Shoes that Make the Woman

Posted on February 22, 2010 12:00 AM MST by Tiffany Kinerson

Shoes and I have a bit of a sordid past. When I was in college, working my way semester by semester through my costly education, I had little money left for extraneous things, like shoes. When faced with a blow-out from the soles of my slipper-shoes, I’d simply duct tape them back on and keep walking until I found a little extra cash down the line.

Here recently (and out of college where it’s not quite as cool to duct tape your shoes up) all my cold weather shoes began imploding. One strap popped off, the soles split down the center of another, the pleather on my dressboots exploded around every seam…even the lining started hanging down on another pair, forcing my toes into an obstacle course each time I tried to put them on.

I tried to take many of my shoes to a "doctor", but he declared most of them unfit for surgery. So, there I was, back at the cross roads of shoelessness, seriously debating about whether or not to bring out the old roll of duct tape. After all, when ALL of your shoes have died, at which pair do you begin again?

Doot-doo-doo! In comes my shopping-savvy mother-in-law for a visit. Guess what her love language is. Yep, you guessed it: gifts! Sure enough, sensing my need somehow (was it the dilapidated heels flopping against the tiles when I greeted her??), she declared that she must take me to buy some shoes.

In the aisles of the shoe department, I found myself debating about which pair would be most logical. Because let's be honest, although I love it when women have on really great shoes—and certainly I’d love to be one of those who truly assert their womanhood via said shoes—the truth is my day to day life consists of walking my dog, working at my desk, walking to get my kids from school, house duties and then shoes off, jammies on and relax. Point is, although I’d love to look beautiful down to the soles of my feet, beautiful things are not the practical answer for my life.

Which got me thinking. I wonder how many women have tennis shoe lives yet long for ballet slippers. Or how many wear mules but admire those copper-colored patent leather Maryjanes?

Let’s do a poll for this. What is your favorite type of shoe? And if you have time, drop a note in the comment section. Do you feel like your dream shoe represents your life? Or is it more along the lines of what you’d prefer for your life (maybe at a different stage or under different circumstances…whatever)?

*Oh yeah, one last thing! I told you my mother-in-law was generous, right? She ended up offering to buy me two pairs! I know it; I’m incredibly spoiled. So I got some beautiful heels for church AND some practical soft leather Maryjane day shoes. Yes, I’ve shown them off to everyone I can think of…even you!