New Delhi, June 22 : Shoes are a crucial part of a wardrobe especially the leather ones. A right pair can accentuate your look whereas a wrong choice can break your entire look no matter how great the outfit so opt for the one that suits your personality, comfort.

Ritesh Srivastava, CEO at Elitify.com and Jyoti Narula, Director at JOE SHU share a few tips to keep in mind while buying a pair of genuine leather shoes.

* Shoe surface: The tactile feel of the shoe surface plays a significant role in deciding the authenticity of leather by the buyer. A pair of genuine leather shoes will usually have a sanded and refinished surface. It would not have a plastic feel or artificial finish that is common with faux leather.

* The insole - One should examine the detailing of the inner lining of the shoes which is another important indicator of quality. Genuine leather shoes will have an extra padded insole that works as a cushion between the feet and the shoes giving comfort and ensuring a sturdy grip.

* Price factor - As a general rule genuine leather costs more. It demands a relatively higher cost for the kind of durability, aesthetic appeal and fine detailing it brings to the footwear.

* Finishing and stitching - Aesthetics play a very important role while choosing a pair of shoes. An elegant silhouette is what adds to instant appeal along with its perfect coloration. The stitching should also be neat and smooth, thereby depicting attention to detail. More so in handcrafted or hand painted shoes.

* Comfort - A fine craftsman of shoes will always focus on comfort along with the styling. There is nothing worse than a shoe that bites.

* Rich fragrance of leather - A crucial point in identifying a real leather shoe is its smell. A shoe made of genuine leather will always carry a rich fragrance which is a natural odour. Authentic leather will never smell of chemicals or plastic.

* The sole - Sole is an important indicator of quality. The better the sole and the lining the more comfort and grip it offers. The shoes should always be light in weight. An extra layer of the sole between the shoe body and the feet will give freedom to the wearer for long hours.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.

The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.

He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.

"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.

Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."

"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.

Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.

"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.

Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."

Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.

"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.

Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.

"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.

For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough." 

"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.

Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.

"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."

"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU

Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.