Shoemageddon

I am not a "shoe girl" (nor a purse girl, but that's another post.) I get stuck on one or two pairs of shoes & wear those suckers out. It's gotten worse as I've gotten older...started falling apart...had my feet become more sensitive. Growing up, I wouldn't be caught dead in flats; I wasn't into stilettos, but the higher the platform wedge, the happier I was! :-) ...And the happier I still would be...if my daggum feet didn't hurt now! :-P I wish I could just blame Zumba (& honestly, I'm sure that plays a role, b/c I never moved as intensely for such a sustained amount of time as consistently as I do now) but I think I've just reached "sensible shoe age". :-D [I may be an "early onset" victim ;-) I'm genetically predisposed for bunion surgery in 15-20 years, too - inevitable!]

So I'm never truly on the hunt for "cute shoes". The cutest ones hurt, and I'm too cheap to invest in something I'm not really going to be able to wear. It's a rare thing when I find a shoe I adore. I can't stand flip flops with the big toe separator, so that knocks out a ginormous portion of the cute/trendy/Southern options.

Every lasting shoe I love, I've just found by accident! The *best* ever? The "Patricia II" by Crocs. Before you roll your eyes, they aren't clunky clogs! :-D They're actually strappy wedge sandals that look very sleek and can easily dress up or down! I got the white (green sole) pair pictured below two years ago...and they are STILL my go-to pair! I wear them to church, with jeans, in the shower at the gym, & even to dressy events. The 2" heel & straps add style, and the Crocs material means I can't destroy them. Literally the best shoes EVER.

And when I found out they were on sale for $19 a pair before Christmas, I jumped!!! I got a gold leopard pair (fun!!!) and a solid black pair. (For two years, I've made the oyster white go with virtually EVERYTHING, but I'm glad to have the black option now, too. ;-)) Navy is "my neutral", so I also got a navy pair that's a slightly different style, also on the same super sale!

Now sometimes it *does* get cold enough here to need closed toe shoes, and the black slip-ons were also under $20 (& just like the $50 Skechers walking shoes people have been raving over) so I took those, too!

I know, right?! Who am I?!?! :-P Welcome to my sudden shoemageddon!

The pink & green plaid boat shoes were a rare impulse buy with my mom at Off Broadway AGES ago, but it just recently got cold enough that I needed to cover my toes, so those are technically brand new, too. (& they look crazy cute with my Lilly monogrammed sweatshirt!!!)

The last pair are gold Bob's "Shivers" from the Skechers outlet. Of course, there's a backstory. ;-) When we lived up north in the freezing awfulness, I got an Ugg-style pair of boots: fluffy, warm, stylish, fabulous. But here's the weird part: I've gone down a shoe size in the last 3 years! I used to be 8/8.5, now 7/7.5 = craziness. So those boots are not only huge, but now they're so clunky, I literally trudge forth in them! And truly, how often do I need massive fluff boots in Houston? (Although that fluff is so comfy!) Fast-forward to Christmas Eve at the mall, when gold glitter (gold is my other neutral; I'm not kidding!) caught my eye! They've got the fluff, thick soles, & they even slip on!!! (I am burdened by tying shoes. #firstworldproblems) I am so proud to report they keep my toes as toasty as the big boots did, they were on big sale, too, & the gold sequins make me smile...b/c if it's cold enough (like today!) to keep me from wearing my sandals, I need all the extra smiles I can get!!! ;-)

And now I can't imagine buying any more shoes (except Zumba/dance fitness!) for the next five years... :- D