I love new shoes

I’ve been having problems with my back lately.  It’s been just since I started working, and it’s probably because I don’t wear the right kind of shoes to work.  The rules I have for footwear are a little complicated, as I found out when I tried to explain the problem to someone the other night.  I have a perfectly good pair of Nike runners, but they’re grey and purple.  Grey shoes should NEVER be worn with khaki or brown pants.  They clash.  The only thing they really go with are jeans, but I can’t wear jeans to work and mostly wear pants in shades of brown.  So whenever I wear earth colors, I wear my brown or red mary janes that have no support.  I won’t even talk about my black pants that also don’t look right with my sneakers and so when I wear black pants I wear a variety of different shoes, all cute, but definitely not comfortable. 

On Friday, after limping to my car after work I decided I needed to go shoe shopping.  Happily enough, Joey needs new shoes too so I could justify a trip to the shoe store when I'm so broke I have no business being in a shoe store.

Joey went shoeless for almost the entire first year of his life.  He wasn’t walking and I couldn’t see putting him in shoes merely for decorative purposes.  So I put socks on his feet and waited.  And then once he started to walk I went to Stride Rite, got him measured and picked out a beautiful pair of brown baby walkers that looked like tiny little hiking shoes.  And cost FIFTY DOLLARS.  Once I found out the price, I was tempted to buy them a few sizes too big so that they would last longer, but I didn’t want to be judged by the salesgirl so  I bought the appropriate size and prayed his feet would grow slowly.  They didn’t, and so this weekend it was time for another shoe expedition. 

I had no idea what size his feet were so I took him to Stride Rite, had him measured again, and then tried a few pairs of shoes for show before telling the salesgirl that I couldn’t make up my mind so I’d think about it and come back later.  Then I went to Bob’s and bought a pair of baby skechers in the right size for only fifteen bucks. I cannot justify spending fifty dollars on baby kicks that look like orthopedic granddaddy shoes.  Sorry Stride Rite, but this is how we’re livin’.

And while I was shopping, my sick shoe addiction kicked in and before I knew what was happening I found myself holding a pair of clogs in one hand and sparkly pointy flats in another and then I remembered my sore back and forced myself to stay on task. I put the pretty shoes back and found some comfortable, work-appropriate shoes.

Rocket Dogs!  They're very cute but when you turn them over they look like the shoes my grandma used to wear after she broke her hip.  But since the sole is on the bottom and the cute is on the top, I bought them anyway.  They are the most comfortable shoes I think I've ever owned.

And ahh pretty, pretty Vans.  The minute I saw them I knew they had to be mine.  Especially since they were on the clearance rack because there was a pull in one of the laces. Also insanely comfortable and they will look good with black pants.

In case you're worried that Eli is the only one walking around with old broken down shoes while the rest of us are stylin in our new footwear, you should know that he also got new shoes during our shoe shopping extravaganza.  They're big hiking boots that I can wear on my own feet without even taking off my own shoes first as I demonstrated for him in the living room last night. Then I stepped on his sock foot with them to show him how much it hurts when he carelessly tramples my feet with his big treads.  After I almost broke his foot (and my own ankle) Eli took his shoes away and hid them from me because they are not toys.

I love new shoes.  The end.