Shoes: A Love Affair

Shoes: A Love Affair

Shoes in this author photo are stiletto heel, BCBG ankle boots with a chrome buckle




Shoes are a complicated subject. I have a weakness for shoes. All kinds. Sexy shoes with high heels and bits of ribbon and curlicues, comfortable shoes ergonomically designed, chunky-heeled boots, shell-decorated thongs, beaded mules, sleek suede pumps, peek-a-boo cut-outs in black patent, even my slippers are adorned with rows of fake jewels. But before you judge...my love affair with shoes was born of a desperate time in a young girl’s life.

When I was in fifth or sixth grade (I’m really not sure, I’ve pretty much blocked out this painful period in my life) I had to get corrective shoes. My arches were falling or my feet were flat or scoliosis was big back then, I don’t remember, but some such dire thing required me to wear corrective shoes. And yes, as you properly surmised, corrective shoes were ugly. One style. Lace up. You could choose your color--in either dirt brown or dock worker black. I got the brown ones. Seriously, seriously ugly shoes. And I didn’t have a choice.

I had to wear those hideous shoes for several years. Along about the same time, I got glasses because my eye sight was failing and braces because my teeth were crooked. You couldn’t get much more pathetic than me with glasses, braces and corrective shoes. At this formative period in my young life, things were NOT GOOD.

So fast forward to a few years later and teeth were fixed, contacts installed and that’s when my love affair with pretty and colorful shoes began.




In high school, it was all about my black and white saddle-backs with my pom-pom uniform, the fake wood heels and soft brown leather upper clogs with my pencil-legged Gloria Vanderbilt cords, high-heeled Candie’s in the hot color of the season.

Then in college came the boots. Purple leather flat boots with the button on the side. Red leather flat boots with a small heel. If I had a brown pair, they hid in the back of my closet. For comfort, black canvas high tops, Converse tennies, and roman gladiator sandals.

When work came along, I was in shoe heaven. I wore funky suits almost every day and had the matching pumps to prove it. Hot pink, electric blue, metallic bronze all in a stiletto heel.

Nowadays, I stick more to comfort. But if you peek in my closet, you’ll still see a rainbow of colors and heel heights. I scour shoe sales and clearance racks so it’s a cheap affair. Give me a choice between a new pair of shoes and a new pair of jeans and the shoes will win every time.


Because I’m in love.

Lisa