June 23, 2006
Very Important Stuff Friday: shoe edition
Welcome to Very Important Stuff Friday, where you ask and I advise! (I’m still feeling a little meh about that title, by the way–sorry, Candace–aren’t some of you in advertising? Caroline, I’m looking in your direction . . . )
Quite a few of you had shoe-related questions this week, which is good because that’s something I know about. Keep in mind, though, that I’m just one woman shoe shopping for all of you–all opinions expressed here are, well, MINE and you should feel free to disagree. Or to provide other advice and links in the comments section! Let’s get to it, shall we?
Emily (hi, Emily!) asked, “What is the perfect shoe for the park? I just got home and my cute sandals are all full of sand. Ugh. But, it’s hot. I won’t give in to white tennis shoes, I won’t.” Stand your ground, Emily! You absolutely CAN wear cute shoes to the park, you just have to pick the RIGHT ones. You have two options: sporty shoes, or sandals. I recommend the sporty shoes for parks with mulch or kids who need to be chased, and sandals for sandy parks and kids who can entertain themselves while you lounge on a bench in the shade. Preferably with a magazine and one of Arwen’s lemon berry slushies.
Choosing sneakers doesn’t have to mean settling for white or boring. My favorite sporty shoe right now is this Merrell sneaker; it’s lightweight and comes in cool colors, and is really comfortable with or without socks. And not white! In Oklahoma City, you can find the Merrills at Shoe Gypsy, in Nichols Hills Plaza. They also carry a nice selection of Puma athletic shoes, which are another good alternative. My favorite park shoes are a pair of sneaker-inspired lime green Berne Mev leather slip ons from a couple of years back; I wear them all the time and every so often I scrub them up with saddle soap and try to get all the sand out. I love them.
Unfortunately, sporty shoes aren’t great with a skirt, if that’s your chosen park attire. So let’s talk about sandals! Keen makes some nice looking slip-ons with the curved bit at the front to protect your toes (useful if you will be running after a toddler or a dog or a good looking man–what? some of you are single). Then there is the basic flip flop, which is more suited to the aforementioned bench sitting. If you are a fan of the flip flop, check out the Havaianas; they come in fantastic colors and designs and really hold up well. I also like my J. Crew flip flops quite a lot, although the Havaianas can be washed, which is a bonus if you’re going anywhere with sand or dirt. I keep a pair of flip flops in my car–rubber ones from Old Navy that can be tossed in the trash at the end of the summer–for emergency sandy park stops.
Speaking of sandals, Meegs wrote that “my most perfect and comfortable sandals are about to bite the big one. I don’t think they make them anymore because they are from two whole seasons ago. How do I cope and not fall into a pit of despair?!” Chin up, Meegs! There are several things you can do. Start by looking around at eBay. You can search by the brand name (someone may be auctioning the EXACT sandals you are mourning!) or by style.
You can also go to Nordstrom or Zappos and browse until you see something that looks similar. Or, possibly, something that looks better! Zappos offers free shipping; Nordstrom charges $5.00 and has a good selection of narrow sizes. And if you’re lucky enough to live in the Seattle area, you can go to the Nordstrom to end all Nordstroms and actually TOUCH the shoes. Mmm, Nordstrom shoe department . . .
Moving on! Melynda (hi, Melynda!) bought this totally cute skirt and is looking for shoes. This skirt is just CRYING out for some fabulous sandals–either a strappy wedge espadrille, or a cool metallic flip flop. Melynda could also do a sandal with some beads or turquoise, although I would keep it simple, as the skirt already has some beads and that lovely crochet hem. You could also do something with some metal embellishment.
Anonymous (hi, Angie!) asked about my favorite pair of shoes ever; Mama Tulip got even more specific: “Okay. You can only wear one kind and brand of shoe for the rest of your life. THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WOMAN. What kind/style of shoe do you pick. And what colour? And why?”
Well, crap, people, why don’t you just ask me which of my CHILDREN I love more? Although that would be easy compared to this.
Favorite shoes ever: uuuuhhh . . . yeah. My favorite shoes right NOW are my J. Crew pink suede loafers. The very low heel and pointy toe makes them surprisingly versatile. If I could only wear ONE shoe for the rest of my life, it would be a ballet flat from J. Crew–practical AND pretty! The ballet flat goes with virtually everything and can be dressed up or down and is entirely comfortable. I’d go for something neutral, which for me could include pink or green or snakeskin or a nice silk print. And, although it probably violates the spirit of Mama Tulip’s question, J. Crew comes out with a new ballet flat nearly every season, which guarantees a nice range. The perfect shoe!
