Why I love shoes?

 

I am not really sure when my passion for shoes first started. I suppose it was when I bought my first ever pair of “expensive” shoes. The ones that costs hundreds of pounds not tens of pounds. I admit I didn’t have the money for them and it was a great extravagance, but it made me feel good. The first pair was a brown pair of Gucci shoes. Very simple and classic. I don’t remember exactly how much they cost but I know I probably shouldn’t have. However, I had budgeted and knew that I would be able to pay them off over time. Every time I put them on I smiled.

I realise that they are not amazingly fancy, but I really liked the classic style of these shoes. They are very pointy though actually not too high. I think I bought them thinking that I could wear them for work (though don’t think I ever did). I am a size 7, however to ensure they fit these are a 7.5. Something I often find I have to do for designer brands. 

When growing up most of my clothes and possibly my shoes were handed down from my older sisters. I am the youngest of five and have two older sisters. Not having much money it was a natural to pass down clothes between siblings. We always joked about the pictures of us growing up wearing the same outfit at a particular age. At the age when I was given pocket money I scoured the sales for clothes and shoes that were my own. Still have a skirt I bought when I was 18 (still fits though it has an elasticated waist) and my very first little black dress. Every lady should have a little black dress,  a great full back for every occasion. 

Back to the shoes, I still have the Gucci shoes I bought, indeed I also have the matching handbag. You can see in the picture, taken today, they are still in good condition (the handbag still looks good too) and I can still get them on. That, I think, is why I love shoes and have a fond affection for handbags. On the whole they will always fit. Didn’t matter what was happening with my weight at least I had my shoes (I will talk more about my weight in another post). The only problem now, of course, is because I am a 50+ woman my feet are not what they use to be. In 2011 I had to have surgery on both my feet due to boney growths on my big toes. Apparently something runners can suffer from, my consultant told me Paula Radcliffe had them, which made me think “Look at me I am just like the elite athletes”. Not sure if this is true or whether he told me that to make me feel better. Anyway I was told by my consultant that it would be a simply key hole surgery, a couple of weeks recovery and then good as new. NO, NO, NO!!!! Key hole surgery my foot, was going to put something else which I am sure you can work out. Warning below is going to be a picture of my feet, showing the scars that were left behind from the surgery. This picture was taken today, 12 years after the original surgery and you can see that they have not calmed down and are quite pronounced.

Yes the pain stopped but my feet were forever scarred. On top of that I have inherited bunions from my parents (you can probably see that in the picture too). On the whole they don’t give me pain yet, but they have meant my feet have changed shape, so some of my shoes have become a problem to wear. My Gucci shoes do fit as they are a slightly bigger size, but I am not sure comfortable is the word for them any more. I am going to try to stretch the shoes to make them more comfortable. I’ll let you know if any of the many methods that you can find on-line work. 

I want to add here that I am aware the shoes and specifically pointy shoes can have an impact on developing bunions. But I don’t wear shoes like this all the time, only for special occasions, that is why they have lasted so long. So not sure that wearing these shoes have made my bunions worse. In further posts I will share some of my useful websites I have found for people with difficult feet but who still want to look fabulous. I personally don’t see why I have to sacrifice having beautiful shoes because of the shape of my feet. Companies should do more to make beautiful shoes for all shapes and sizes and I am starting to find some of the good ones, so watch this space.

The good news is that my eldest daughter has the same size feet as me, so there is the potential to pass on some of the shoes to her. Continuing that family trait. Though not sure they are necessarily her style, but they are Gucci darling!!!!

Why not share in the comments the first shoes you bought that really made you smiled?

Thanks for reading,

Lois

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PS To continue the thread of this blog, I loved these shoes so much I eventually bought similar shoes in black and with the matching handbag. These are slip ons, lower in heel, but still as pointy. These ones still fit 😊.