Running With Quills: Susan wonders: Can a woman ever really have enough shoes?

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

Susan wonders: Can a woman ever really have enough shoes?

My best friend Mimi gave me this card for my birthday and inside it reads: Do I know you, or what?

Uh...yeah. She does. I LOVE shoes. Love em, love em, love em. I was watching a morning program as I Nordic Tracked one day and one of the hosts said that in a survey, when asked what they would rather have--given the choice between shoes, handbags or clothing-- women overwhelmingly picked...

Handbags.

Say what?

I gotta tell you, I don't get that at all. Now, I like a nice purse as much as the next woman, but frankly I don't have the time to be constantly transfering all my stuff from one bag to the next. Shoes on the other hand take no time at all to slip on and kick off.

Don't get me wrong, if it ever came down to a choice between shoes or books, books would win hands dow--

Well, there is always the library.

No, no, I don't mean that, really I don't. Just kidding. I have WAY more boots than-- BOOKS! Books, I meant to say. I have way more books than shoes.
Hey. It's not as if I HAVE to buy shoes. I can stop any time.

Man, would you look at those Manolo Blahniks?

Um, what was I saying? Oh, yeah. It's not as if I'm addicted, or anything. I don't have that many pairs. Ask the Soulmate, ask Mimi. Well, maybe not those two. They're still giving me a bad time about spending the only 40 minute break I had in a Nordie's shoe department during the Sizzling Summer Authors bus tour. But it wasn't as if I was the only one! Ask Jacquie D'Alessandro and Gemma Halliday. I was just following them. Everyone knows I have no sense of direction.

Anyhow it's not a problem. But I do know where my little shoe habit began. I distinctly remember a saleslady coming up to my mother when I was still an infant. "Booties for your baby?" she asked slyly. "First one's on us."

What's your downfall?

31 Comments:

DFender said...: LOLOLOL Susan... geez, do I know how that goes.

Shoes are my hugest downfall... any shoes... flats, heels, open toe, boots, flip flops (which I, cleverly, don't count as "shoes" when I'm asked how many pairs of shoes I own), sandals, sneakers, etc. I love 'em all, every damn pair of 'em. I wear a size 2 in kids and a size 4 in women's so who can fault me when I find a pair that I like (really not so rare, ha!) and buy 'em? Oy... Love 'em.

Unfortunately, I also love pajamas, socks, books and Starbucks coffees too. Thank gawd the HHP is so in love that he forgets how much stuff I "hafta have" and pretends that I'm low maintenance. LOL.

*wipes brow* Thank you, thank you for your blog... I feel so much less...well... greedy now... LOL.

Happy Friday! YaY!

Deb; 3:21 AM
DFender said...: Crap. I forgot to mention that what started me on my "shoe habit". It was those cute, plastic, high-heeled slides, with elastic straps and sparkly glitter that my Mom bought me when I was little. Some of 'em even had the feathery stuff on 'em. Oooooh. I love those. Still do. No, I don't have any cuz they don't make 'em even to fit my little feet. Dammit.

:-)

Deb; 3:24 AM
Lori Foster said...: ROTFLMAO!!!
Too funny.
Well, I like shoes a lot, but since I mostly just wear jeans, and more often than not my feet end up in my tennis shoes... buying too many shoes would be pointless. I usually buy news shoes when I buy a new "dress-up" outfit, because the occasions when I wear something other jeans are so few and far between, the styles have changed. ;-)

Great blog, Susan. I sometimes wish I was a more girly-girl.

Lori; 6:45 AM
Jacquie D'Alessandro said...: Hey gals!
When Susan told me she'd written a blog about Shoes (which should always be capitalized, btw!) and that she'd mentioned me, I thought I'd pop over. Yes, it's true that Susan, Gemma, and I spent our 40 minute power shopping break at the mall in Nordstrom's, but where else would three Shoe aficianados (sounds SO much better than "addicts") go? Susan bought the most adorable pair of Shoes while I wallowed in Shoe envy because the pair I coveted wasn't available in my size. Bummer! So advanced is my aficianado-ness (yes, it's a word. Probably.) that I have page on my website devoted to the Shoe of the month. True, the page is badly in need of updating, but I've been on deadline. But even while on deadline, one can Shoe shop thanks to the wonder that is Zappos.com. If you haven't been to Zappos, go. Immediately. Free shipping, free returns, great customer service, and thousands of Shoes to feed your aficianado-ness. Because as every Shoe aficianado knows, it's ALL about the Shoes. Happy shopping!
Thanks for the head's-up on your fun blog, Susan! Talking about Shoes is always a great way to start the day!
xox Jacquie; 6:57 AM
Anonymous said...: I love shoes. Imagine my heartbreak when I had to GIVE AWAY ALL MY SHOES after I had my son. My feet grew an entire size. And I had shoes...pumps, boots, sandals galore. I worked in an office and dressed up everyday. Just the pumps...there was this red pair...

