Man vs. Shoe

In the life of a single girl the parallels between men and shoes are almost spooky.  The pursuit for the perfect pair of shoes is equally as hard as if not harder than the pursuit for the perfect man.  Now, I use the word "perfect" rather loosely here.  I tell people every day, "What may be the perfect fit for someone else will most likely not be what's best for you.  Every one's needs are very unique."  Pretty prophetic, huh?  Or maybe it's pathetic. I'm not sure.  But when I hear some of the shoe shopping advice that I dole out I sometimes feel as though I am also giving advice on men, and that really would be pathetic.  Am I a shoe expert? Maybe.  A man expert?  Not even close.  If only it were so simple.  But, then again, maybe it actually is.

If the shoe fits, buy it in every color!

On the quest for Mr. Right most of us are told the same thing, to "play the field".  Well yeah, you should.  We all should.  The same concept applies to shoe shopping.  I do not know one single woman who bought the very first pair of grown-up girls shoes that fit her and then never bought another pair ever again.  Even the simplest and most practical of girls has dabbled in at least a handful of different styles and colors.  Take for instance taupe. Taupe is basic.  Taupe is safe and it goes with everything.  But, why not try red?  Red is an unexpected pop of excitement!  Red is fun and makes you feel sassy.  Every girl should try a pair of red shoes at least once in her life.  Now black makes sense.  Black is classic and flattering.  A pair of black shoes will never let you down. When you have tried on every other color of shoes and none of them seem to make you happy you know that black shoes will always work. 

Never sacrifice comfort for beauty!

The jury will probably always be out on this debate.  And, your local podiatrist thanks you. I do appreciate the passion for beautiful and sexy shoes.  Most gals can get high on the feeling of being the most envied woman in the room simply because of her stunning accessories.  Let's face it, beautiful things make us feel, well, beautiful.

But, I do hear the same thing from mostly female customers every day, "I am looking for an extremely comfortable pair of shoes that are also totally cute."  Pffft.  You said a mouthful there, sister.  Aren't we all?  But, I'm not so sure that beast exists, in either the shoe world or the man world.  If I were to ever come across that holy grail of shoes then I would rush out and fling open the doors of my own  Absolutely Perfect Shoe Store and live happily ever after.  But, I'm not holding my breath. 

I don't mean to sound cynical.  But, I just don't think it exists.  What I mean is that we all have the need and desire for comfort and beauty.  The two just don't coexist naturally. The shoe label Easy Spirit thought that they had it figured out back in 1991.  See what you think.

See what I mean?  It's just not right.

What we should be looking for here is balance.  It's a much easier search for something that is attractive and relatively comfortable.  I am by no means talking about settling.  I do think it is possible to be blissfully contented, however.  And what one may find "cute" may not appeal to others.  But, that's ok.  Beauty is, after all, in the eyes of the beholder.  If your new shoes make you happy and make you feel good about yourself, then that is all that matters.

I wouldn't buy a pair of shoes without trying them on first.

How many times have you made this mistake:

"Oh my god!  This shoe is sooooo cute!  I don't need to try it on.  I'll take it!"

Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Hold up now girlie!  Don't rush to judgement.  Take a spin around the carpet.  Give it some time.  It's easy to want to jump right in with all of that stardust in your eyes.  But, if it seems too good to be true, well, you know the rest. 

Yes, it's pretty and shiny and new and it makes you feel good about yourself at this moment, but, will this feeling last?  Not likely.  Eventually you'll start to feel some pain and you'll discover some flaws that make you question why you made this investment in the first place.  But the lust for and lure of beautiful things is very hard to resist.  And, you're probably afraid that if you don't jump at the opportunity it will vanish before your eyes. 

We've all heard the expression "good things come to those who wait".  This is relevant in the shoe world and the man world.  I guess we all just need to remind ourselves of this from time to time. 

Someday, hopefully, we will all find that perfect fit.  It may last a lifetime, or it may only last a short while.  And it is usually irreplaceable.  But, at least you can say you know what it felt like.

In my perfect little dream world I can walk about life effortlessly and confidently in a pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos.  And, then I wake up and see the Rockport faux croc loafers on my feet.  Hmmm.  Comfortable?  Check.  Reliable?  Check.  Do they make me happy?  Check and check. 

 Enough said.

P.S. I need to mention a mistake/typo from my last blog, "The most wonderful time of the year".  It was my junior year in high school that I went to the Homecoming dance with Mayor Ezard.  My apologies, Buzz!  Hope I didn't get you into trouble with anyone!  :)