I'm already in sandals because I'm 33 weeks pregnant and I can't do up laces etc anymore but I think it's too early really because my toes are chilly.

I like wedges as at 5"3, I need the height but I can't be bothered tottering around in heels when I'm running about after the kids.

I'm wearing super-comfy Birkenstocks at the moment but in the proper summer, I alternate between flip-flops if I'm in the house and pretty strappy flats when I'm out and about.

My basic ritual for preparing my feet for sandals is shaving my hairy toes (!), keeping my feet supple by filing hard skin and keeping my nails short and neat and painted in a nude or shimmery colour (so that chips and little painting mistakes are less noticeable). I think that feet in sandals look so much better with painted nails.

My feet are too cold to be wearing sandals! But I've got my toes painted and the dry bits are gone. I love the look of strappy sandals but they always kill my feet so most of the time I'm found in my clumpy Birkenstocks which are just so comfortable I can walk miles in them - they just look terrible!

I love pretty shoes and will find any excuse to wear them!
My tips are-

A good soak in the bath to soften skin
Do a pedicure and use pumice to remove hard skin
lots of foot/heel cream
Paint your toenails always!-you can never go wrong with a classic red.
Enjoy your lovely shoes!

My favourite sandals are definitely wedges-fashionable but you can still walk comfortably in them.

My feet are always in good nick after being tucked away for the winter. They only get dry and battered after a summer being exposed in sandals. Just a lick of nail polish and they're good to go.

I am not too fussy as long as my legs are shaved and toe-nails cut. My feet are quite long-toed and unattractive so I don't attract attention eg with nail varnish! Love a good bit of footware though and sandals represent that lovely time of year....

I have just had my first pedicure of the season this afternoon.
It's so cold only 4 degrees here!
I try and look after my feet all year. File the heels with a Scholl foot file,
and use Liz Earle foot scrub and the foot cream.Today I had an OPI polish in a colour called" Chicago Champagne Toast" which is a dark pinky brown.
Last year I bought a pair of Clarks Santa Roc sandals in a lovely shade of turquoise, and I love them.

I also wear sandals/open toes at every opportunity, I hate having my feet covered.

My feet are looked after throughout the year (not just for summer) they are creamed/moisturised daily and toenails always painted. Flexitol is a miracle cream and perfect for my cracked, dry heels.

My favourite type of sandal is definitely a wedge I love them. I also like strappy sandals and flip-flops, but wedges are the best.
I was only thinking today that it is always comfort over style for me lately - usually with Clarks shoes they are both stylish and comfy.

Too cold here for sandals until at least late July and then only for a couple of weeks. I have some some fly wedges that I think would pass as sandals that I love that I have been known to wear with tights because its so blooming cold. I also had some Clarks retro sandals a few years backs that I loved. I would make an effort with painting toe nails etc if I was going to be wearing sandals but tbh the other day I was thinking that I could really do with another pair of winter boots, to get me through the next few months, not sandals, very sad!

Exfoliate, a nice coat of shellac polish so as not to chip whilst away on hol and then the sandals go on!

I think a good pair of sandals are hard to come by. There always seems to be something digging in somewhere whether at the backof the foot, top of the foot or on the toes.
I did actually go in to Clarks yesterday for some work shoes and I saw a lady trying on a pair of these fancy new sandals. I tried them on too and they were great but they only had white left! I wanted black and the woman i saw trying them on took the last pair :(

They were lightweight but very comfy and looked pretty cool. I need a decent pair for walking around the theme parks in Orlando later this year.

i usually start with ballerina shoes as the weather warms up then move onto sandals. i prefer flat and strappy ones for during the day, and wedges for evening/going out. i prepare with a footscrub and moisturise followed by a nail cut and buff, and a splash of nail polish. never wear sandals in winter. i have cold feet.

In the lead up to summer I start thinking about the state of my feet but other than using a pumice stone on the dry skin on my heels in the shower I don't tend to do much until the sun suddenly comes out and then its a mad panic!

I then go from boots/converse to Birkies or flip-flops after I've painted my toe nails. I can't stand wearing summer footwear with unpainted nails - it somehow makes me feel naked!

Once this has happened I start the proper attack at my dry heels - regular gentle rub with the pumice stone followed by Heel Balm (smells foul but does magic things!)

Nail colours tend to be bold and/or bright as I can't be doing with pale pinks, nude etc. Last year was a gorgeous grey one that was recommended on MN. Haven't decided on this years colours yet.

It has to be properly warm before I move to sandals. Soap & Glory foot file and Heel Genius a couple of times before lift off. A pale- ish colour usually . I have birkenstocks and I'm looking for a smarter pair to wear to work.