shoe hoarder

Weekly Therapy: it’s the holiday season, so whoop-dee-do!

- Mel

the week:
Is it odd that, last Friday, for the first in the longest of times that I felt “pretty”? Maybe it was just my new eye makeup, or that the boyfriend and I had a really good date night, or maybe-just-maybe I am finally coming out of this stupid depressive, apathetic hole. I’m getting excited about coming back to derby within the next couple weeks too (hopefully this dang foot cooperates).

weekend:
Light Up Night! One of my favorite nights out in Pittsburgh. Also, one of the worst hangovers every year, so working ALL WEEKEND will be interesting. And then there’s Friendsgiving on Saturday…

There will be the usual carriage rides and gingerbread houses and the opening of the Christkindlmarkt in Market Square (People’s Gas Holiday Market) and fireworks (natch, it’s Pittsburgh), but this year’s celebrations also include FOOD TRUCKS. Get your nom on.

seven things, seven days:
1. I won a free piece of jewelry from local shop Jupe Boutique in a twitter contest — how nice is that?!
2. Trying not to think about my half birthday passing recently. How does this keep happening?! Age: What a bitch. The title of my memoir.
3. Ordered new skate boots for roller derby. And yes, they will be hot pink.
4. And then I had to order new boots from Splendid to offset my bank account being used solely for derby.
5. We spent three HOURS with an architect talking about possible renovations/gut job in our house (the second level needs help; and we need a real guest room).
6. My transcripts are complete, my transcripts are complete! Now if I could only get my advisor to return my emails.
7. It’s time to get Christmas Crazy! {via BurghBaby}

Don’t forget to hang up your sock!

Every 30-something needs: comfortable shoes!

- Mel

It seems like every year, I’m asking all my fashion and beauty people for good recommendations for shoes — I’m talking comfortable boots for women, appropriate for the 30-something city person who walks everywhere, even in inclement weather (hello, Fall!). Because I am a sucker for comfort above all things.

This is where I insert a picture of a stylish, comfortable-looking boot. One that fits all my criteria. Notice how this space remains noticeably picture-free.

An uncomfortable foot is an uncomfortable person. FACT.
Hashtag, shoe therapy.

My checklist is:
No heels.
Real leather — footwear that will eventually “mold” to my foot. Not patent leather either. Nothing plastic-looking.
Low- or mid-calf height — that will. not. sag.
Not ugly.
And not those fuzzy UGGS, for that matter. C’mon, I’m 36, not 16!
COMFORTABLE FOR WALKING SEVERAL CITY BLOCKS IN ONE EVENING.
No heels!
Bonus: warm.
Bonus, bonus: won’t upset my bank account too terribly.

But seriously, people. I AM WILLING TO PAY.

I typically get a few of those from the list, but never the full package. I don’t need a snow boot, since I rotate between my Hunters (with liners) and Sperry’s on wet and flurry days. The Hunters are stylish, yes, but not easy on the feet for long walks — even with insoles. I love my cross trainers, but I haven’t signed away my life to yoga pants and tennis shoes. Yet. I find a cute pair, but they’re cheap; I find a slightly-expensive pair, and they’re ugly. Most often, I succumb to the cheap, but then I get one season out of them.

Why can’t I be stylish AND comfortable? And why can I still not find the right pair of boots? So, spill it, 30-somethings: what boots are your fave?

Shoe Therapy: Glitter Pumps

- Mel

This glitter platform pump kinda makes up for not acting fast enough on that Topshop dress, eh? LOVE GLITTER!

(via UrbanOutfitters.com > Kimchi Blue Platform Pump)

(Source: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=23084379a&color=095&color=095&itemdescription=true&navAction=jump&search=true&isProduct=true&parentid=SEARCH RESULTS)

As told through shoes…

- Mel

This blog is a story — at least one part — about shoes. 

Every pair of my shoes has a story: where or why I purchased them, when I wore them… what weird things were stuck to the bottom of them when I arrived home. 

And when I have to give them away… 

Funky Steve Madden Shoes

I’ve always been a fan of funky heels.

When I was in my early 20s, I worked at a Steve Madden shoe store (NATURALLY feeding the addiction). During that time, I acquired a lot of footwear, with several pairs of shoes and boots going the distance (I still have at least four pairs of heels and one pair of boots). Which means, I’ve had these things for over TEN YEARS.

Alas, while Instagram breathes new life into old things, these pointed toe, silver-heeled pumps have become stiff (almost creaky), dirty beyond repair and past their prime. They’ve seen no less than three trips to the shoe cobbler for meticulous laundering with satin cleaner (which doesn’t exist, by the way) and heel retipping. And I’ve never been able to un-smoosh the points (since being stepped on circa 2004).

Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t grown out of “funky.” But seeing as how I haven’t worn these shoes since our move to Pittsburgh last year — and honestly, I can’t remember wearing them since moving to my condo in 2006 — I can toss with good judgment. 

Man, these shoes were always a conversation starter in my 20s. I need to embrace that again with my wardrobe choices.