As Good as New

Often it’s the things you love that get used and worn down, like a comfy sweatshirt or a favorite mug. After a while you realize that the thing you love it on the cusp of death. Some items are beyond repair; they’re so rundown that there’s really no point in trying to reclaim their former glory (and you just have to let it go). Yet with other items it just takes a little help to make them nearly new again.

I had that moment not long ago when I snagged my heel on the carpet and finally took a look at my shoes and saw that the heel was down to the nub; I could see the nail (and that wasn’t good). These were not terribly old shoes (probably less than a year old), but I wear them fairly often because they’re low comfortable heels. They’re a nice all-purpose black pair of heels made out of material with a bit of shine to them. And because I liked them, I was hard on them…and it showed.

I haven’t done too much in the way of shoe repair in the past (other then my beloved boots) because usually my shoes aren’t worth saving. Often my shoes are made of cheap materials that get scratched and cracked and fixing a heel wouldn’t be enough to save them. But the shoes in question were worth saving—so I saved them. I got the heels fixed and now they feel like new shoes. I’m glad I can wear these shoes a bit longer (instead of having to hunt for another pair of shoes to replace them—which would likely be a long and arduous task).

These Shoes Aren’t Meant for Walking

Like a vast majority of women, I love shoes. The right pair of shoes can help make or break an outfit, and depending on the chosen shoes, it can transform any outfit to being more dressy or causal. The shear number of shoe options can be overwhelming: flats, pumps, platforms, wedges, sandals and boots. But despite the array of shoe options, I find it difficult to find what I want (mostly because of a lack of practicality). I love a pair of heels, but I want them to be not only cute, but also something I can actually walk in. I don’t think I’m asking for the impossible, yet usually the shorter heels look too matronly to me, while the taller heels are often times just shy of stripper shoes.

I know tall heels make your legs look longer and slimmer, but I don’t want to break one of my legs merely because I chose to walk in too-tall heels. I may be vain, but I’m not that vain. So it always disappoints me when I’m at a store and see a cute pair of shoes from a distance, only to come closer and see that the heel is higher than I want. I usually don’t even bother trying them on because what’s the point? I don’t want to fall in love with a pair of heels that I’ll never wear.

[Pause.] There have been several times that my vanity got the better of me and lead me to buying heels that were 4 inches high (which tends to be my maximum height limit). And really, those shoe purchases have been a waste of money as I hardly ever wear them because they take too much effort to wear. I have to actually concentrate to walk in them, and I can’t really walk far or drive in them, so if I decide to wear them I have to also have flats with me to be my walking and driving shoes. Once I reach my final destination I can switch from my comfortable flats to my cute too-tall heels. [Sigh.] It’s just silly to have shoes that are just meant for sitting.