I felt a generous rush of satisfaction today when I found out I helped my friend Pat in her quest for the right shoe for a special evening dress. I'm sure she would have found the shoe without my help, but I pointed toward the store and suggested she look at a particular shoe there. When she went, saw, and bought the shoe I recommended it made me really happy.. I enjoy finding the right shoe for myself, so helping her was twice as fulfilling.
I am in the full throes of a late-blooming admiration for shoes. When I was younger I didn't have much interest in them; my mother had problem feet from a young age so I was never exposed to the joys of the right high heel. I had some clunky platforms in high school in the late seventies, but that was the extent of it- no slingback pumps, mules, or peeptoes saw the inside of my closet.
I stood on my feet for a living for my twenties, so comfort was a priority, and even after I needed to dress up a little for work, I bought Aerosoles in all the colors they made and called it a day.
I'm going to make an admission now about how I became a shoe addict-it was Carrie Bradshaw and friends on Sex and the City! The Manolos, Jimmy Choos, and Louboutins were like little works of art; so exquisitely hand made that you might not mind that they hurt your feet, although Carrie never seemed to feel the pain. I discovered, however, that not all beautiful Italian shoes sported stiletto heels, and furthermore, not all of them set one back $400-$500 either. Beautiful, well made Italian shoes could be had for somewhat less, and if you prowled the department store and NY sample sales, sometimes for a lot less. When I realized all this I was hooked. My first pair of Italian shoes were suede and leather Ferragamo slingbacks, purchased on sale at the original Neiman's in Dallas.
Since my first blush of addiction, I've lowered my standards a bit; these days I will purchase shoes made in Brazil and Spain as well as those crafted in Italy, but I still won't buy Chinese shoes, which are cheaply made and not up to the abuse I give them. This actually requires me to think about my purchases much more than if I was buying cheap shoes; to justify spending the money I must be able to get a lot of use out of them. This is normally not a problem because if I've invested in a pair of shoes, I like them enough to wear them a lot. It's not that I haven't made mistakes (I have) or purchased shoes on impulse (guilty as charged) but even an impuse buy merits a good deal of thought, albeit in a short time.
There are basically three kinds of shoe shopping. The first is the shopping my friend Pat did last night; shoes for a specific purpose, usually for an occasion but also for work shoes. Normally, one has something in mind, although some flexibility is paramount to spotting the right thing. It helps to have the luxury of hitting some sample sales, which require even more flexibility, but there usually isn't the time. Sometimes you'll see a great pair of shoes that you don't neccesarily need but could really enhance your wardrobe. These shoes might have to wait for a sale, maybe sometimes two markdowns, but if you wait that long and they still have the pair in your size, it was clearly meant to be.
The second type of shoe shopping involves the sample sales I mentioned above. Shopping this way is the most fun and rewarding, although you must be prepared for some disappointment; they have the shoes they have, and there is always a chance you will go home empty handed. The best way to do this is to live within driving distance of New York City. Combining the several designer shoe discounters with some end-of-season sample sales can make for a exhilarating, exhausting day pounding the streets of Manhattan-so much fun! Sample sale shopping requires some practice because it demands quick decisions about fit, color, and price; many of these receipts are stamped "Final Sale" so your decision is crucial.
The third type of shopping doesn't require quick thinking or a clean credit card because it's just browsing. The best way to do it is to go someplace with many stores and hit them all. Around here the best choice is the island of Manhattan, but in a pinch King of Prussia mall will also work (although with the traffic it might be faster to get to NYC). The idea is to put your finger in the air; figure out what's in that season and try it to see if it suits you. There are so many beautiful works of art out there that it can be like strolling through a museum-see Bergdorf Goodman; although Saks is friendlier and from what I hear they now have their own zip code! You must be comfortable trying on shoes without buying anything, though-just looking at the shoes isn't enough. Window shoe shopping is fun and informative, especially for someone who has never paid attention to the sheer variety out there; once you start looking, it's hard to stop. Remember, however, that there might not be anything that suits you in the stores. Luckily, this is only a temporary problem; just wait until the next season and try again.
So-I think I'm wrapping up to close, however, I must say a word about the sheer genius of shoes as wearable art. I am required to dress fairly conservatively for work and that's ok-I really am a classicist at heart. Shoes have become a perfect way for me to dress appropriately while indulging my semi-wild side. The other great thing about shoes is your size-there's no stigma to a shoe size and no way to change it, so even if your clothes will never be a size zero, you can be stylish while feeling good about yourself and your excellent taste!
