I have flat feet.
And that, my dear friends, has been the bane of my existence ever since I realized I was entitled to a life where I could wear more than just sandals, flip-flops and sneakers. After years of painfully swollen feet and awkward visits to shoe stores where I had to endure the mild amusement (at best) or unabashed derision (at worst) of shoe salespeople, I have come to the sad conclusion that there are only a handful of non-sneaker shoes that fit me, and even fewer that I like enough to buy. Naturalizer's and Scholl's are the epitome of comfort of course, but hardly anything to shout about in the style department. So where does that leave me? Camper's and Birkenstock's I have discovered, neither one, unfortunately, are easy on the wallet. Doesn't anyone out there appreciate the torment of a flat-footed woman on a budget and who appreciates a little fun in her shoes? I get it that I'll never be one of those girls who can sashay effortlessly in 3-inch stilettoes- my feet (and every other part of my body) isn't designed that way. But does that mean I'm destined to a life of frumpy brick-like excuses for shoes?
I bought my first pair of Birkenstock's almost four years ago and broke them in by walking all over Montreal. These Mary Jane's remind me of Audrey Tatou in Amelie which means they make me happy :) I've worn them with anything and everything, from shorts to dresses, and they're still faithfully taking me everywhere- I love them to bits!
Jude bought me my first Camper's from Chicago last year and they've been my most precious shoes since. They're the cutest things I own (I adore Camper's Twins collection) and light as a feather. I'm so blessed to be married to a man who gets what I look for in a shoe...Which brings me to why I'm shopping for a new pair of shoes. I have a conference in San Francisco in 3 weeks and I need a pair of formal shoes. I could wear my Camper's but my suit is black; I could wear the Birkenstock's, but I think I might need a little heel action. I have gone through Zappos.com's entire collection of black women's shoes, dragged Jude through two malls, and annoyed a couple of sales people in the process. Can it really be that hard to find a pair of versatile black shoes that don't make me look either like a 18 year old party-girl or a 75 year old woman going to her 50th wedding anniversary? So anyways, after much self-flaggelation and disappointment, here's what I have to show...
Ladies and gentlemen, my second pair of Camper shoes:
[click for multi-view]
4 comments:
Have you ever worn Vans? I know they're not formal shoes but they're super comfy sneakers.
Hi Noor,
No, I haven't tried Vans, but I've seen them at the stores and they do look really comfy. They were originally designed for skate-boarders right? Now if they'd only make equally sole-friendly non-sneaker models too!
I have issues with shoes as well, but I don't have a legitimate excuse like having flat feet. I'm always searching for a pair of shoes that will magically go with every outfit, be extremely comfortable, but also have that painful look that seems to be so sought after these days. Sadly, I have yet to find this perfect pair. I thought that Danskos might be my solution earlier in the year, $150 later, they are just another pair of black shoes that I avoid wearing. Those Campers look cool though, I'm sure that you look adorable in them!
hey zahra!
to extend this theme of footwear, i just got your letter about the funky socks exchange. I'm all over it! will go shop for a pair this weekend and send it out. thanks for thinking of me! :)
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