Friday, August 11, 2006

Shoes! Shoes! Shoes!

After I delved into the subject of shoes last week, ZILLA decided we were not anywhere close to finished revealing ourselves to the blogging public. So, I present the Triptych Photo Meme consisting of an image of the pair of shoes you wear most often, the pair you own but wear the least, and the pair that reveals the most secret part of you.

The rubber garden shoe is the shoe I wear most often. As you can see, it is well used and retains much of my garden and barnyard on the sole and inside the shoe. I should just wear a boot, but these slide on and off easily. I actually have two pairs of garden shoes and alternate between the two depending on which is muddy or wet. I don't like to put my feet into wet slimy shoes. Both pairs are kept at my back doorsteps, unless The Yellow Dog decides to take them for a walk.


I've had these boots 20 years and though I have never worn them much, I haven't been able to get rid of them and I don't know why. The only other pair of shoes for which I have had such a sentimental attachment is the kelly green pair of pumps that perfectly matched the green in the dress I wore to leave my wedding. They were completely impractical because I owned nothing else green. Nevertheless, I continued to pack and move those shoes for years. I still have them though they are not in my closet. Maybe this boot should have been saved for the revelation shoe. I seem to be revealing an inability to let go of old shoes and, possibly, parts of myself. Now that I think of it, I also have a pair of forest green suede pumps and matching purse that I bought 15 years ago.



This is the pair of shoes I purchased last week. It is a compromise shoe and compromise is what I am all about these days so this is my revelation shoe. I prefer, like ZILLA and Frankie, to be bare footed. I have always been that way. My mother struggled to get me to wear shoes. In my kindergarten class group picture, preserved for eternity in the yearbook, I am barefooted. I'm sure my mother who purchased nice leather Mary Janes was horrified to see that picture. Now, with things the way they are, I'm sure my bare feet would not be allowed, but then, as soon as mother was out of sight the shoes were history. I find that I can no longer tolerate the whims of the fashion industry. I want comfort, but don't want to embarrass by friends and family by showing up with bare feet or in my Birks so I compromise. Sometimes, the compromise shoe has a higher heel, sometimes it is more pumpish, but always a compromise. Having been taught to be a true Southern woman and all that entails, I will continue to find a balance between style, comfort, and utility, because I cannot help caring what people think.

Now, the friends who know me in the flesh are saying, "Where are the Birkenstocks?" Having Birkenstocks in 4 or 5 styles, including garden clogs should be recognized somewhere. They are compromise, too, though a much more vocal compromise.

To keep this thing a true triptych let's tag in threes:
ZILLA because this was her idea and I want to see those great shoes.
Mother Crone because she seems to have a closet full of really cool shoes.
Natalie because I know she is obsessed with shoes and I want to drag her away from her stressful work.

If anyone is in a crunch for someone to tag, I want to see mull-berry's super stylish matte silver flip-flops and Jove's Doc Marten Mary Janes

10 comments:

Wisteria said...

You've disappointed me severely! I wanted to see those shoes. I had a lot of students who wore Doc Martens, some decorated with flowers and others with the more scary medal spike thingies. I would have to say that my students who chose Doc Martens were rebellious or wanted to be. They were some of my favorite students because they were usually opinionated and had a strong sense of right and wrong. Help the person who was in their perceived wrong area.

Now to more important matters - shoes for young girls. I was horrified when I went to a typically conservative shoe store and was accosted by sequin flip-flops with a heel for my 7 year old child, who, of course, thought they were spectacular. Why are they pushing the woman thing on such young girls? I called my fashion conscious sisters and screeched and questioned. Both said, "I know, I know, but that is what a lot of girls are wearing." I refused to buy any of those shoes. I want my daughter to have fun shoes, but I don't want her dressing like a hoochie mama at age 7. My sisters recommended a place to find shoes and I was able to find a pair of white flip-flops with a flower, but I had to mail order to do it.

I'm not a prude, but something is wrong with society when we feel it necessary to dress our young girls in scanty clothing and daring sandals. Clothes shopping is super stressful for me, so I usually let my sisters, who have similar feelings about the state of children's clothing, take care of it. I am lucky.

I suppose I should have blogged this long winded response, but I think people who read the comments should have a Paul Harvey moment - "The Rest of the Story."

Unknown said...

Woo-hoo! I want to play...what do I need to do?

Wisteria said...

Natalie, Get your camera ready and take three pictures. One of the pair of shoes you wear the most, one of the pair of shoes you wear the least, and one of the pair of shoes that reveals the most.

Taking only 3 pictures is difficult.

Jennifer said...

Well done, Wisteria! I'm all over this. Have you seen my camera anywhere? (Darn kids!)

I'll be swinging by later to see everyone else's shoes!

(Love your boots, woman. I'm envious.)

mull-berry said...

You can view my silvery sandals the best on step 4.

http://onejellydonutplease.blogspot.com/2006/08/my-interpretation-of-spam-instructions.html

: )

Wisteria said...

I loved that SPAM thing. You are completely creative. I wondered if those were the flip-flops. My sister told me that I should choose some matte-silver shoes. I didn't think I could pull it off. You do.

Unknown said...

Fabulous. I shall post them on Monday.

(...only three, eh?)

mull-berry said...

Actually ... I found a pair of light blue seersucker capri's that looked so summery that I had to buy them. The silver shoes go with them well and surprisingly, a lot of other stuff! No matching purse, though!

On platform shoes for little girls ... I think safety ... too easy to turn an ankle, but they seem to manage! : )

Angela said...

I have posted my shoes meme for you! My family does indeed think I have lost my marbles, running about with the digital camera posing shoes on the front porch!

Unknown said...

useful information....My family members always prefer wearing timberland shoes for all occasions