Guest Post: So why do we love our shoes so much?

L-A: This isn’t exactly our usual shoe porn, but it is shoe themed.  Mel has contributed to shoe porn in the past, and is now taking a moment to consider exactly what it is she loves about shoes.

Mel: I have a confession: I love shoes. Shocking, I know. I love really amazing sneakers. I love towering stilettos. I love cute flats. I have a special soft spot for sandals because as much as I love shoes, I hate socks.

I have a bit of a history of buying outrageously priced footwear when I’m having a tough time in life. There’s just something about a beautiful pair of shoes that have the ability to change the way you feel. Unlike eating your feelings, a really special pair of shoes won’t make you feel bloated and guilty.

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Well, unless you forgo rent and they make your feet swell….

In preparation for this post I’ve been putting a lot of thought into shoes and footwear. More specifically, why do women subject themselves to such pain and discomfort in the name of fashion? Let’s be honest here ladies, high heels are never really comfortable; they just have varying degrees of tolerance. For instance, my five inch platform Michael Kors strappy sandals can be worn for about six hours before my toes start to go numb, whereas my four inch stiletto Nine West boots can be worn all day before I want to scream with each step I take.

So why do we do it? I know I do because I like to feel “tall”. I say tall in quotation marks because yes, obviously high heels make me physically taller, but they also make me feel taller in a different way. There is something about putting on a really banging pair of high heels that make you feel about three feet taller than you actually are. A simple slip of the foot into a beautifully crafted shoe has the ability to transform your entire outlook on life, the day and the possibilities that seem so endless.

I realize that it is no big revelation that women wear heels to feel “empowered”. I guess the shoes I’m talking about in this post are the shoes that make you feel really special. When you think about shoes in very literal terms, they are armour for your feet. Their purpose is to protect us from stepping on gross stuff and messing up our feet. Unless you have canoe feet, shoes are a small portion of the outfit proportionally speaking. Despite this, I would argue that shoes are often the most important part of your outfit. If you wear the wrong ones, you will suffer all day from blisters, pinched toes etc… The right shoes with the right outfit can make you feel invincible (and make you the envy of every other lady in the room).

So this is my question to all the fashionable ladies out there: What are your special shoes? Why are they your special shoes? How do they make you feel?

L-A: My latest special shoes are a pair of Kenneth Coles that I had been coveting for a year and found on sale at Comfort Zone. They are wedges, mostly comfortable (although, they are not walking shoes and I need to remember that), and make my feet look small.

When you have size ten feet, a shoe that makes your foot look smaller (but still proportional) is a good thing.

I love these shoes right now, but I’m sure another pair will come along and replace them as my special shoe. But like all of my special shoes, I’ll keep them because I remember how much I loved them. I don’t really wear my green Lacoste wedges with the giant button, but I still love them and just looking at them makes me happy. It’s probably why I still hold on to my pink Doc Marten maryjanes and my held together by duct tape red converse (purchased in 1992 – now, if only I could find them…I think they were misplaced in our move). When I wore those shoes, I felt like the coolest girl in the world. How could I let them go? What if they never found a good home? What if no one would ever love those beat up shoes as much as I loved them? It’s a risk I can’t take. I will bronze them and display them on the mantle before I part with them.

green laundry tip

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