Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Shoes

If you were to ask Hilary she would tell you that I have a shoe obsession. Nothing that rivals Imelda Marcos she would say, but too many shoes for one person. After all, Hilary likes to argue, you only have 2 feet and can only wear one pair of shoes at a time.

I don't believe that I have a shoe obsession. I have 1 pair of running shoes, 1 pair of flats for the office, 1 pair of outdoor Crocs, 1 pair of indoor Crocs (worn as slippers), 1 pair of actual slippers, 1 pair of winter boots, 2 pairs of sandals. This is only 8 pairs of shoes, hardly an obsession.

But I digress.

My 1 pair of running shoes (cheap $19.99 ones from a big box store) had a crack in them and I was getting wet feet any time I walked in even the slightest of misty conditions. And since I live in Halifax, that is pretty much our everyday weather. So it was decided that I should buy a new pair. Off I went to another big box store, because overall I'm pretty cheap, and will not pay much more then $20 for any pair of shoes. I might concede to $40 for winter boots, but I'm not going over that. Even my Crocs are not brand name Crocs and only cost $9.

At my current age I have had many opportunities over the years to purchase new shoes. And ever since I stopped growing at the age of 12 I've worn a size 8. On the odd occasion an 8.5. That is until last year. Last fall I bought my first pair of size 9 running shoe. I figured that the sizing was wrong, or that particular brand ran small. Then last winter the boots I got were a size 9 too. And this years sandals? You guessed it a 9. I was now starting to think that it was maybe my feet that had changed and not that the entire shoe industry had secretly changed their sizing methods. Maybe my foot was suffering from the same middle age spread that the rest of me has been experiencing. And really? a 9 is not that far from an 8, so no big deal.

Well! Want to guess at what size my brand spanking new running shoes are?

11
Yup, 11! My socks still fit, all my other shoes still fit and yet I found myself buying size 11 runners yesterday. Hilary took one look at them on me and started making clown and boat references. Nice, supportive even one might say. I tried on the 8s, the 9s, and the 10s before committing to the boat like 11s.


So why did I buy these huge clunkers?

They were on sale of course! only $17.99 - regularly $49.99. Who could pass them up? And they really are quite comfortable too.

3 comments:

Aunt Becky said...

You are cracking me up, my friend.

Heather said...

Hee! I've always had big feet (well, bigger - they're not quite 11s yet!) but fortunately they haven't grown beyond their current 9 and 10, respectively.

Hmmm, wonder if I can get my smaller foot to catch up to my bigger foot? Since I doubt I'll be able to shrink my larger foot down............

I have more than 8 pairs of shoes, and I don't consider myself as having a shoe obsession, by the way, so tell Hillary she's nuts for picking on you about it!

(Off the top of my head, I have:
- 2 pairs of clogs, both in shades of brown
- my birkenstock sandals
- 3 pairs of brown boots (different styles/heel heights)
- 1 pair snow boots
- 2 pairs of sneakers (one is my "lawnmowing" old, icky pair, one is my "good" pair)
- heels in brown, navy, gray and black (usually worn just for church or special occasions)
- flats in brown, navy, black
- 1 pair of flip-flop/shower shoes (used at the Y or the pool, mainly)
- a few random pairs of shoes I had to buy to wear as a bridesmaid, including my Silver Hooker Heels, that I have never worn again but still keep around to clutter up the closet because they're practically brand new
- a pair of black dress boots

Whew, that's a LOT of freaking shoes! Oh, and I have a couple pairs of house slippers, too!

Guess maybe I am Imelda, though in my defense, I don't go out shoe-shopping; most of my shoes are at least 5 years old!!

Thanksgivingmom said...

okay, if anyone EVER accuses any of you of having too many shoes, please feel free to send them my way. I will easily show them what "too many" shoes looks like.

I like to think I just have a collection :)