There will be no more cute shoes for me in my lifetime. I will never wear kitten heels or flip flops or strappy sandals or stilettos or ballet flats or sling backs again. I have officially joined the ranks of women with "old lady" feet. This is certainly one of the saddest days of my life. I will never enjoy and look forward to shoe shopping again. From now on, shoes with be functional and, hopefully, non-noticeable.
If you are wondering why this is such a sad day, you aren't a woman. Shoes and shoe shopping are one of the most fun things a woman can do. Shoe shopping is the ultimate in impulse shopping. We never NEED the shoes, we LOVE the shoes. (men, if you are trying to relate to this, just think about the last time you were in a grocery store without a grocery list) There is just something about shoes that can make you so happy. We women have even been known to have special shelves built to hold and DISPLAY our shoes. The best line I ever heard, in a movie, about shoes was in the movie In Her Shoes. The character played by Toni Collette says, "When I feel down, I like to treat myself. Clothes never look any good, and food just makes me fatter, but shoes always fit." If you want to understand women and shoes, rent this movie. It's cute to watch. And, of course, there is always Sex in the City. Nobody loved a shoe like Carrie Bradshaw loved a shoe. I'm going to miss shopping for shoes. I'm going to miss it, a lot.
Aren't they beautiful? Yes, yes they are. These shoes will never again be on my feet. You cannot put an orthotic device in those shoes. I, can now, no longer wear a shoe without putting the orthotic insert in the shoe. If I do go without the orthotics, I will pay dearly, ...in pain. I have resigned myself to a future of New Balance (or Sketchers) running shoes and oxford style leather dress shoes. Neither of these look good with skirts or dresses. I don't think I can ever feel pretty again. I'm just going to have to get used to it. I'll find handsome pantsuits and coordinated slacks and tops. This is my future. Now you know what they mean when they say, "Getting old isn't for sissies."
357. Orthotics
358. Cortisone shots in my heels
359. Running or walking shoes in black
360. Memories of cute shoes
361. The feminist movement? (at least I'm allowed to wear pants)
362. Every day my feet don't hurt
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| My new work shoes (Sketchers) |
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| Christian Louboutin |
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| Jimmy Choo |
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| Manolo Blahnik |
Aren't they beautiful? Yes, yes they are. These shoes will never again be on my feet. You cannot put an orthotic device in those shoes. I, can now, no longer wear a shoe without putting the orthotic insert in the shoe. If I do go without the orthotics, I will pay dearly, ...in pain. I have resigned myself to a future of New Balance (or Sketchers) running shoes and oxford style leather dress shoes. Neither of these look good with skirts or dresses. I don't think I can ever feel pretty again. I'm just going to have to get used to it. I'll find handsome pantsuits and coordinated slacks and tops. This is my future. Now you know what they mean when they say, "Getting old isn't for sissies."
357. Orthotics
358. Cortisone shots in my heels
359. Running or walking shoes in black
360. Memories of cute shoes
361. The feminist movement? (at least I'm allowed to wear pants)
362. Every day my feet don't hurt
My mother tried to tell me I was going to get bunions someday if I continued to wear high heels every day and she was right, I did. :) Yes - functional shoes for me, too. Although I don't have to wear inserts, so I can wear sandals. I live in sandals in the summer.
ReplyDeleteYou know, just yesterday I was wandering through central London window shopping by some of the super-posh shoe stores... you know the ones, where the STARTING price is in the $200-400 range... And I thought, I wonder why these shoe companies put so much money into gorgeous designs made with top-notch raw materials, can't take the time to develop their technology enough to provide SUPPORT. I don't have old-lady feet, yet, but I walk 3-6 miles each day, usually in a rush, so I need good walking shoes. But I want to look nice, too, and don't understand why the shoe companies are so reluctant to meld these two principles.
ReplyDeleteI had to give up on cute shoes when I was a teen. Once my foot hit size 12, shoes were pretty hopeless. US stores seemed convinced that anyone with a size 12 was a transvestite and not a girl.
ReplyDeleteIt was sad. I developed a rule. "If it fits and is comfortable and remotely cute, buy it."
ha. i have not worn heals in year...errr....i would rather sandals or my chuck taylors any day...
ReplyDeleteWell, I have found quite a few sketchers shoes that my orthotics can fit into....ive been in them for 15 or so years and I'm not even 30 :(
ReplyDeleteWhat happens if you go barefoot? Wait. Maybe don't answer that question. I don't wear heels or anything, but I can't think if I wear shoes. It's a thing. I used to teach barefoot or in hose. My students all knew to warn me if someone who would judge were coming. Seriously, I hate shoes. I don't know if it's the East TN in me, or what.
ReplyDeleteI've got a bunion on one food and flat feet. Sadly, my feet look more like flippers than feet.
ReplyDeleteI need to start walking more, but the pain makes it tough.
ReplyDeleteWow, a size 12. I'm sorry you've had such a difficult time buying shoes. Thanks for commenting. It sounds like you have a good sense of humor about it. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain
ReplyDeleteI CANNOT go barefoot. It is agony. :)
ReplyDeleteI fear the day that all my flip flop wearing will rear it's ugly head!
ReplyDeleteyep..I had to give up heels about 5 yrs ago..now it is only flats...and the OLD LADY FLATS too..oh well..in the whole of life this is really not so bad...
ReplyDeletesorry this has happened. It's no fun for sure. I've been wearing ugly shoes for 16 years now, but no longer wear my orthotics. Just good shoes with support, and sometimes can go barefoot inside. Plantar fasciitis is/was my problem...I think too many years of cheap shoes, not much support. Maybe we need to start an ugly shoe wearing club!!!. Here's wishing you pain free feet.
ReplyDeleteyep, me too. Plantar fasciitis. I've had 4 sets of cortisone shots in my heels, but the pain keeps coming back.
ReplyDeleteI can sympathize. Several years ago I had a bout with plantar facitis (sp) to the point I was pretty much crippled in the mornings. It was the worst pain in the world. I had inserts in my shoes, cortizone injections in my heels and the next step was surgery. Amazingly I started step aerobics but the key was stretching, runners stretches, lots of them and I never went barefoot (I can now). I can say that for over 10 years now I am pain free, absolutely. Hope you can find relief. Good luck. (Still don't wear heals though as I'm a bit top heavy and I don't won't to be responsible for the earthquake when I hit the ground as I would fall of off the heels. LOL!
ReplyDeleteCarla
It took me quite awhile to get pain free, even with the orthotics and shots. Do you stretch/flex your feet before getting up or out of bed or from sitting? Eventually I did have surgery in my worse foot, and that made the biggest difference. I think they slit the tendon? I had put it off and then once I healed from surgery wished I hadn't waited so long. sigh.... I'm so sorry you have this. I know the pain.
ReplyDelete