shoe shopping - an epic

I have never completely understood the fascination that (a large percentage of) my half of the species seems to have with shoes.  You've got Imelda Marcos at one and the spectrum, the Sex and the City women in the middle, my mother coming in somewhere behind them, and then way way down at the other end of that spectrum - not quite so far as those who wear sneakers or weejuns all year round - there's me. 

It's not that I hate shoes; I appreciate the use of a great pump worn with silky black stockings and a short black dress to create a little sass and impact now and then ... (what fun that is) ... but most of the time, I'd rather be comfortable.  The problem is, comfortable and fashionable are often two diametrically opposed concepts. 

And here's another thing: I don't like shopping much.  I'm not a browser, I'm more a kamikaze kind of shopper.  If I know what I need, I go in, scan and weed things out fast, and then move on. 

Actually, that's not entirely true ... I enjoy browsing in book stores.  Depending on the mood I can putter for hours in a housewares, or cool guy card/gift stores (not your basic hallmark store), music, and handmade craft stores.  (d.i.y. craft stores too). 

But clothes and shoe shopping? I can't stand it ... so I avoid it.

And so, it turns out that in the winter time, my "shoe wardrobe" pretty much consists of my favorite boots that I bought when I lived in Australia, and in the summer I wear whatever is in the closet - which, in most cases, are old-and-not-in-very-good-shape shoes.  But since I haven't been particularly inspired by the stuff in shoe stores in the last few years, (and remember, i hate shopping anyway), I've been in high avoidance mode around getting anything new.  So I walk around like one of those people on "What Not to Wear" ... with a half decent outfit that looks like crap because I'm wearing what my mother would have called "clod hopper's" (ugly clunky shoes). Because rather than spend money on shoes that are uncomfortable and ugly at worst, and a-fashion-compromise-for-too-much-money at best, I figure I'll wear the worn out clod hoppers for a while longer. 

But, the other day when I was driving home from work there was an accident on the only stretch of "retail hell" that I travel.  So rather than crawl along in what looked to be a long wait, I noticed a shoe store in the shopping plaza right next to me suddenly thought: I should go in and take a look around.  As I'm sure you're getting by now, this is NOT something that usually runs through my mind; I'd usually pick a traffic jam over shoe shopping, but I thought perhaps my mother was reaching out from the cosmic soup (as i often think she does) ... not to say, as she usually would, some version of "carpe diem," but rather: "Get rid of the clod hoppers already!" 

And so, with a force such as Mom and the Cosmic Soup to reckon with - even if they were just talking about shoe shopping - I decided to go inside. 

I did my usual scan-scan-scan-stop-look, move-along-scan-scan-scan method and thought, "Well, at least it's passing the time instead of crawling along in traffic ..." and as I neared the end of the inventory something caught my eye and I stopped. 

Before me was a pair of sneakerish sandals - or sandalish sneakers - and they looked comfortable and funky ... and kinda feminine even.  And then I thought: "They're hip-kid-fashion ..." and for a second there I almost dismissed them and listened to that voice as it continued: "Keep walking Cooperman, you are not their target demographic." 

But I am wise in the ways of my internal editor, and no longer listen to that attempt to contain me and my passion/joy/fun, so I decided to (cross-my-fingers) and see if they had one in my size. 

This is not always do-able since I wear anything from a size 9 - 10 shoe. (women, you know what this means and men [i don't think there are that many men who read the blog anyway - but most of them i know in my "real" life] and they could all care less about these details ... "get on with it," they're probably saying, "blahblahblah ginger.") (and lets's face it, the post is already long as it is ...) 

So ... where was I?  Oh yes, I rarely get attached to a shoe I like, cause they often don't have them in my size anyway.  But (praise yoda) they had this one in a 9.  And, not only were they adorable, they were comfortable.  (remember those annoying easy spirit shoe commercials? "looks like a pump ... feels like a sneaker ..." ? i'm sorry, but they looked like a pump and they felt like a pump.  a more-comfortable-than-your-average-pump perhaps, but a pump just the same.)  These felt like a sneaker ... only better.  I couldn't believe my good fortune.  I bought them and have worn them for the last two days absolutely delighted with my purchase.  (it almost calls to mind that old feeling i used to get as a kid when i got new shoes for the first day of school and wore them feeling extra special because the shoes were bright and new.) 

I just can't believe I'm this excited about shoes, but I am, and tonight I actually googled the manufacturer's website (oh yes, they are definitely catering to a younger crowd than i, but who cares?) and discovered that that this company has lots of cool shoes ... and most of them have that comfy sneaker-like sole.  I think I'm going to buy a few more like them in various colors.

What's happening to me? Is this what the Sex and the City girls felt like when they found the perfect Manolo Blahnik's?  Maybe it's freedom, spring and happy feet ... and maybe it's another version of that "carpe diem" message from the cosmic soup (with a little help from mom) after all.

Comments

[Marilyn]

Why did this post JUST NOW show up in my Bloglines?! I love this post, because I loathe shopping...although I can kill a good hour in either a Target or a bookstore. :) Love the shoes you found. Although I used to be a shoe-horse, these days (especially post-five-years-in-only-flip-flops) I'm into comfort...especially because schoolwear can be SO casual. You'll appreciate that I spotted a pair of these for $10 at Ross yesterday which J threw in his cart (we were there to shop for HIM, after all)... :)

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/7039115/c/13837.html

[maria]

Oh brother ... I can't believe it took me almost a week to comment on this post. If I don't do it as soon as I read it, days and days go by.

Well, first off, you looked super cool and super happy in your new shoes when I saw you Saturday, girlene. And really, who can look happy in some of the torture devices the shoe designers dream up?

I remember being in my mid-20s, when I was still wearing pretty high heels to work every day, and going shoe-shopping with my sister, who would only look at flats. I was like, 'Eeeewwww ... everything you pick out is so flat and ugly.' She just looked like me like wise older sisters are wont to do, and said, 'Just wait a few years.'

What do I wear now? Flats ... although wedgies are back, and I did love me those when I was younger. I may just have to hit DSW next week. My shoe collection right now is so truly pathetic. But seeing how thrilled you were with your new shoes has inspired me to think I *can* be both comfortable *and* comfortable!

[KatieScarlet]

I am not a shoe person either, and I fell in love with the same black pair sandal/sneaker thing you have a picture of on your site!! That was back in Feb/March. And despite the fact that they were expensive (I pretty much refuse to spend more than 25 on a pair of shoes) I just had to have them. I wore them all over El Salvador and loved them!!!