"One shoe can change your life." - CinderellaI finally realized that I truly have a shoe addiction when I was packing for a weekend trip and noticed that I had an entire suitcase dedicated to shoes. To make matters worse, when I was in search for a pair of gold shoes to pack, I realized that I had 12 pairs of gold shoes.
Who am I, Cinderella? No normal woman needs 12 pairs of gold shoes! (Black shoes, yes. Gold shoes… not so much). This led me to look at other shoes I owned of the metallic variety. I only have 4 pair of silver shoes and 3 pair of bronze shoes, which of course is normal. But I cannot even count the number the black shoes I own. There is a pair of shoes hiding somewhere in every room of my house. I leave them around like Hansel and Gretel left bread crumbs, just in case I need to find my way to my shoe closet.
This is not a new addiction. I have always felt that there should be a
one-on-one correspondence between one shoes and outfits. You buy a red suit, you need some red
shoes. You buy a black dress, you need
some black shoes. You buy a black
evening gown - you need another pair of black shoes, and so on. This addiction started when I was in the
crib, I never cared for those darn footies, I had my eye on a pair of shiny black
patent leather shoes!
Honestly, I do not know how many pairs of shoes I own. I stop
counting them years ago. My husband
asked me is there ever a point when I will have enough shoes. Hell-to-the-no! I don't think so!
I have shoes hanging on racks, stuffed in shoe wheels (like those Oprah had on her show); stored in clear plastic shoe boxes (extending the entire length of my closet, 5 boxes deep); on the closet floor; in a clothes hamper; and hiding in the attic and garage (they are afraid I am going to sale them on eBay). Of course there are also shoes in my desk drawer at work (one never knows when there may be a shoe emergency) and a couple of pairs in my car.
I am not a shoe snob. I will buy shoes anywhere: department stores, thrift stores, garage
sales, online, I have even purchased shoes at Walgreens. Once I went to the Nutcracker's Christmas Market
with my friends Deon and Wanda. When we
loaded up the car, Deon and Wanda had Christmas decorations. Pam had a pair of gold-rhinestone-studded
cowboy boots. (Oops, my gold shoe count has gone up again). I don't discriminate, I will buy any brand
from anywhere (except those dog-ass ugly SAS
or Birkenstock shoes
that my friend Karan use to buy, rest her soul.)
So, what shoes are my favorites? Well I am glad you
asked!
- For style, I have two pairs of Manolo Blahnik (I think these should be put on a pedestal as their rightful place in my home.) My friend Nina gave me a pair of Manolos once and they were too large. I tried everything to make them fit, pads, tissue, but no luck. I think I slept with them under my pillow before I finally mailed them back to her.
- For every day, I have a gazillion pairs on Stewart Wiseman, Nine West, BCBG, and Ann Klein shoes which are reasonably priced shoes and cute at the same time.
- For comfort, I have four pair of Fit Flops (which I feel are the most comfortable shoes on earth); 4 pair of Born, three pair of NAYA shoes and a pair of Cole Hahn Nike Air (like walking on a cloud!)
- For gold (yes, gold gets its own category), my favorites are a pair of Michael Kors that I found brand-new-with-tags at one of my favorite thrift stores (Shelley, it's the one by the railroad tracks.)
So,
what shoes are on my wish list? That
would be a pair of Jimmy Choos - Ump,
Ump, Ump. I don't own any yet, but I
sit around anxiously waiting for my friend Nina to discover a pair of her's that
are too little for her or Syndey (and
this needs to happen soon before I have to compete with Kai too.)
They say that confession is good for the soul, so I do
feel better now that I have born my "sole" (get
it) to you.
Now that you know my secret, I want you to know that I am not alone - my mother (Marian), and friends Nina, Deon, Shelley, Jan and Jetola are shoe-aholics also. (And … Mama, you and Nina both have purse issues too!)
Now that you know my secret, I want you to know that I am not alone - my mother (Marian), and friends Nina, Deon, Shelley, Jan and Jetola are shoe-aholics also. (And … Mama, you and Nina both have purse issues too!)
