Comments, relating to the topic, are welcome, add a great deal to a blog, but must be in English, with no profanity, hate-filled insults, or links (unless pre-approved).




Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The problem with shoes

Shoes might not be as interesting a topic to men as to women, but shoes have always been of interest to me. I almost never walk by the shoe displays in a department store without stopping to look a minute. Sometimes it's with-- I can't believe women are buying that-- and sometimes, it's-- Wow, I'd love those shoes but where could I wear them?

Then came this from Blaugustine-- Natalie's shoes-- where she had the idea of photographing all of her shoes. I was interested in looking at what she wore. At that point it was abstractedly interesting as it is whenever I notice other women's shoes. I hadn't yet applied it to me. Then she presented a question. How many pairs of shoes did I have? Oops. I had no idea. Too many for sure. I got curious about how many I did have... Definitely too many.

My excuse, for being able to drag out 36 pairs of shoes in varying states of wear, is that some simply are too worn to give away. It's not that I buy a lot *she says in a defensive tone* but more that I keep them for a lo000ng time.

Some aren't worn often given I rarely wear heels but heck they might be. I like wearing high heels. What woman doesn't for the way it makes her legs look. For me, add three inch to my 5'6 1/2" and I am up there in the really tall category which I likewise love.

What I don't love is what high high heels do to my calf muscles, my knees, the balls of my feet, and that feeling of teetering along. What if I need to run for some reason? I also am not fond of how high heel designers keep changing what heel and toe width is in fashion. Part of my excuse for keeping shoes is knowing that style will come back.

Most of the time, of the many shoes in my closet, I wear flat sandals (you may notice I tend to buy tan sandals, always trying to duplicate the ones I have loved the most which are wearing or worn out but I won't admit it), boots (not the dress kind but cowboy boots, muck boots, Uggs, and hiking boots), tennis shoes (my pair were on my feet as I took these pictures), or go barefoot. (The muck boots were not photographed because they were in the utility room for obvious barnyard reasons).

Shoes are more complex for me as I have gotten older. I used to buy the cheapest tennis shoes and was perfectly content. Then I began to have one hip that hurt. A friend told me that Asics, with gel inserts in the soles, would help. I bought my first pair probably 10 years ago; and many many pairs later, I rarely have hip or knee problems.

Somewhere along the road of life, one of my arches fell. Not like I ever noticed it but a boot salesman did and insisted I have it checked out before he'd sell me a pair of hiking boots (there are ethical salesmen out there). I made an appointment with the podiatrist. He watched me walk and said, since it's not causing a problem, don't worry about it.

A few years later, my love of Uggs led to that problem. It had a name-- plantar fasciitis. Interesting and painful experience which mostly can be avoided by doing stretches and making sure all shoes have good arch supports. Now when I have gone barefoot too much, or worn sandals with no supports too many miles, I get the first twinges of discomfort in that heel and go back to my tried and true tennis shoes with good supports.

For me, shoes used to be about beauty. I remember my first (actually and only) pair of clear plastic high heels decorated with rhinestones for a fancy prom dress in high school. Wow, they made me feel so special. Cinderella for sure. I don't remember them hurting by the end of the evening either.

While I still admire glamorous shoe styles, admittedly buy a pair once in awhile, they better be comfortable (as much as they can be). Shoes for me today are for looking nice secondarily to making my feet comfortable and my body able to operate effectively for whatever I have to do. I remember when I'd try to keep wearing smaller sizes. Now it's to the shoe salesman oh you think half a size larger would fit better, go get it! Vanity is gone in the name of comfort.

11 comments:

robin andrea said...

It's so interesting that you posted this. I just whittled down my shoe collection to four pairs! I finally gave up the knee-high leather boots I wore once, among other hardly worn shoes that I had for work. I am shopping for some new hiking-type sneakers today. I'll keep the arch support in mind.

Dick said...

Hmm, I have two pair of shoes and a pair of boots. Plus one pair of rubber ones for nasty weather. I do also have about 4 pair of new ones on the shelf waiting until I need new ones. Pat does have more but I don't know how many. Lots. Probably 6 or 7 pair of different styles.

Suzann said...

I wore a pair of those clear high heels with rhinestones to a high school prom too - they were like Cinderella shoes for sure. I know my feet did not hurt after dancing all night. Many, many, many years ago I managed restaurants and wore pointy toed, spike heeled shoes with my long skirts and dress clothes for dinner.

Today, I too wear Asics (they are the best) and for dressy I love BORN, Easy Spirit and Naturalizers - no high heels on this girl anymore. It was fun in the earlier days though.

I do have a lot of shoes - winter and summer styles. Perhaps it is time to whittle down my collection. Thanks - fun post.

Mary Lou said...

I am 6'1 and I NEVER wore heels higher than 2", but now I hardly EVER wear closed toes shoes. I live in my Birkenstocks! I also have two pair of CLarks clogs, that I wear, but in my closet I have tons of shoes that I just cant bear to part with! I probably will never wear them again, and I cant reach my feet anyway!! so slide ins are the best for me.

Ingineer66 said...

OK for a guy, I probably have a lot of shoes. I have several pairs of boots for different activities, hiking, motorcycle, work, cowboy, snow, rubber, old ratty hiking. Then I have shoes for different activities, basketball, running, water, dress, casual, etc.

And just like Mary Lou if I am not at work I live in my Birkenstock's, I have two pair, one for with socks when its cold and one for bare feet.
I have even been teased about wearing Birkenstock's with Wrangler jeans.

Diane Widler Wenzel said...

Since my closet floor has become a storage space for paintings, I have greatly reduced the number of shoes I own. Having planter fasciitis i was told to replace my athletic all terrain shoes every 6 months. I keep the old ones until I am sure the new ones will work for me. so I have twice as many pairs for a week every six months. Thanks for all the good comments on asics. I was disappointed that New Balance reduced the size of their toe box in 2007. The last pair was never comfortable.

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

Rain, well that's a fairly conservative collection! No outrageously high heels or gold lamé concoctions in sight. Interesting that you have a lot of summery looking sandals - your preference for warm weather? Thanks for this response to my post, maybe everyone should do a shoe-blog?

Anonymous said...

Somehow, I always picture you in jeans, a sweater, and boots. Just an impression carefully constructed over many months of admiring you from afar...

Women's obsession with shoes has always baffled me, as I think it does most men. Roomie probably has at least 30 pair. I have about 6, including 3 pairs of tennis/walking shoes.

joared said...

I've had lots of pairs of shoes and sometimes thought I must run Imelda Marcos a good second in numbers. Interesting piece you've written. I have a draft awaiting publication on the same topic, so will just let it wait a while longer now.

Fran aka Redondowriter said...

Natalie got me thinking, too, Rain, and I love this post. I can identify with so much of what you are saying. I have heard that plantar fascitis (or however you spell it) is very painful, yes?

As for me, my feet are really screwed from all those years of pointy toed spike heels. I'm supposed to have some surgery this summer, but we'll see. I used to buy cheap shoes, but not anymore. I am wearing orthotics now, too, which limits my choices. My Brooks athletic shoes work best of all, but I also do well in some Easy Spirits.

I often take pictures of high heels at social functions if they really grab me. I may write about this sometime, too. Good topic.

Anonymous said...

Awesome collection!! I also spend more than 25% of my income on shoes shopping, I have 14 pair of designer shoes.