Since I now work from home primarily, I've never replaced all those great pumps. But there is nothing that makes me happier than a cute pair of sandals/thongs in the summer. Or maybe three pair. Or four.

Otherwise, I buy books. Way, way too many. I've long run out of bookcases and they're taking over. As are my husband's and daughter's, which is, to quote Martha, a good thing.

Carolyn; 7:00 AM
dee from oz said...: Nestle Club dark chocolate
roasted almond
light and creamy
original
cappucino
fruit and nut/ rum&raisin
I don't do shoes, very frustrating.; 7:15 AM
Candace Schuler said...: I buy Shoes even when I don't have anything to do with them. And then, of course, I must find an outfit to go with.

And, Lori, jeans go with any kind of Shoes. Really. Throw on a silky cami, a pair of dark jeans, and a sparkly pair of stiletto heels and you can go to the fanciest resturant in town. Not going out? I wear ballet flats--red patent, zebra print, denim studded with "jewels"--with my capri jeans and summer skirts.

My other...um...addictions are cookbooks and cookware. And--as soon as it warms up here in Indiana--flowering plants. Dozens and dozens of flowering plants for my yard.; 8:17 AM
Candace Schuler said...: That was supposed to be go, as in "..even when I don't have anything to go with them."; 8:19 AM
Gemma Halliday said...: (standing up)
Hi, my name is Gemma and I’m a shoe addict.
(all chime in now… ‘Hi, Gemma…’)
Seriously, I cannot believe that some women chose handbags as a vice over shoes. Have they ever been to DSW? Have they not experienced the joy of finding the perfect, Italian leather slingbacks not only on sale but also in their size? It’s a seriously orgasmic experience. Jacquie and Susan can attest to how big my smile was after finding that pair of silver kitten heeled sandals at Nordstrom. Honestly, I don’t even know how we ended up at Nordstrom. One minute we were asking, “Where’s the bookstore,” the next, we were trying on shoes. No memory of actually walking there. Wow, a shoe blackout. I am an addict.

And yes, jean are the perfect compliment to a cute pair of heels. Jeans, T-shirt, and heels. My fav outfit. :)

~Gemma; 9:03 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi all!
I don't consider myself a shoe afficiando as I would buy a book first, but my daughter, well let's just say we have called her mini Amelda since she was old enough to voice her opinion about what went on her feet! LOL... She has shoes everywhere (under the bed, in the closet, in her car) and in just about every style, color, etc and can't resist a sale. I have to agree with Candace, you can wear just about any shoe with your jeans.. especially those snazy bright red stilettos; 10:01 AM
susan andersen said...: Deb, you wear a SIZE FOUR? Holy-cannoli. I wear a nine and a half. When I was in junior highschool, the girl next door would always ask in this sweet sweet tone, "What size shoes do you wear now, Susie?" instead of just saying, "Sure got big feet, sister." I like my feet, though. They're narrow with long toes and hey, they give me balance. Plus I can decorate them!

Lori, I agree with all who said you can wear any shoes with jeans. Hell, um, heck, I mean: You can dress up jeans any ol which way, period. They are my hands-down favorite piece of clothing.

Carolyn, I'm lighting a candle for the demise of your shoe collection. But on the book front you really CAN'T buy too many of those. The holy Trinity for me is: food, shoes, books. Not necessarily in that order.; 10:44 AM
susan andersen said...: Jacquie. Gemma. My Sistahs! Welcome, welcome.

Hey you all,did you know these two are Rita nominees this year? Gemma has TWO for SPYING IN HIGH HEELS. (Best first book and Novel with a strong romantic element catagories) Jacquie has her story Summer Breeze from Come September in the Best romantic novella catagory. I, sadly, have nothing. But they rock!

You gotta go easy, Dee, on that chocolate and cappucinos, et el. Get too hopped up on caffein and your true buried desires will rise to the top. Before you know it, you'll be haunting the shoe departments. And if you don't beleive me, just ask Gemma. What do you think the first step in her jouney to Shoe Annoymous was? Uh-huh.
Nestle Club dark chocolate
roasted almond
light and creamy
original
cappucino
fruit and nut/ rum&raisin
It's a slippery slope. I'm telling ya.; 11:04 AM
DFender said...: Susan,
Yes a size four... and I lose my balance all the time... go figure! I want boats for feet. I mean I want bigger feet. But nice, pretty, bigger feet. Oh boy. I'm a bad girl, bad, bad...

