Shoes

Here we are on Friday, so fashion is our topic. Today:  shoes.

What woman doesn’t love shoes? Even if you only wear flip flops or athletic shoes I bet you have a variety of styles to choose from. I was thinking about shoes because I have just placed two pairs into the out bin. A red pair and a pair I bought in Buenos Aires. Both are slides (open back) and with a highish heel/wedge. Neither comfortable anymore. Yeah, just got to the point that I don’t wear them because they are so uncomfortable.  You can see the dust left from our remodeling project–I’ve not worn them so they are still covered in it.
I have really difficult feet. Seriously.  I know that women often think their feet aren’t that attractive, but I have bunions, a really high arch, crab toes and callouses. But still, I love shoes. Pilates has relieved me of chronic foot pain and I’ve found a small number of shoe brands that make reasonably fashionable but comfortable shoes. I restrict myself to 3″ or under on heels.  Oh, I almost forgot the ongoing tightness in my heels (that is because now I am merely aware of it, it isn’t hideously painful all the time).

The average American woman has 26 pairs of shoes.  I am currently at 21 (not counting the two in the out box).  Personally, I don’t think my running shoes or old running shoes should count.  And in my collection I have two pairs of shoes that I really shouldn’t wear out of the house, and one pair that only go to the beach/pool (in SF, that means I wear them maybe twice a year).  That puts me at 15 pairs of shoes (adding in my wedding shoes, because those shouldn’t count either!).  Definitely, I need to think about new shoes.  I also need new running shoes as I’ve torn them on the inside–but no hurry, they’ve been like that at least 6 months.

It is hard for me to find shoes, and last time I looked I couldn’t find what I liked in my size.  Right now almost all of my shoes (and I’m only talking about the 15 “real” pairs) are neutrals.  I don’t like this and I think it is a real disservice to wardrobe options.  You can use a fanciful color of shoes to dress up the most mundane outfit!  So as I begin looking for shoes, I think I’ll focus on color.  I like to buy an unlikely color so that I have to really engage in how I’m going to integrate them into my wardrobe.

These last photos are of today’s shoes, but also to show what a pair of low heels can do for a pair of Levi’s.  I’m wearing flared leg jeans, which I usually do, but they look much dressier (I’ve purposely not included the rest of what I’m wearing) and sophisticated with a little heel.  And when putting my shoes and socks on this morning I was also doing something else, and it appears that I got my left sock on inside out.  I didn’t notice it until after I’d already tied my shoes, so I’m not changing it!

I put off buying shoes because it is so hard to find things that work for me.  When you do get new shoes, don’t buy black thinking they will go with everything, buy something you love and find a way to make them work–it can open up a whole new view of your wardrobe.