Shoes!

So it's week 2 of week 4 of Wardrobe Therapy. This week's tasks are here. Purses and socks will come in a day or so, but since I didn't feel like working on my Consumer Culture essay this evening, I decided to go ahead and sort and photograph my shoes.

I'm going to level with you. Lots of women in all shapes and sizes love shoes, that's a no-brainer. But shoes are really important for the fat fashionistas out there. I'm including myself in that group. As a fat woman who is interested in fashion, I spend a lot of time being frustrated at the lack of options available in my sizes. Those cute clothes in magazines? Not an option for me. But shoes? Purses? Jewelry? Those come in my size. Accessories are the one arena where I can have the same kind of fashion that skinny women can. They're the place where I can fit in with the rest of the fashionable world. I own lots of shoes, and I think one of the reasons is that when I need a shopping fix I can always find a pair of shoes I like. Finding clothing I like can be a lot harder.

So shoes. Here are all the shoes currently in my apartment. Not counting my fuzzy slippers, it's 34 pairs.

There's also a cat in the corner. She was intrigued by all the shoe-related commotion.

To make things easier, I'm separating by shoe type.

The sneakers

• Running/walking shoes -- in good condition, useful, they're keepers.
• Green suede sneakers -- I love them, but they're dirty and worn and the insides are shot. They were on sale when I bought them, and they've gotten a good run, so I don't feel bad about tossing them. They're out! I'm going to add another pair to my shopping list.
• Tan/pink/blue suede sneakers -- they're a bit dirty (that's what six months on NYC streets will do to a pair of shoes), but in good shape. I'm going to try cleaning them.

Casual summer shoes

(back row)

• Beaded flipflops with a sturdy sole. Stalwart staples.
• Keds flats. Bought at the end of last summer. I'm looking forward to wearing these.
• Flats with rhinestone skulls on the straps that you can't really see in this photo. I am happily wearing these into the ground.

(front row)

• 2 pairs of black slides that I bought in emergency shopping trips. They're both uncomfortable and both going.
• Cheap-o flipflops. They're handy, though I don't really wear them out here in the city. Staying.

"Everyday" flat shoes

(back row)

• Short boots. They're ok, and will stay until I find something better. But I'll worry about that next fall.
• Slingback flats. I really like these and need to wear them more than I do. Surprisingly versatile.
• Leopard print flats. This is probably their last season. I should try to replace with something a bit more sturdy -- these are really insubstantial.

(front row)

• Black mary janes. These are worn out, and I'd love to toss them, but then I wouldn't have a pair of black flats. They'll go once replacements are found.
• My trusty loafers. I wear them all the time. They're holding up well, considering.
• My fancy loafers. I spent a good amount of money on these and wore them through. I'm going to see if the holes in the soles can be patched. Then I can wear them again. If they're unsalvageable, well, I guess I'll just have to buy something new!

Dressy/"business" shoes. I have a good number of these because I used to wear them when I had a real job. Now that I'm a student, they stay mostly in the closet. I don't want to get rid of them, because I'll need them again once I'm back on the job market. But maybe I'll get to wear some of them at my internship this summer.

(back row)

• Black loafers with white top stitching. Stalwart staples. A little boring, but very useful.
• Black mary jane type shoes with pink piping. What looks like pink butterflies are actually cutouts on the toe area. I love these shoes, and since I wear lots of pink, they actually do get worn pretty often. Both of these are Aerosoles. So they're pretty comfy.

(middle)

• Tan woven fabric pumps with woodgrain heels. Boring. I bought them for my high school graduation. I still have them, because they're pretty classic, but I don't wear them, because my shoes are one of the few areas where I try to be less boring. I'm giving them another chance before I toss.
• Beige slingbacks with black trim. Very classic, in a slightly sexy way, so they don't bore me the way the woven shoes do. A little uncomfortable, but I'm not ready to let go.
• More Aerosoles. Brown mary janes with wingtip detailing and slight wedge heels. I just bought them this fall and love them. Good with jeans or dressier outfits. Just a little funky, in a good way.

