Sunday Shoes

Another cloudy, damp and cool day here. Perfect day for shoe shopping. A and I went to "Shoe Cents," a wonderful shoe store with thousands upon thousands of shoes. All in boxes, all lined up in wide, neat aisles. You pick your own size, try them on, put them back or have them held at the front desk for you. Every color, every style, for every season. And lots of sales going on all the time. The end-of-season mark-downs are in the back of the store, with prices really slashed down. (No boxes on those shoes, because they put them out on racks. But at those prices, you can do without the boxes.)

Today was 50%-off on boots. We weren't looking for boots. We both have western boots, and if it gets that cold, those are the boots we'll be wearing, considering the price we paid for those boots in Cavender's Western Store.

And did we find shoes? Of course. We were both looking for closed shoes, and I was looking for tropical-looking sandals for an upcoming trip to St. Thomas. I found a pair of pink sandals with a large pink and silver flower on the toe. I tried one on and said to A: "Are these a bit too much?" She couldn't stop laughing. Say no more... back on the shelf those went.

A found me a blue/pink/turquoise shoe--- multi-colored 1960's design. Too cute, and they fit perfectly. No sooner did I decide on those and I found the same shoe in a green/yellow/gold multi-color... bought those as well, since I have a pair of green slacks that they'll match perfectly. (Shoe Rule #1: If the shoe fits... buy it in every color.)

We were looking at those open-back/closed-toe shoes that everyone is wearing these days. Most of those styles have such pointy toes. I mean, honestly--- who can wear those? Your toes can't even get into the toe of the shoe, so your heels are hanging out the back, and how can you walk in them? (Oprah wears those on her show, but she's sitting down, not walking around.)

A found a style with an open back that had a normal-looking front... soft as butter and they looked great on her. I found the same shoe in my size. Comfortable, soft, easy to walk in. Had to buy those as well. (Shoe Rule #2: If the shoe doesn't feel soft and comfy the first time you wear it, then don't buy it. Any shoe that has to be broken in will only cramp your toes and ruin your posture.)

We came back to my house when we were through. A left her shoes in my car, and walked in my door holding my two shopping bags filled with boxes of shoes. My husband saw them and thought one bag was hers and one was mine. She explained that all of those were mine and hers were still in the car. He said something like "Good thing she cleaned out her closets last week."

Men just don't understand shoes. Or the allure of a lot of shoes. I went shoe shopping with my husband a few years ago. We went to a men's shoe outlet and he found five or six pairs that he liked, that fit, and were comfortable. He stood there deciding which one to buy? What????

"Buy all of them," said I. He said that he didn't need all of them all at once. Some were casual, some were for dress-wear, some were for business. He said he wasn't used to buying more than one pair at a time. "Live a little," said I. My husband said "Fine, I'll buy them all, and then I won't have to go shoe shopping for at least eight years." What???

As I said... men just don't understand shoes. A and I will be ready for shoe shopping again come January. After all, that's when Shoe Cents has their after-holiday sales.