Clothes can be sacred to mother, daughter

New York — It’s almost a rite of passage for little girls to sneak into their mother’s closets, try everything on, imagine themselves as grown-ups — and probably leave a mess behind.

In the new book “In My Mother’s Closet: An Invitation to Remember” (Sorin Books), actress and writer Carrie Fisher, daughter of Debbie Reynolds, recalls her trips into The Church of Latter Day Debbie.

“Her closet wasn’t off limits, but it was very much hers and therefore my younger brother Todd and I valued it. It was prized highly because we prized her highly. She was often away for work, and when we missed her we could go into her closet and do stuff like put our faces into a bunch of clothes and smell her,” Fisher writes.

“I think we wore her robes, and maybe her shoes.”

Joy Behar, Leslie Stahl, Mary Louise Parker and Erica Jong are among the other women who share their memories in the book compiled by Eugenia Zukerman.

Shoes need to be tested before purchasing

New York — Not all shoes are created equal, which means each pair needs to be properly tested before purchase.

Naot Footwear, which makes shoes for women, men and children, suggests going through the following steps:

• Measure both feet. Foot size can change over the course of a week or a lifetime; also, most people have one foot that’s slightly larger than the other.
• Look for a full toe box. The toe box is the front enclosure of the shoe. When trying shoes on, your toes should have enough room to spread out and they shouldn’t rub against the front of the shoe.
• Look for breathable materials. Natural leathers and certain better synthetic liners allow the foot to generate aeration.
• Go for a walk. Take at least 10 steps back and forth on the fitting room floor.

Dermatologist says care necessary below knee

New York — People spend a lot of time and money caring for the skin on their faces, decollete, hands and even feet, but the other body part that often is bared — the lower leg — is at best an afterthought.

“It’s astounding to me that people forget they have a body below the knees,” says Lydia Evans, a consulting dermatologist for L’Oreal’s Body Expertise line.

The first step in caring for the lower leg is the removal of dead skin cells — which is easy to do in the shower with an exfoliating wash, says Evans.

Next use a body moisturizer, which typically is a little richer in texture than a facial moisturizer.

By exfoliating first, Evans explains, the moisturizer will work better because dead skin cells often prevent penetration.