From the bottom up.

Or, all about my shoes.

I used to be a total shoe freak. I loved to buy them. All kinds of colors, styles, etc. I probably had dozens of them. This is not unusual nowadays.

But, growing up a bit and realizing how little we really need made me scale down. I stopped buying superflous shoes. Especially cheap shoes. If you only own a dozen shoes, they ought to be good ones.

I took some snapshots of my "good" shoes. At least the ones I find myself using the most right now.


From left to right- and excuse my cruddy photography. I promise to get better.

On the left we have one of my newer aquisitions. My mom bought these for me at DSW for my birthday. I believe they were $69. They are Anne Klein's iFlex line. Very comfy- maybe 3 inch heel, but the fact that they aren't 5 inches means I can walk ALL day in them with no problem. And the heels are thin, but not so thin tat they sink into the dirt, which is important where I live. And they're gladiator style, so, updated, I think.

Next is a pair of flats with a short pointed toe. I generally don't like pointy shoes, but these are an exception. There is a whimsy to them, and points are short making them look less...uh...dumb? They are by Dollhouse, I got them at TJ Maxx for $12.99.

Hard to tell, but the last pair here are dark patent leather t-straps. They are pretty cool- I kind of hate patent leather because of how they squeak together sometimes. Weird pet peeve, I know. These are very cute with dark skinny jeans and a black shirt. 3 inch heels, approx. I think they are by Mudd. They are not great, comfort wise, but fun for a date night. And my hubby likes 'em.


So, I keep saying buy good shoes, right? Ok, ok. I mean to say- scrutinize your shoes. Walk around in them- try everything on first for sure. You just never know. This next pair came as a big suprise to me. My mom loves Wal-Mart. I tolerate Wal-Mart because I refuse to pay too much for things like sunscreen, detergent or underwear for the kids. But I'd NEVER buy shoes there. NEVER.

My mom does all the time, though and was trying shoes on. So, I grabbed this pair a few months ago and tried them on. They were surprisingly cute and at $17.99, I took them home with me. I find myself wearing these studded gladiators all the time. They get only a 7 on the comfort scale- way too flat int he footbed, but tolerable for shopping or playdays, for sure.

The next pair...(moment of silence)...could be my favorite shoes EVER. Born Charisma. I saw them from across a crowded Macy's in the midst of a fit my daughter was throwing. I vowed to go back and try them on. I did, and with birthday money last year, purchased the best shoes ever. I only wish I'd bought black ones as well. These are literally as comfortable as any flat shoe. They have amazing arch support for a heel, and great support for ankles. They are t-strap, which I love and look as cute int he winter with nubby tights as they do in the summer alone. They are one of the wonders of my little world.

Ok, these are simply my workhorses. None of these are very cheap at all. The first, which are obviously boots, I bought for winter up here on the Divide. They are perfect. They are Fatbaby's by Ariat. They have adorable little hearts embroidered on them. I am not a fan of cowboy boots for myself, generally, but these are pretty fun- and they are round-toed, which is good. I think they were in the $150 range, which is plenty worth it since they keep my feet warm whilst shoveling snow. They look very cute with a sundress, I think. Not particularly fashion-forward, but this is where practically trumps cool.

Next to the boots are my Chaco's. They are ZX/2 Vibram Unaweep's. And they are awesome. They are about 3 years old- I paid approx. $95 for them, but for shoes that last that long through much use, it's worth it. They are not too shabby look's wise, either.

The last pair are Josef Siebels. They are beat! So, so worn. I got them a couple years ago with b-day money at Nordstrom. They were about $145 (gasp), but totally worth it. This model is still available on Zappos- but for much less money. The model is Caroline, and I would definetly purchase them again...or maybe the Catalonia model...hmmm...next year, maybe.

Make go shoe choices. Take chances if they're cheap, or else, save up and find out what the best shoe for the money is. Check reviews on Zappos, look up the best prices...and try them on, always, then buy them cheaper on eBay.