She Heard The Shoes Calling Her Name
A month ago, as I was sitting having my breakfast at a sidewalk cafe in Quebec City, I caught a splash of color out of the corner of my eye and looked up to see hundreds of shoes walking across a large building. My first immediate response was to chuckle to myself and then grab my camera and try to capture this imaginative way to decorate a building.
All the shoes had been spray painted a neon green or orange and there were styles galore. Something for everyone but most were comfort shoes. They were probably from all the tourists that had stopped to rest their weary feet while enjoying a cup of coffee and just couldn't put their shoes back on their aching pieds.
Women have a fascination with shoes. There is something that draws us to the window of a shoe store whenever we walk down the street. About 5 years ago, I was in the One of a Kind Christmas Show in Toronto and for fun and a price point product, I made about 300 lavender shoe sachets with colorful little shoes and funky little quotes. Within the first 3 days, I had sold out. Women love shoes, even when they are on a sachet and not on their feet.
This little sachet says "Let me shop and no one gets hurt."
And of course, we all know that "Goddesses do not walk, they glide." Maybe that's how shoes make us feel ... like goddesses.
Now, after all that, I am embarrassed to tell you about my love of Crocs. I've always hated the look of Crocs and swore I'd never wear anything like them on my feet and be seen in public at the same time. But then a friend introduced me to a style of Crocs that didn't make me look like Daisy Duck. They were truly very, very comfortable and I took a pair to Paris last year just to wear to the market. For the first time that I had been to Paris, each day I was able to walk miles and miles without my feet hurting or my legs being tired. It was the best trip that I had ever had to Paris because I could see so much and hurt so little. I now plan my trips around my Croc sandals and I would love to go to Paris at Christmas time and see all the lights but what would I wear on my feet? Uggs?????
Would John Galliano's new Fall boots do the trick? Maybe for a block or two.....
Or how about Manolo Blahnik's new style for Fall 2009? Interesting structure? Great color. But if you watch the runway shows, it is devastating to watch those poor highly paid models try to make it down the runway without twisting their ankles and falling. Talk about danger pay. Most of these shoes are designed by men ... I'll have to see if Vivienne Westwood designs these torture instruments for her clients as well.
Check out the size of that heel on Gucci's offering for Fall 2009. I'm 5'10" now. I'd probably be drafted for the Los Angeles Lakers if they saw me walking down the street in these. What are these designers thinking? Are the shoes like wonderful pieces of art and architecture? Yes, yes, yes. Can you wear them? No, no, no. Is is fun watching the Fall fashion shows this season? Absolutely.
And of course, we all know that "Goddesses do not walk, they glide." Maybe that's how shoes make us feel ... like goddesses.
Now, after all that, I am embarrassed to tell you about my love of Crocs. I've always hated the look of Crocs and swore I'd never wear anything like them on my feet and be seen in public at the same time. But then a friend introduced me to a style of Crocs that didn't make me look like Daisy Duck. They were truly very, very comfortable and I took a pair to Paris last year just to wear to the market. For the first time that I had been to Paris, each day I was able to walk miles and miles without my feet hurting or my legs being tired. It was the best trip that I had ever had to Paris because I could see so much and hurt so little. I now plan my trips around my Croc sandals and I would love to go to Paris at Christmas time and see all the lights but what would I wear on my feet? Uggs?????
Would John Galliano's new Fall boots do the trick? Maybe for a block or two..... 
Or how about Manolo Blahnik's new style for Fall 2009? Interesting structure? Great color. But if you watch the runway shows, it is devastating to watch those poor highly paid models try to make it down the runway without twisting their ankles and falling. Talk about danger pay. Most of these shoes are designed by men ... I'll have to see if Vivienne Westwood designs these torture instruments for her clients as well.
Check out the size of that heel on Gucci's offering for Fall 2009. I'm 5'10" now. I'd probably be drafted for the Los Angeles Lakers if they saw me walking down the street in these. What are these designers thinking? Are the shoes like wonderful pieces of art and architecture? Yes, yes, yes. Can you wear them? No, no, no. Is is fun watching the Fall fashion shows this season? Absolutely.
Fashion is a fantasy not to be taken literally but to escape from our stressful lives. Thank God for the likes of John Galliano but when I'm in Paris in September, I will be admiring his windows in my reliable comfortable ugly Crocs.
