Warm Weather Classics

When I woke up this morning it was 6 degrees outside. My feet are layered under 2 pair of socks snuggled in a pair of boots. My mind wanders to summer, when my super white, super dry feet turn tan and lovely. If nothing else on my body turns golden the tops of my feet always will. I look in my closet to find a pair of my favorites.

My Ada Pleats Peep in Black are well worn, slightly roughed up, definitely in need of a fresh sole. The heel is only about 1.5 - 2 inches so one of the most comfortable city walking shoes shifting my weight ever so slightly. Around the toes 4 large pleats resemble petals and a very vintage look overall. Being all leather they do stretch, slightly more in the width. I was a little shocked to see that Frye makes them (known so well for their boots than their dainty peep toe heels.) I have had them for a year and a half now and still love them dressed up or dressed down. Whether dancing at a wedding in a dress or in jeans at a bar singing live band karaoke, I will never worry about hobbling home with blisters. I only wish Frye made some more vintage inspired shoes.

The Breaking Point

It snapped. I was strolling along in my new bright red sandals and all of a sudden could not take one step further. Painful to put any pressure on my foot, I hobbled around my vacation in Boulder, Colorado unable to figure out what had happened. I wasn't running, jumping, I wasn't drunk, nothing abnormal had happened. A bone had broken in the top of my foot that eventually two foot doctors later explained it like "a wine glass shattering when it barely taps something."

Sometimes you can find an old photograph of yourself and think wow, that feels like an entirely different person than me now, sometimes a pair of shoes can bring the same feeling. I bought these shoes at Shoe Market in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2007. They are "Salt Water" sandals but that extremely hot summer the only salt water I would be walking in was rain mixing with sweat on the pavement. The sole is extremely rigid and inflexible but the actual shoe is very wide so its pretty comfortable. They actually sell the exact shoes to kids, so you feel like a little kid wallowing around.

I liked wallowing around, I liked to pretend to be carefree for a moment. I even stood up to the doctors for these shoes, saying no, it wasn't the shoes that broke my foot! I even wore them a couple more times after the break healed. And then, just like that my childhood was over. They broke me and I never showed them the ocean before I let them go.

Starting with The Basics

Exhilaration @ Target $9 Keds knockoffs

What else can $9 buy in New York?

After a quick Google search $9 can buy me: 4 new spark plugs (I wouldn't know what to do with them), a used green halter, or 100 "choice or child" fliers. I'm scared and know my $9 shoes were a brilliant decision.

A mix between Vans and Keds- totally perfect no frill relaxed summer lace up. More padding in the front toe area than the back so you almost feel like you are standing uphill slightly. I strapped them on at 9:30 AM- by 11:30 AM I was feeling hot spots on my Achilles...by noon I found Band-Aids to cover the backs of my heels. We had brunch and headed to Coney Island. The white was perfect for summer, knotting the laces and dangling them from my bag, walking barefoot on the beach sand gets under the Band-Aids but I can't complain.