A right to shoes

Yeah I know, sad me for ripping off the title of the Sex and the City episode. But it's just so darn clever.

I've been thinking a lot lately about shoes, and how it was only in the last year or so that I really started branching out. Before I really didn't have much variety and they were all of the cheap assortment. Well, I guess I always did have a LOT of shoes it's just most were impulse buys and with my feet (and anyone's feet, really) shoes should never be an impulse buy.

"Hmmm, they feel fine just standing here in Payless, I'll take them!" was usually my shopping technique. Then I would wear them around the house, wincing. Then I would wear them out of the house and vow to never wear them again. And as such, the shoes would be tossed to the back of the closet, never to see light again. Unless it's leather and I really loved them, there was no point torturing myself to break them in - if they even could be.

Then I would go out, buy another pair - repeat. Sure they were cheap pairs but cheap adds up after awhile (and Payless, quite frankly, could afford to be cheaper) and I just ended up with a huge collection of unworn cheap shoes that would be pointless to re-sell.

Anyway, it's still kind of like that, except I've gone from cheap to, well, not-so cheap designer stuff. But with my feet, I'm still giving up on breaking them in a lot of the time, and the shoes get tossed to the back.

I buy most of my shoes online - which I know is bad, cuz you should try them on, right? But again, with MY feet, even trying them on in the store doesn't mean they will work. I literally need some kind of return policy that if they still hurt after a week, you can return them. Anyway, least now I can resell my shoes cuz they are better quality but I'm still losing some money each time.

I think for me, I got a little too carried away when I realized I could wear stiletto heels. This was a huge sigh of relief for me, because I never could wear them before. But there is a difference between "wearing" heels and them wearing you. Just because I can walk - slowly - without falling down, does not mean I can wear heels.

When I wear heels that are too spindly or too high (or if the shoe is just a bit too big) I spend every step worrying about keeling over. I don't care if they make my legs look longer and slimmer - that's just not very sexy, is it?

Yet when I put on a pair of boots or flats (like these Michael Kors ones I am wearing today) I feel confident. Because I can run if I need to. I don't have to concentrate when I walk across the office to get a cup of coffee. Because my feet are the last things on my mind, as they should be.

So I've decided to just accept that I can't wear high heels like everyone else. No matter how much I think I wear anything over 3 inches, I can't and I shouldn't suffer to try (btw I honestly CAN NOT wear anything over 3 inches: first of all, my foot is a size 5-5.5. It's only 8 inches long, so anything over 3 inches makes me pitch forward, it's like I only have half a foot! I literally can not straighten my knees and have to stop around like I belong in the school of Silly Walks. Plus, I physically can't stand on my toes - the tendons running the length of my foot are too short -result of botched surgery, apparently, along with scarring).

That's not to say I won't wear my heels for special occassions that don't require a lot of walking or moving. I will. Plus I do have these Christian Louboutins (bargain priced from nearly $700 to $230) which are high, solid AND sexy - just a bit too big and too shallow in the heel, so my foot falls out with each step - but I am taking them to a cobbler to add Mary-Jane straps to them so I stay put.

But on the whole, I am concentrating on buying and wearing shoes that are effortless, like flats, sandals and wedges (love wedges). Because effortless is confidence and confidence is sexier than any high heel will ever be.


Shoes on my wishlist:


Matt Bernson Nouer - looks carefree, comfy, bright, summery and will take cover up some scarring



Prada - and last ones available eeek! I have been eyeing these since January. Expensive. But oh man, flowers on my feet would make my feet feel so pretty. And look at the wedge! Comfy, I could run and skip in those. And those colors! Swoon. I could wear them for day, for night...which one, the patent or the suede, do you think would be a better buy?


Cynthia Vincent - walkable, wearable wedge. Great leather colour.


Nine West - Finally something affordable. Cute, romantic, walkable. I love the idea of a pastel gladiator :)

And finally, shoes I can only dream about:



Opening Ceremony, Chloe Sevigny and gals - oh GOD I love those strappy wedges

Yes, I know, Christian Siriano (for Payless) sorta ripped of Rodarte here, but I'm really digging the chains and the zipper detail on the boots and I think that's real leather - but why the hell do they have to be so high??

Jimmy Choo Corsica sandal/heel-type dealys

So pretty, blusH* Christian Louboutin Paquita Satin Gladiators

Sergio Rossi - wouldn't these make you smile each time you wear them?

And finally, these Chloe shoes. I could wear them with ease, I love the straps and I wouldn't feel self-conscious about me feet. But could I ever afford $950 shoes? Not in this lifetime...