Ask The Budget Babe: Feet and the Friendly Skies

Dear Budget Babe,
Just got back from a weekend trip and air travel is getting nastier by the day. Anyway, due to 'heightened security measures' we now have to take off our shoes, right? In summer that means walking barefoot where other people's feet have been. Eeeeeeewwwww
Budget Babe, is it ok to relax the fashion standards a bit and wear socks for that dreaded walk down the security aisle?

Answer: It is perfectly acceptable to wear socks or nylons after removing shoes at security checkpoints—in fact, we highly encourage this. However, it is not acceptable to wear socks with sandals (sorry, Mum!). The solution? Don't wear sandals when flying. Closed-toe shoes worn with socks protect your tootsies from fungus and rogue luggage carts in the airport, and keep them warm on the plane.

Common sense dictates that you also pick socks that aren't too slippery, in dark shades that wont show dirt. No holes. If you're minding your fashion Ps & Qs, you'll probably be wearing dark jeans or slacks, so socks should be a similar hue to create the most pleasant visual line.

Young'uns or the young at heart can wear cute, colorful or patterned socks, too. Nothing wrong with that.

As for shoes, opt for ballet flats, fashion sneaks, even fashionable clogs. If you're worried about the heat, wear socks that breathe and shoes made from real leather.

If your funky foot odor is so toxic that agents from the Department of Homeland Security get called in when you remove your shoes, consider this remedy: Brew up some iced tea and soak your feet in it for about 30 minutes a day for a week. The tannic acid in the tea will cure what ails you.

If you have a fashion conundrum that's keeping you up at night, e-mail The Budget Babe at info@thebudgetbabe.com.