Remember, today is Wear Red Day — the American Heart Association reminds women to get checked for heart disease. UPMC Hamot has a full slate of events — click here. At Goredforwomen.org, learn more. 

And, here’s a thought to protect that pedicure! According to the website, Bootie Pies are cozy boots with a collapsible front flap that exposes the toes while getting a pedicure. Bootie Pies look like fashionable UGGs and are made from high quality suede and leather s like coconut crème, chocolate and blackberry. www.bootiepies.com. The shorter boots (more like shoes) are $68, and the taller boots (at left) are about $88. Wear them with your gloves that flip down for a manicure and make a statement!

Back to our hearts — heart disease kills more women 25 and older than all cancers combined. Signs of a heart attack in women are often different than men, according to the American Heart Association. Sweating, pressure, nausea and jaw pain could be signs in addition to pressure in the chest, pain or discomfort in one or both arms, shortness of breath and lightheadedness. Don’t ignore pain in the back, neck or stomach.

Signs of a stroke from American Heart Association include: numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, blurred vision in one or both eyes, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or sudden severe headache.Take care, and get a checkup!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three and step-grandmom to one.  

Did you get shoes for Christmas? Did you want them? Well, I did. Shoes, according to fashionistas and researchers, hit some record level of sales in the three months leading up to November. A West Indies article in the Trinidad Express — read it here — said women’s fashion footwear grew 3.2 per cent and cross training shoes rose 16 per cent.

The article also included that men are buying shoes for women. ”Shoes have turned the corner in the gift category,” said Robert Burke, a New York-based fashion consultant. “They’ve become the new handbag.”

While I was Christmas shopping, I saw plenty of men buying shoes, purses and much more for their ladies.

I got new sneaks for Christmas, but I also need some new black pumps and other shoes. I found deals at Target.com. I also found some funky comments on gifting shoes. It’s apparently an old wives’ tale that giving shoes as a gift is  a bad omen — the person will walk away from you. Giftypedia and some web forums had some surprising  comments from folks who stand by the superstition. And boots — ohhhh boots — now there’s a gift!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three and step-grandmom to one.

Picture plain Jane boots and then add some fur, lace, knit, feathers or animal print topping and voila, you get the picture above.

Hugrz boot wraps can reboot your boots in a hurry. They retail for $33 to $49.95 a pair, and it’s BOGO half off right now. These babies come in 20 different designs with plenty of options in color and texture. You slide them over an existing pair of boots, and go, girl!

You can find several brands of boot toppers at boutiques and department stores locally and on the Internet. I have a pair of $20 white furry toppers from Chateau Christine in Meadville, Pa.

Click on the Hugrz site to see toppers that reboot with a wild side. And Hugrz is giving away a pair right here. Comment here and you are entered to win!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three and step-grandmom to one.