(bottom)

• Tan suede loafers with little suede rosettes on the front. They have little curved-in heels (I don't know what to call them). Very comfortable, very cute. They're staying.
• Brown leather slingbacks. Useful. Could use a little padding. I saw these insoles just for heels the other day -- I might have to try some here.
• Maroon metallic leather mary janes with the curvy heels. I love these shoes. They're one of my favorite pairs of shoes. Despite the odd color, I find them pretty wearable with black, grey, and even the right shade of brown trousers, and also with jeans.

Finally, the fancy shoes. My favorite category, though of course the least worn.

(top row)

• horrible shoes I bought to coordinate with a sari for a wedding. They turned dark and the fabric got crunchy on me. I never really liked them (emergency purchase rears its ugly head), so feel no guilt about tossing.
• The purple glittery shoes. They were $8.00, I was a senior in college. I thought it would be funny to wear them with my graduation gown. It was. I did. I never wore them again. I'd save them, but they're hideously clunky. Maybe some kid can play dress up with them. Donated!
• The pink ruffly satin platform shoes. I bought these after seeing them in a fashion magazine back in college. Like the Birthday Shoes, they appealed to my inner Dolly Parton/Miss Piggy fan. I wore them to a few college dances. The heels are really chunky, which is good because they're also really high. I'm saving them, just in case. (I'm not sure in case of what, but we'll see.)
• Uncomfortable but cute brown sandals with sparkly flowers. Also bought to be worn with a sari at a wedding. They're cute, and I have this idea that I might wear them again, and also they're cute, so they're staying.
• Silvery blue satin sandals. Bought to match a bridesmaid dress. They weren't dyed to match, but they went with the dress perfectly. I can't quite get rid of them yet.

(bottom row)

• Embroidered satin flats. Remember when these were all the rage a few years ago? So do I. They're getting a little ratty, so I think I'll give them one more season before I toss, because I think I'm really going to want my flats this summer.
• My classic black evening pumps. With just a little bit of rhinestone. Perfect.
• Black velvet shoes with just a tiny heel. Cheap and they look it. An emergency purchase that's in the outbox as I type.
• The rare emergency purchase that actually worked. Strappy black sandals that don't cut my feet.
• Hot pink thong sandals with floral heel/base. Oh these shoes. Right after I got my masters, I was living at home, looking for a real job while substitute teaching. I was so miserable. I was so jealous of my other friends who had jobs and lives while I was staying with my parents. I saw these shoes at the mall. They weren't really that expensive, but even so, I shouldn't have bought them. I should have saved my money. But something about them just called to me. This sounds so dumb, but they were kind of a promise to myself, that even though my life was crappy, I would get these shoes and wear them and somehow that would help. So I bought them, and I wore them ( I was in Texas at the time. Flip-flop/thong type shoes are practically state-mandated wear there), and I started to find my way again. And eventually I got the job that changed my life. And now here I am. I don't attribute that to these shoes or anything, but more than any other pair except maybe the pink satin platforms, these shoes are important to me in some weird way. They're milestone shoes. They're also kind of kick-ass, stylewise.

There was also a pair of Mock Doc Martins in the group photo , which I used to wear in the snow, but the soles cracked and now my feet get wet in them and so they're gone, too. When I was putting all the shoes back in the closet, I tried to rearrange things so that I would have easier access to the pairs I might want to wear this spring/summer. I just wish it would warm up a bit so I could get started on them.

So that's the shoes. That was maybe more about me and my footwear than you needed to know, wasn't it?

Next time: Progress photos of my evil socks. Purses (this would be a much bigger category if I hadn't purged before I moved). The answers to the status symbol questions.

Now I need to get back to my reading and my essay. We're covering Janice Radway's Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular Literature this week. It's fun stuff, and I want to make sure it gets its due attention. I've got 2 1/2 weeks of school left, so things are more hectic than ever. But when classes are over, I'm done with the coursework for my degree! It's scary and exciting at the same time. At the moment, scary is winning. :)