Just don’t wear them to the park.
Felicity wanted to know if she should have the bunion surgery. I have terrible bunions, and would have the surgery in a heartbeat (because pretty feet! that don’t hurt!) except that the six weeks of recovery is a deal breaker right now. BUT–a girlfriend of mine had it done, before she had her kids, and she really does have the loveliest feet I’ve ever seen. So, um, yes! Do it!
Finally, this, which is not about shoes at all but is Very Important: Mary asked, “What is the best brand of underwear for moms with muffin tops? And big butts. Cause I’ve got both and I hate the panty line and the flop over effect. Also, no thongs, please.” Spanx, baby! They’re the miracle panties. People swear by them. (And I don’t understand the thong either. My ass needs WAAAY more containment than a thong. Seriously.)
Phew. That was fun! And a lot of work! I’m going to lie down for a while, and then get myself together to take the kids swimming. Next week: Jane Austen! Get ready.
Posted by Susan @ 7:53 am • Uncategorized
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June 23rd, 2006 at 8:25 am, Candace Says:
Wow! Good work, woman! I’m going to have to schedule time to check out all those links!
And I’m totally not offended. I only threw out that title because you said, “…Friday’s post will be dedicated to answering your Very Important Questions About Stuff…” and I’m all about The Obvious. So. Dude, pick the title you like best!
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:17 am, Anonymous Says:
Thanks for the shoe advice! I love shoes, but I’m fashion-challenged. With a 13 month old. Not a good combination.
Also, what about changing your advice post to Monday and calling it Monday Musings? I could only think of something with an M, sorry.
P.S. I’m trying not to be anonymous, but every username I’ve tried so far is taken. So - hi, my name is Angie.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:27 am, mamatulip Says:
Good answer! After reading that, I think I’ll have to check out those ballet flats.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:32 am, Nancy Says:
Wow. Very impressive shoe info there. I feel the sudden urge to go browse on Zappos for a couple of hours…
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:41 am, Liz Says:
Okay — you’re the 2nd blog in a week to mention the Spanx. And I’m wondering … am I the only one that reads this, at first glance, to rhyme with tanks? Because, Spanx (aka Spanks, though I assume they’re going for Span - ex) seems like a sort of naughty name for underwear and makes me think you might just get more than you bargained for if you slip a pair of these on. But, again, it could just be me.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:57 am, Pegs Says:
Six weeks to recover from bunion surgery? Try more like 6 months. I had the surgery on my left foot, and should have it on my right foot, but you couldn’t get me into the operating room for bunion surgery again unless you strapped me down. I will live with the pain and wear boring shoes, thank you very much.
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:43 am, Mir Says:
Um, Susan? You know I love you. I do. But $100 for sneakers? My brain just melted. LOL!
June 23rd, 2006 at 12:57 pm, Jenorama Says:
I loved this post. I love my Merrells and my Keens.
I am wearing my Keens right now.
For my Friday Playdate.
June 23rd, 2006 at 1:10 pm, Caroline Says:
Okay, sheesh, if you’re going to call names…
I think you should call this the Flip Flop Friday Feature (or Friday’s Funky Frappe, if you prefer) and give each week’s subject a title, like “Shoe-t me your questions,” “Solely Susan” and “Austen Addiction.”
All that, and I’ve had NO chocolate today…
P.S. Can you get any of those cute shoes at Target?
June 23rd, 2006 at 1:16 pm, Rayne of Terror Says:
Holy Moly! I had NO idea J Crew carried shoes in the $300 range. I pooped myself.
Also, Susan, you seriously need to figure out how to make links open up a new window cause all the clicking back is taking a toll on my mental health. Your extreme linkage makes me wander off and forget who I was reading in the first place and I’d be so sad if I didn’t even get to read the whole post.
June 23rd, 2006 at 1:16 pm, Chase Says:
Ack! I’m here from Lucinda’s page (and from Oklahoma!) and can’t read your blog - your sidebar is on top of your center column. Is that an IE issue, I guess?
June 23rd, 2006 at 3:34 pm, adria Says:
I love that and all the pictures of shoes, shoes, endless shoes.
I would also point people in the direction of sierratradingpost.com for great deals on name brand shoes, like Merrell, Keen, etc.
