Write What You Know

This evening there is a mood hanging in the air to write about something frivolous. And my writing prompt for today is Write What You Know. So upon further circumspection, I’m going to talk about… shoe shopping.

Shoes are the one thing that never fail you in the style or size department. The only time they may be iffy, is when  you’re pregnant or right after.  My size 8 1/2 narrow all of a sudden did not fit after I had my oldest and it was a total shame because I had a pair of pink alligator print heels from Nine West that made a pair of black pants go from totally geek to totally chic. (If you appreciated that Can’t Buy Me Love reference, I appreciate you!)

I spent some time in college going the Payless route, stupidly on my part. When you purchase a cute pair of shoes that are seasonally sick, as the kids would say, they are not going to do good things to your arches. I had my requisite pair of black sorority pleather boots for weekends out that came from Payless and I swear my feet hurt worse after a night of dancing than they would if I wore four inch heels back in those days. My mother always was shaking a finger at me too for buying cheap pairs of shoes. I gave up that habit the year I graduated from the University of Missouri and left the last sets of those shoes in a dumpster somewhere behind the Foxfire apartments that are now torn down.

I moved on to loving Nine West.  The cut on the heels that love a little toe cleavage when worn right. And my sister lived in Chicago, so I discovered at some shoe stores that Nine West were tied to another great shoe brand that I thought a lot of at the time.  I think it was Etienne Aigner. Maybe. All I know is I was on the lookout for a sale and the heels weren’t that tall. Yet. Unless if you were special-ordering from someone who carried a five inch version that sometimes included lucite heels.

In the last few years, I’ve had a bit of a shoe obsession. I had a Wish List that I started working on, because I knew a really good shoe would last longer and have a better impact on my mid-30s feet. I bought a pair of Cole Haan black stacked boots.  Classy, comfortable, love. I found a pair of Coach loafers in a Nubuck shade that make it seem like you’re walking around on an easy chair. That led to a pair of classic black Tory Burch ballet flats that go with nearly everything and, once broken it, are so easy to wear out and about. (Truth be told that little piece of elastic can be irritating at first and cut into the back of your ankle– but hang in there, the ease of style and ease of walking is worth it later. I needed to replace a pair of peep-toe Alfani black heels and found another foot friend in the Cole Haan peep toe wedges I acquired.  The last purchase: a pair of Taryn Rose booties that are so ridiculously comfortable and stylish I can’t stop myself from looking at them in the mirror.

Shoes stay true, even when your body doesn’t always. And that stability, that closeness to the ground floor of everything, makes them one of the best part of your closet. And of course, Carrie Bradshaw would agree!