Shoe Love

Some people collect stamps. I collect shoes. I call them “My Stomp Collection.”

There is something magical and exciting about shoes. I’m not talking sneakers here, or slippers, or loafers. I’m talking about the elegant arch of a woman’s high heeled shoe. It’s all in the heel, the height, and the design. In my mind, the taller and more colorful the shoe, the better. When I browse the shoe department my heart does a little dance of excitement. My belly feels like it’s filled with helium. It’s pure joy to me. The way my tongue salivates when I look through the glass case at a bakery is a close comparison to how my mind feels when looking at shoes.

I have a distinct taste with shoes. My ankles are tiny so I prefer a heel with a strap. Pumps fall right off my feet. I also like a peep toe because my toes are a little too long for my liking. The soles of my feet are naturally curved, like a banana. My feet are very unhappy when they’re flat and I rarely ever go bare-footed because it makes me feel off balance if I’m not in a tippy toe position. My “flats” still have at least a 1 ½ inch heel on them. I own one pair of flip-flops and I despise them. That thong doesn’t fit between my toes and the flatness of a flip flop gives me foot cramps.

My shoes are like my children. I have a HUGE shoe family. They sleep in their boxes and some of them have suede bags or silk bags to lie in. Many of them have never been worn, or only worn once. I have this thing (OCD one may call it) with certain pairs of shoes. For instance, if I wore a pair out one night for a special occasion, or something really exciting happened while they were on my feet, then they have this little memory tied to them. If it was a really special moment, I may never wear them again for fear of taking away their unique memory. Or I fear that if something bad happens while I wear these shoes, then I will have ruined them and crushed the happy state they were in the last time I slipped them off. I know that sounds really messed up! Because of this, I give my shoes certain categories:

1.) The Casuals: This group of shoes gets worn to work, the grocery store, the park, etc. I love them. They’re comfortable and cute, reliable and responsible. These shoes are either some shade of black or brown and usually lay in a line by the front door in the foyer closet in shoe boxes. Their heel size ranges from 1 ½ to 3 inches.
2.) The Boots: Only worn in Fall/Winter, this category is one of things that makes the cold months bearable to me. At least I have a sexy boot to put my feet in. I have the skinny ones to go under pants and the tall bulky ones to go over. Usually in black, brown, grey, tan, with or without zippers or buckles. Yes, they all have heels and give me the great height that I crave so deeply. I love boots and they love me because my feet are always cold!
3.) The Tall Ladies: These shoes are known for their height and have at least a 4” heel. These feel very natural to me as I am a 5’10 girl trapped in a 5’7 frame. The taller a shoe can make me, the better I feel. A heel with this kind of height can only go with skirts (which I rarely wear) or a long pair of pants. The pants/jeans I buy in “long” are meant to be worn with this category of shoe only. Otherwise it looks like my pants are too short. These shoes are mainly solid in color as they are usually undercover.
4.) The Party Girls: This is my largest and most adored group. These shoes come out for special occasions: a night on the town, a fancy date, a party, a holiday, a wedding, etc. They were usually purchased for a specific outfit, or purchased and then I found an outfit to go with them. These range in color from glitzy silver to cherry red. They may have a mirrored heel, animal prints, plaid designs, bows, calf straps, or pink leather. I love these shoes with the same kind of passion I have for ice cream and coconut oil. They make me happy and are sure to get a compliment or two. They may not always be comfortable, but pain and fashion kind of have to go together sometimes. I’ll still dance the night away in them and they’ll probably only make it out of the house once or twice a year. Some are still in their boxes and have never left the house because there has yet to be an occasion that I feel would justify their ability to be worn. I need an event to be worthy of their presence.

Writing this little piece made me so happy that I am now fighting the urge to online shoe shop! My heart is thumping. UGH. I must stop. Ok. I’m getting up now and slowly backing away from the computer….