Imelda Marcos Revisited

About two weeks ago, I returned to work after have a procedure on my back to help a herniated disc heal. I decided since I felt so good, that I would wear a pair of my classy, high heeled booties. I loved these booties. They were cool looking booties, the ones everyone always complimented me about. But my knees and back were hurting by the time lunch came around.

So, it was then, that I decided to trade in my high heeled collection for shoes that are made to be more appropriate for aging joints. 

A few years back, I had started to show signs that maybe the cuteness factor was now needing to be less important than comfort. So, I started doing research and found that comfort didn't always have to mean sacrificing cute, and it seemed that shoes like Clark's did have some cute styles. Like the ones to the left that I bought today. The other pair are a cute bootie style, also in black. I had already purchased a pair of brown booties that I had found on sale years ago. I will say this, DSW does have great prices on Clark's shoes.

Sadly, I did decide two weeks ago that it was time to purge my shoe collection of shoes I can no longer handle wearing. I had two over the door shoe savers, and both were full, with overflows in an already too small closet. So, I gathered them all up, cleaned them up, and took photos of them. I then added them to garage sale groups/sites on Facebook, where several pair sold rather quickly. It was a way to make extra cash during a tight week. This also allowed me to consolidate my shoes collection into one over the door shoe saver, too.

It was also time to upgrade to a new pair of running shoes. I had done a lot of research on running shoes and other athletic styles, and had come to the conclusion that Asics and Brooks have the best for people with flat feet. I have chosen the Gel Kayano 23 by Asics as my shoe of choice. Today, I purchased my 4th pair in 4 years. While some may not purchase new running shoes very often, it is important to note that if you are an active individual, you should replace your running/athletic shoes at least once a year to prevent any unnecessary injuries. Trust me in that you really don't want to have blisters from running or athletic shoes that are no longer as supportive or comfortable as they were when first purchased.

Now I do not advocate going out and buying new shoes to add to a shoe collection. If you buy a new pair, you should always let go of another pair or two. I may have purchased three pair of shoes today, but I had also let go of 16 pair of shoes that no longer fit my lifestyle. 

When it comes to shoes, you should also consider the same rules as you would your wardrobe: Do they make me happy, do I feel good in them, do they hurt my feet, are they still in style. All of those questions are important, and all of them must be answered. You can't skip over the comfort question at all, or else you'll wind up with deformed feet by the time you are in your senior years. 

So, there you have it. Cleaning out the closets of shoes also has a joyous ending. I'm happy that all of my shoes have been consolidated together, and that I no longer have to sacrifice comfort for style. And that comfort doesn't always mean sacrificing style either. Remember, if it doesn't bring you joy, it no longer serves its purpose in your life.