For those of you who are on Facebook or read my blogs writingwomansworld.blogspot.com, bookszeus.wordpress.com or donnadmunro.wordpress.com you may have given me feedback on why you love shoes (and thank you again). As yet the article hasn’t been taken up but I’ve pitched it to another magazine so I’ll keep you posted.
It got me thinking about shoes, and, for one who professes to not be a shoe-a-holic, I seem to be getting up bit hung up on shoes lately (not just figuratively, I got my shoes caught on the surf club steps the other night and almost took an embarrassing tumble).
Recently my brother commented, “ What’s with the biker-chick boots and bling and being all dressed up?”
I’ve been wearing the boots all winter and at twenty-five bucks from Jay Jays, that’s my bargain of the season. The bling I’ve had about two years and worn often to family barbecues. It’s a waist-long silver chain with shells and pearls (not biker chick, more surfy chick). I had skinny acid-washed jeans and a quarter-sleeve black and white tunic shit. So okay my brother isn’t that observant but it got me thinking that I’d done something right with what I was wearing.
It was odd for him to notice. I honestly didn’t think guys’ eyes go to shoes unless they are mile-heigh stilettos showing off killer calves and long sexy legs. But hey, maybe they do.
I try to look good wherever I go even if it is with my dear family, who’d love me even if I was wearing a potato sack. My fashion sense has gotten better with age. I never used to care about what I was wearing as long as the dress was short, the shoes showed off my tan and were comfortable enough to hobble around in until early in the morning and I looked hot (just my perception possibly the guys didn’t think so). Actually I remember my usual summer outfit was a bikini. Though I can still wear one reasonably well I don’t think my 15-year-old son would appreciate such a fashion statement when his mates are visiting.
Colour? The only colours I thought about were those that were bright. I was a big fan of flouros (cringe!) and I can happily say I’ve toned that down and people have stopped wearing sunglasses around me.
Thongs. God I loved thongs and those wedge thongs in three or four colours (apparently they are coming back) gave me a little extra height, so they were priceless.
So what’s changed? My care factor. I don’t even step out of the house without makeup, let alone shoes. I’m not one of those mums who’ll happily chat over the neighbor's fence in a terry-toweling robe and a roller in my hair. No way. I won’t even get in the car and go to the shop unless I have something decent on.
Even if it’s only a workout outfit it has to fit flatteringly (nothing worse than bulging panty line) and be fairly colour co-ordinated and clean runners must adorn my feet. A bit of Dove under the arms helps too. If I’m going to the shopping centre instead of just the corner store I up the anti. Makeup, jeans, ironed t-shirt or blouse, earrings and shoes (usually sandals or low pumps) or a pretty dress in summer. My hair needs to be washed and blow-dried. As a twenty-something I thought beach-swept messy hair was de rigueur now I’d feel like a homeless person if I left my hair unwashed.
Going to the footy on the weekend I always co-ordinate with the team I’m supporting and I have a lot of fun with it and always get comments (good ones okay).
I don’t think I’m vainer (I’m sure my 20-something me was far more conceited). I don’t think I’m a middle-aged-old-fashioned dresser either. My style is mainly what suits my body and that includes colours and shapes. I’m short so big patterns make me look ridiculous and some shoes just don’t suit my petite feet. I like feminine clothes that show I’m a woman without being too sexy. There’s nothing worse than looking like you’re out for a root at a nightclub when your at a neighborhood barbie. Save it for the actual nightclub.
I don’t have much to choose from each season, with a family (teenage boys) to feed and bills to pay but I think I do okay with what I do have. I don’t have expensive loud jewelry in fact I don’t have expensive taste. If I could say what style I have I’d say my own. I’ll think about it some more when I figure out a way to describe it.
But...back to the shoes. At my friend Lisa’s son’s 21st birthday party I couldn’t help but notice the huge, platform shoes the young women were wearing. They could give me about 40cm extra height and at 151cm tall that is extremely appealing. I don’t know how they balance on them but I’m game to try. I’m just wondering how sore their toes and calves will be by the end of the night.
How great would it be to look at people's heads instead of smelling their armpits all night (a short person's perspective eh!)?
Tell me if you know.
No comments:
Post a Comment