Jeans go with ALL SHOES... ANY SHOES...

Deb; 11:38 AM
elizabeth said...: Very pretty.

*feet screaming*

I'll admire them in store windows. ;-); 11:55 AM
Stella said...: Shoes--and jewelry. This has been a red letter week. I put three pairs of Shoes in the Goodwill bag. They're all good shoes but someone else needs them more than I do. Just hope I can get the bag through the door without snatching something back.

Next time someone plans a 40 power shop for shoes dash, if I'm around, grab me. I won't complain!

On jewelry. Of course I love good things, unique things, but I can get just as excited over a trendy piece of flim flam that simply makes me happy.

Cheers, Stella; 1:18 PM
susan andersen said...: Elizabeth, I don't get to wear high heels very often for that same reason. Used to wear them all the time when I was --cough--younger, but my feet don't care for them much these days. Still....there's lot of other pretty shoes out there without the tall, tall heels. But I do love the looks of them.

And Stella, I've seen some of your shoes. And jewlery. And clothes. Yum=mee!; 1:42 PM
Jacquie D'Alessandro said...: Hey, count me in for any Shoe shopping extravaganzas. Forty minutes doesn't really give you enough time to SAVOR, but it's doable if that's all the time you've got. Susan and Gemma managed to find treasures. Now, having chocolate AFTER you've found the perfect pair of Shoes--THAT is a perfect day. Especially if you get to curl up with a good book when you get home from the Shoe/chocolate shopping.
And Stella--I met you once--at the Harlequin offices in Toronto when RT was there. I know you don't remember (and probably I shouldn't remind you), but I walked into the ladies room and there you were. Stella Freakin' Cameron. I'm sure you had on fab shoes, but I was too starstruck to notice. Or maybe I drooled on your shoes--definitely a possibility. I know I gushed over you and your books and after you left I went into a stall and whapped my head on the metal door thinking, "Oh, God, Stella Freakin' Cameron must think I'm a whacko."
Yeah--probably I shouldn't have reminded you. But since we're now Shoe soul sister, what the heck.
Jacquie; 2:17 PM
Brandy said...: Okay, I'm definitely in the weird department of women. I like shoes, but love 'em, nope. I DO hate heels, my tendency to fall over wheile wearing them led to that. Sandals are however, a distinct favorite. (Hey, I'm from the South, I prefer going barefoot half the time!) But, my passion? BOOKS. My husband can attest. Luckily for me he doesn't mind. *g*; 4:06 PM
Nancy R said...: One of my shoe low points was when after years of not wearing my beautiful high heels due to back problems I gave them all to Goodwill. It took me a few years to figure out that low heal and simple did not have to mean boring. I now have pink shoes with white trim, lime green leather, rust suede, several different styles in red... I think you get the idea.; 4:38 PM
susan andersen said...: But, my passion? BOOKS. My husband can attest. Luckily for me he doesn't mind.

Aw, Brandy. Lucky for us, too. (Big happy grin)

Nancy, absolutely. They've got cute, cute, cute flats and smaller wedges, kitten heels--you name it.

And Stella, you might think Jacquie's exaggerating, but I can attest--that is exactly something she would do--head whacking and all. (well, except for the drooling part--can't see her drooling :); 5:22 PM
Stella said...: Jacquie: That's hysterical. Glad to hear from Susan that you don't drool! Saddest thing now is that I really don't want to do much heel because I've spent so many years in fluffy socks or nothing on my feet at all. I won't suffer anymore.

Also, there are those who know that my feet could battle with the Princess and the Pea for most wussy skin. I am rarely without a dressing here or there and the search goes on for that perfect shoe--the one that makes my heart go bumpity-bump but doesn't cause anything to bleed...

Stella; 7:29 PM
karende said...: Ah, shoes. I never was much of a shoe person, partly because my feet change sizes without warning, partly because I've had too many jobs that required me to be on my feet. I did once have a wonderfully comfortable pair of shearling clogs with the highest heels I've ever seen on a wooden soled clog, but I also happen to be the only person I've ever heard of who actually wore them out! Really - the wood sole [which was about 3/4" thick at it's lowest point] cracked and split. Now I love Birks - they are more forgiving of size changes and they are comfortable. Not to mention that they can be resoled for a relative pittance - at least they can if one's DH doesn't decide they're worn out and he's tired of looking at them and tosses them in the trash can, or decides he doesn't like the color and puts them on the back step where the dog at that time ate all but the buckle!

karibear; 9:09 PM
Elizabeth Guest said...: What's my addiction?

