Shoes, shoes, shoes! Everyone had something to say about them.
Childhood memories of a coveted pair of shoes from a Ladybird book, The Party. A pair of blue Mary Jane shoes and red Mary Jane shoes with a silver buckle. The “Red Shoes” movie was a childhood idea of heaven but could not be replicated. Instead a pair of black patent leathers became their pride and joy. However, definitely not allowed as a pair of school shoes.
School shoes. Were they Clarks or Startrite? Others with rigid leather that ripped your heels to shreds! Ouch!
Many of us owned a pair of clogs back in the 70s to the horror of a father who considered them a pair of working shoes and not exactly a sign of wealth. Why would you pay so much money for them?! This led us on to fathers who would always clean our shoes. Spit and polish from days in the forces brought a gleaming shine. Old habits die hard.
Shoes for special occasions. Our own and others’ weddings called for elegant high heels. Nevertheless anything goes today: a bride wearing Doc Martens with her beautiful white flowing wedding gown, albeit white ones.
A fact from the Shoeaholics website claimed that 43% of us bought shoes because of how they make us feel. We all heartily agreed. The thrill of getting your own pair of walking boots after years of hand-me-downs from brothers/sisters and friends. A pair of pink shoes bought to celebrate an early scan of pregnancy. Well-loved walking boots that survived years, decades even, of tramping over the hills: Merrell, Scarpa, Berghaus.
The leading criteria for shoes today was comfort and practicality. Slip-ins from Skechers, Fitflops, shoes from Hotter, Pavers and Josef Seibel, Espadrilles, Matador shoes to name but a few.
A few humorous anecdotes were shared:
An extended coffin to fit in an adored pair of Manolo Blahniks.
A dress code in a club in Hong Kong resulting in a husband abandoning his flipflops for a pair of ladies high heels from lost property to allow him to enter.
A husband’s golf shoes dug out of the cobwebs to wear at a very smart golf club and restaurant event disintegrating and depositing bits of black soles across the floor.
Finally, another fact from Shoeaholics told us that Celine Dion has over 10,000 pairs of shoes and that 1 in 8 people own over 100 pairs of shoes. Between us we only managed from 7 to 33 pairs. Time to go shoe shopping!