Big Girl Shoes



Add caption

     So, back to my story about ‘big girl shoes.’ I love shoes! Actually, I’m a late bloomer and just discovered that I have, for lack of a better definition, latent shoe passion. Simply meaning I’ve always secretly loved shoes but kept my passion at bay because I could never imagine myself wearing anything so glamorous, high or sexy. It all began when Neecy and I were little. We were born skinny, (scrawny, as Mom calls it) and bowlegged. Growing up, we heard all kinds of comments about the way we walked; funny and lopsided. It was nice having company in my bowlegged-ness. Anyway, because of the out-toeing, wearing shoes with even a slight heel was a challenge. I constantly had to remind myself, “Point your toes straight…” I really hadn’t paid much attention to shoes of the high-heeled variety until Hubby and I traveled to Vegas.

     Walking around the city, I noticed that a lot of women were wearing pumps, heels and wedges with no less than a 3 inch lift. After getting a tattoo I was feeling pretty empowered. So, I decided that the next item on my bucket list would be to dazzle high heeled shoes.

      As luck would have it, when we returned home, I discovered that a well-known shoe designer, Michael Antonio had set up shop in town. They were only open to the public one day a week. So, when Friday rolled around, I was on a mission. When I walked in, I saw a sea of beautiful shoes of every style, design and color. They were so cute! I started trying on shoes, cautious at first, and then I embraced this, ‘what the heck’ attitude and started trying on anything and everything in sight.

     Michael Antonio specializes in one-of-a-kind, uniquely styled shoes; mostly heels. Many of them were totally out of character for me but the more I tried on, the more excited I became. I completely lost track of time and before I realized it, I had selected 5 pairs of shoes. The shoes were a total faith purchase since I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stand, let alone walk in them. When I had tried them on, I was so giddy about how they looked in the mirror that I didn’t even attempt walking in them…(I know, not a bright idea.)

     When I got home, I couldn’t wait to show Hubby my shoes. I gushed, “Guess what I did, Babe? I got ‘big girl’ shoes.” One pair at a time, I showed them to him. Always supportive, my sweet Hubby shared in my enthusiasm because he realized what a big step this was for me. Speaking of step…When I finally got up the courage to walk around in my new shoes I decided to do what most beginners would do…take it really slow. I tried on a pair of boots first which wasn’t too bad. I was comfortable enough to walk several steps without biting it. I was feeling a bit over confident by the time I tried on the cute black stilettos. After the first faltering step, my foot tipped outward and I was about to hit the ground before Hubby saved me. I later learned from high heeled experts that practicing at home is the best thing to do before attempting to wear them in public.

     What I’ve learned through this experience is that shoes really do influence how you feel. I haven’t mastered the art of looking confident while I walk in them, but they do give me a boost in more ways than one. Since my last shoe shopping spree, Michael Antonio had a $10.00 shoe sample sale. I was SO excited and Hubby even went with me. This time, I walked out with 7 pairs of shoes.

     These days, my biggest problem isn’t walking without falling in my cute new shoes; it’s finding a way to make my closet bigger to accommodate my growing collection. Something tells me that the next item on my bucket list is going to be home remodeling. I think Hubby better hide the tools. What have you been up to lately? Oh, Michael Antonio is available for online purchases too. www.michaelantonio.com (Just in case you’re tempted.)

~Syrone