Handbags. (Every shape, size and color.) Legal pads and just the right pen. (Buy them by the boxful.) Makeup. (Which is especially weird since I usually wear very little.) Books. (Of course, books. My TBR is approaching mountainsize.) The list goes on and on.

Love the blog, Susan!
~EG; 5:31 AM
Jayne Ann Krentz said...: Ah, Shoes. I love 'em, especially red ones. My biggest problem is finding good looking shoes that I can wear on those hard convention floors at RWA. Every year I pack a couple of pairs of glorious, strappy, heeled sandals bought new for the occasion. And every year by Day Two of the convention I'm forced back into my flip-flops. So sad.

Doesn't stop me, though. I'm already shopping for a new pair of red shoes for RWA this year!

--Jayne

--Jayne; 11:10 AM
AgTigress said...: Hmm. Shoes are super: bags are even better.

And jewellery is best of all.

;-); 2:00 PM
elizabeth said...: I love looking at jewelry, especially wearable art. Carolyn Morris Bach is my fave. I've actually given up buying other jewelry because I always reach past if for a CMB piece.; 3:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Books and chocolate.

My friend, Mirm, says she's pulling my "girl card". *snork*

Clothes are okay. Shoes keep my feet warm. Jewelry is pretty to look at in a case.

Books and chocolate. Maybe coffee...

Does my hubby count as a downfall? *grin*; 3:47 PM
Anonymous said...: I believe there's no such thing as too many shoes. Shoes are like food, you just have to keep buying them. I get bored with shoes, and then I need to buy new shoes. I bought these great brown shoes to go with my great brown suit, the suit is still working for me, but the shoes, just don't do it. So I went and got another pair of brown shoes. I just wish I didn't live in Europe where you have to pay three times as much for shoes and everything else.; 3:59 PM
Lori Foster said...: Okay, I should have explained that with my jeans, (depending on the weather) I wear either a heavy X-large sweatshirt (and yeah, it swims on me) or the same size T-shirt, often with some dorky saying on the front.

I'm all about comfort.

So given the upper dressing with the jeans, no, nice shoes wouldn't look right. LOL

I'm a slob, what can I say?

Plus, being squatty (short doesn't cover it) all the really trendy stuff like silky camis and high heels just don't work.
I envy how taller women make that look so good. ;-)

I did go shopping with my soon-to-be daughter in law yesterday though, and we picked out not only lovely white shoes, but a wedding dress, veil and other accessories for her!
I had a blast. :-)

Lori; 5:55 AM
Ranurgis said...: Having just moved and finding shoes in every odd corner, I can definitely say that I have *too many* shoes. In fact, some don't even have mates but since there's still a lot to go through, who know what will still come out of the woodwork, bags or boxes.

My problem is that I've got weird feet. My heels are ultra-narrow, my big toes are so oddly shaped I had to have the nails removed. And I've definitely noticed that all the right shoes disintegrate way before the left ones are even scuffed. My right ankle constantly goes over on me. Too bad you have to buy two different shoes to get a pair. I mean it would be so nice if you could just wear a left shoe on your right foot at home at least.

Oh, yes, if I find a pair of shoes I really feel comfortable in, I always get two pairs. And comfortable is the operative word for all my shoes. I could and would never wear a stiletto heel. Most of the time an inch and a half is too much and those shoes are kept only for the times I have to look at least half-way dressy.

For as long as I can remember books have been my passion, though there were times when I liked scarves or bracelets or... But bling? Definitely not. Amber is the closest I get to "real" jewelry and the one 18 carat gold necklace I had disappeared on me.

I've finally gotten on line again today. I've been off since last Thursday. So today, Tuesday, I'm backtracking. Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Yeah, Stella, shoe problems have been the bane of my existence for as long as I can remember. My right foot is also somewhat larger and longer than my left so try to find that in shoes. I don't like walking barefooted because my grandma always scolded me when I did. Oh, shoes. Wish I didn't need them.; 2:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Somedays the blog drives me nuts....anyways...I LOVE bags, totes, satchels, purses, wallets, backpacks, etc. etc. etc.

I live a busy life of multiple activities and work two jobs, so I always have the second job tote, daily tote with snacks, book, water, magazine, cough drops or allergy meds,etc. The purse changes with my mood, approximately one per month or a little longer. People always like my "new purse" but don't realize many times I have just raided the closet.

I like shoes but all in the comfort zone; I am eyeing the LLBean version of crocks. I have a friend that says they are great...enough for me!
SusanB; 5:51 AM

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

Susan wonders: Can a woman ever really have enough shoes?

31 Comments: