The Hoser Hut

In New York City, people don't have lawns. But that doesn't seem to stop people from watering the land right outside their front door. It is not clear to me WHY people stand outside, drenching the sidewalk with a garden hose every single morning, but it happens. And the resulting puddles can reach havoc on my black suede ballet flats. Since the dirty looks I give these urban gardeners as I daintily tiptoe through the marshy sidewalk, trying to keep as much of the delicate suede out of the water as possible, don't seem to be having an effect, I am forced to search for an alternate footwear option. I'm thinking these. $27.99 and free shipping -- that is, if the mailman is willing to wade through the flood outside my front door.

Sit Back, Enjoy the Shoe

Recently I went to see Bruce Springsteen at the Meadowlands and I learned an important lesson in security. If a concertgoer brings a backpack (offense 1) with a laptop (offense 2), she is a security risk and must be barred from entry. However, if she gets herself some free Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band plastic bags from the souvenir-y stand, and places her backpack, laptop, ballet flats and other items inside those bags, she is warmly welcomed into the stadium.


When I returned home from the show, I was not unhappy to see that one of those ballet flats had been left behind in the stadium parking lot. They were several years old and they pinched my heels. So, look at these awesome replacements I found - $29, and with this season's studs! (Check out the awesome, not-in-my-size gray.) I am steadfastly avoiding investigating the black ballet flat I may or may not have glimpsed under my umbrella stand.

It figures

I have been searching for the perfect affordable summer flats for weeks. I've pored over thousands of web sites, made trips to hundreds of shoe stores, and tried on dozens of different pairs. I sent Jayn countless e-mails, texts and IMs asking, "What do you think of these?" I lost sleep night after night, tossing and turning and debating the merits of slingbacks vs. huaraches.

So it makes sense that once I gave up my search for shoes I could afford and forked over $80 for a pair that I would come across these. $15. Old Navy. Perfect.

Godspeed

My toes are tired of being hidden away inside my shoes. They are longing to break free, perhaps in these metallic peep-toe flats. I'm loving the ankle strap. They're $24, but if you're quick, you can use coupon code "645" (expires at midnight tonight) for an extra 25% off.

Distress Out

By the end of the day, I am just so tired. There's the job, of course. There's scheming how and where to get my hands on some cupcakes (that is not a joke; I wish it were). There is the million household duties that await me when I return from the job, often accompanied by more cupcake scheming, if the initial cupcake scheming wasn't successful, and sometimes even if it was. It tires even a luckier chick out.


With all that, sometimes I am too tired to distress my own shoes. So I appreciate it when the manufacturer does that work for me - like with these silver flats, that put me in the mood for spring. Plus, with pre-distressing, I don't have to expend any energy trying to take care of the shoes, because "it's the look."

I'm Too Tired to Come Up with A Title for this Entry

I once worked on a project at Nine West. It was located at - surprise - 9 West Street. I am hoping there wasn't a huge amount of cash dropped reaching that branding decision. They told me that the company names the shoes after people they know (again, I hope some brand management firm was not engaged to make that decision). They even promised to name a style after me. To the best of my knowledge they have not. But, I don't hold that against them. Much.

But I can put that grudge behind me, at least temporarily, to purchase these awesome shoes I have been watching for quite a while. They are $48, with free shipping. Let's call them "Jayn" and heal my apparently still raw wound.

Because I want to spare my cousin the pain and suffering of not having a shoesake, I am hereby naming these $32 dollar beauties "Amanda". They come in awesome colors like purple, teal, and brown patent.

Buy now, wear later

Sometimes, buying shoes can be a long-term investment. But isn't it nice when you don't have to invest a lot? Take these awesome suede moccasins. Since it's already spring (really, that nice weather should be starting any day now), some rules of fashion might tell you not to wear these. But that's okay! Buy them now ($40! For suede! What are you waiting for??), put them in your closet, and have a fabulous summer. Then, come October, pull them out, and wear your awesome new shoes every single day. Totally worth the wait.

Shine On

I am finally willing to acknowledge the metallic trend. The metallic trend is like animal print and cargo pants - blink it's in, blink again and it's out, blink once more and they're baaack. So, quick, before you blink again, metallic is back.

And while you really should have metallic shoes from when they were in style 2 blinks ago, you, like me, may have already purged them, thinking you would not blink again. In that case, here is a very cute pair at such a reasonable price you won't feel guilty about re-purchasing them. Anyway, if you gave away your last pair, whoever has been wearing them all this time is now ahead of the trend, and you can congratulate yourself for enabling that feat.