Does the Shoe Fit?

I have a pair of brown sandals and a pair of black sandals for summer, a pair of black boots and a pair of brown boots for winter, and running shoes in various ages and stages (which is probably another post). I think the last time I bought a shoes to match a particular outfit was for my wedding. And buying fun shoes that would require shopping for an outfit to go around them . . . that seems like the height of irresponsible decadence. When it comes to my relationship with shoes, the best word to describe me is “practical.” 

So when I decided that I needed a pair of walking sandals, my main goal was to find something I could wear with just about anything. Step one was to text a friend who I know hikes in sandals. She told me that she loves her Chacos. Her text read: “We went creek walking and hiking on the Fourth of July, and I could do all of that without changing my shoes. Plus, I’ve worn them to church before, too.” Sounded perfect. REI sells Chaco, so I headed there. The salesman was one of those very fit older guys. His face was brown and lined like he’d been outdoors a lot, and he had a bandana covering his bald head. Clearly, he would know about walking sandals. I asked him to bring me a pair of Chacos and a few other options he thought might be good.

I first tried on a pair of Keens, which made my feet feel fantastic, kind of relaxed and energetic at the same time. Unfortunately, they also made my feet look like they belonged to a giant smurf. 

           Probably one reason that I am not a shoe person is that I have big feet. After size seven, many shoes stop being cute. These Keens were definitely in that category. I then tried the Chacos, which were black and strappy, and actually looked pretty good. I didn’t love the way they fit, though — too high an arch. Maybe I could get used to the feel for the sake of fashion . . . . While I was dithering, the salesman suggested that I try Eccos, saying that both he and his wife had a pair. I tried them, and they were less ugly that the Keens and more comfortable than the Chacos. By this point, I was embarrassed about being a difficult customer, so I bought the Eccos, even though they were about $50 more expensive than the other brands.

This are actually Clarks, not Eccos. They look exactly the same, though, which
is the important thing here, since the photo's purpose is illustrative.

I will digress here and say that for my willingness to spend $130 on a pair of shoes, I have my father to thank. Though not a spendthrift by any means, my dad has always put great stock in buying good shoes. A man’s feet are his . . . I don’t know what, but something even more important than a castle. So I turned over the credit card and took possession of my new, super-outdoorsy sandals.

I was content, but not thrilled, with my purchase. I became even father from thrilled when I showed the Eccos to the family shoe person. To digress, again, let me say that if I didn’t know which member of our family was the shoe person, Drew would be my last guess. Nevertheless, he definitely has the family’s strongest shoe game, consisting largely in a rainbow of Pumas, as well as a pair of running shoes so incredibly cool that he can't wear them anywhere for fear of marring them.

The Under Armour Poison Frog. Would you want to get this dirty?

         So I asked Drew if the thought that the Eccos looked too much like old lady shoes. (This is a wardrobe fear of mine -- accompanied by a fear of trying to look too much like a teenager. Middle-aged fashion is full of land mines.) His response: “Well Mom, if you want comfortable walking shoes, you really can’t avoid old lady shoes.” Translation: “Your feet look 100. At least”

There was a challenge in his statement that I couldn’t resist. I decided that I would find a pair of stylish, comfortable sandals just to show Mr. Shoe Mafia that it was possible. The Old Person Eccos were going back. Fortunately, REI has the world’s best return policy — you can use an item for a year, as much as you want, and they will take it back in whatever condition you bring it. As I had only worn the Eccos around the block a few times, I didn’t feel too bad. In fact, the nice lady at the customer service desk seemed like she didn’t believe I had worn them outside at all. I almost felt guilty that I hadn’t scuffed them more.

After that began my online hunt. I read articles, searched outdoorsy websites, and browsed Zappos and Amazon. Finally, I found it: The holy grail of footwear, cute, comfortable, and appropriate for almost any occasion. Drew might scoff, but I am happy with my Keen Rose Athletic Sandals. 

Okay yes, they would look even cuter in a smaller size,
but we have to work with what we have.

  Besides searching for footwear, my other summer pastime (a favorite of mothers across the country) has been driving kids. This afternoon, I found myself at an outdoor mall with an hour to wait for a late-arriving child, and I decided that it would be fun to take some pictures for this blog. I headed over to DSW, snapped some photos, and still had a while, so I browsed the clearance section. Maybe I am not so practical after all.

. . . and now I have to go shopping for an outfit to go with these beauties.