No questions from me right now.
June 23rd, 2006 at 4:45 pm, Susan Says:
Chase! I’m so sorry! I don’t know why the sidebar slides like that in IE; sometimes refreshing the page lines it all up again. But welcome! And . . . sorry!
And thanks to Rayne, all the links now open as SEPARATE WINDOWS! How fun is that?
June 23rd, 2006 at 5:28 pm, Felic Says:
OK, well, I’ll have the surgery, I guess, BUT! AND I DO NEED AN ANSWER! Do I need to lose all my fatness first? Because maybe my feet are fat in addition to having bunions? Or, do I have the surgery now and not get frustrated about being off my feet for 6 weeks after I work so hard to become ruler of the universe? I mean, thin & beautiful?
Also, here are MY recommendations for FLAT shoes: Sketchers, Earth shoes, Naot…Naot makes a bunch of beautiful styled shoes that are ergonomically healthy. Check em out.
June 23rd, 2006 at 6:15 pm, The June Cleaver Diaries Says:
Felicity–
Therapist and former runner here. You don’t need to lose weight before having bunion surgery. Just do it, woman!
I’m all over those sneakers, Susan.
You’re killing me with the Turbo-post. Good job.
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:52 pm, lildb Says:
oh, that Seattle Nordstrom shoe department. *fans flushed face*
oh. dear god.
when I die, I pray that I may be delivered unto the Seattle Nordstrom shoe department in the sky.
it’s. that. good.
June 24th, 2006 at 11:41 am, Suburban Turmoil Says:
Great advice! I would totally go with the flip flops for the park. They make so many cute ones nowadays.
I just looked at the Spanx page and the only problem I have is that 1) The Spanx models all have perfect asses and toned tummies. What’s up with that shizzle? and 2) If my husband happened to see the Spanx on me (and chances are that he would), he’d laugh his ass off. So… for now I’m Spanxless.
June 24th, 2006 at 2:16 pm, Rayne of Terror Says:
Wow, quick work, and I like the new font size.
June 24th, 2006 at 5:04 pm, MJ Says:
I have a lot of catching up to do in the shoe dept. I’ll admit my sad shoe state. In the summer, I wear Birkenstocks with virtually everything (I’ve one other pair of black sandals for “dressy” occasions.) In the winter, I wear Blundstones…with everything. Sad, eh? It’s not that I don’t like shoes but…but…I’m not sure. (And I can’t even blame my mother. Several years ago, she looked at my Birkenstocks and asked, “Are they comfortable?” I extolled their virtues. To which she replied, “Good. Because they sure are ugly.”)
Maybe to celebrate the end of school (on Wednesday!), I’ll buy a pair of shoes.
June 25th, 2006 at 9:50 am, Laura Says:
We have a lovely Nordstrom’s shoe department here in MN at the Mall of America as well. Ahh. And in regards to shoes, what about women with feet issues? Like high arches? Those ballet flats are lovely, but I could never wear them. When you are limited to Birkenstock and Crocs, life is pretty dull. So if anyone knows of any other options, I am ENTIRRELY open to them!
And Spanx? ROCK! They have them On What Not to Wear (British version)and my business partner and I have them. And my butt? Certainly not Model size 2.
Love this new feature for Fridays!
OH! My husband got back from a conference in Vegas, and they gave out plastic martini glasses with chem-lights in them! You break them, and then have a glowing martini! How cool is that??
June 25th, 2006 at 12:22 pm, Mary Tsao Says:
Thanks for the help with my panty lines problem! I checked out the Spanx site. I do have to say, though, that those Spanx for preggos look positively medieval.
Off to buy some Spanx…
June 25th, 2006 at 7:15 pm, Emily Says:
Thanks! I do need to invest in some new stylin’ tennies. But, it get’s so damn hot in MN in the summer, so I do like the throw away flip flop idea. But, I like to walk to the park, and they hurt my feet. Perhaps my problem is not shoes, but the fact that I just need to get over myself already! Thanks again…..
June 25th, 2006 at 8:44 pm, Misfit Hausfrau Says:
What a useful post!
Actually, you made me feel pretty good about my shoes as I have Keens and Merrells and espadrilles and lots of flip flops.
Now if I could just get the rest of my wardrobe in gear…
June 25th, 2006 at 9:23 pm, Cmommy Says:
Susan, you forgot to advise Keith and Nicole on married life!!!!! lol!C