In Wardrobe-related News…
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I didn’t really NEED these shoes. I have ankle booties that I can wear with skirts, and I have a pair of city boots I can wear with jeans and trousers. However the ankle booties are peeptoe, and the city boots… well I just don’t like them. I bought them out of desperation.
When you are overweight, you don’t carry that fat just in your belly – it goes everywhere, including your feet. After having Emerson I had an extremely difficult time finding any shoes that would fit. Before getting pregnant, I was already wearing brands that tended to size wide, or purchasing wide widths whenever available. After she was born, my feet were almost as wide as they were long. I became a huge fan of brands like Sofft, David Tate and Fitzwell for offering extra-wide width shoes with style.
A year after Emerson’s birth, my feet had narrowed slightly – enough to make many of these lovely wide shoes I bought almost unwearable. I decided to purchase a new pair of city boots to replaced the very worn, now too big (and slightly dowdy) David Tates I owned. I tried a couple of my old favorite brands – Franco Sarto, Nine West, Enzo Angiolini, Impo, found them all to be too tight on my still-puffy tootsies. After reading online, I checked out Fitzwell and found a pair of booties that had a slender kitten heel, extended toe box, and weren’t that cute on top, but knew that portion would be hidden by my pant leg. They fit, they were incredibly comfortable, and they got the job done.
I learned during my adult life to buy lower- to mid-priced shoes because my wide yet short feet would quickly stretch them out, and anyway I had some stinky feet that would make even the most-babied shoes unwearable after a season or two. I didn’t think this would ever change. Then I had a baby and joined Weight Watchers. Childbirth changed my chemical makeup and I was happy to find out it made my feet far less stinky. I could switch out insoles, wear natural-fiber socks and have shoes stay nice forever. And with Weight Watchers, I am seeing the padding disappear from my chin, my belly… and my feet. My slimmer tootsies started swimming in my Fitzwell boots – I started compensating by wearing thick socks and subconsciously purchased less pants because I didn’t like my only winter pants-appropriate footwear.
One day I was doing some virtual window shopping at Nordstrom.com and saw a pair of Cole Haan booties on sale. They had the Nike technology that people rave about. This bootie looked really classic and versatile – so versatile I thought they could be worn with pants AND skirts. Unlike the ankle booties I already owned, they had a closed toe and no memorable details. They had a more… modern and stylish silhouette than my Fitzwell city boots (and a higher heel, which I liked). I would have NEVER considered Cole Haan pre-pregnancy because I couldn’t see spending so much on a pair of shoes that would be grody within a year. But they were on sale for less than $150, and I am a new Allie, with new feet…
They arrived on Monday and I didn’t even open the box until Tuesday. I just NEW they wouldn’t fit. Tuesday night, after putting Emerson to sleep I went and tried on the shoes. Oh my, the leather is pretty, the heel is the perfect width and height, and they FIT! Omigoodness, they FIT! Not only do they fit, they are comfortable. Not as insanely perfectly comfortable as my Miss Sixty booties, but darn-patootin’ close! It feels GOOD to be wearing well-made shoes that fit, flatter, and could easily be in my wardrobe for years.
So technically, I didn’t need another pair of shoes in my wardrobe. However I think these shoes are good for my soul, as well as my soles!
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It is my understanding that women often experience a change in shoe size after pregnancy not because of weight gain but because the same hormone which loosens one’s ligaments enough to carry a pregnancy, permanently loosens some of those ligaments resulting in permanently larger feet. (Sometimes also wider hips). It usually doesn’t continue: my first pregnancy my feet went from 7 or 7.5 to a definite 8. Out went a lot of shoes! But the twin pregnancy which followed: feet did not change size!
Does gray count as a color? I have gray booties – not charcoal either, a dove gray – that I love. I almost bought some dark blue – well, more of a denim blue, but couldn’t commit.
I would probably buy red ones if I could find some that were truly fabulous – there’s just something about wearing red shoes that makes me ridiculously happy.
Love the shoes I am glad you are so happy about them! I hope that happens to my feet after I have a baby(the getting less smelly part haha). I am terrified of them getting bigger however (they are big enough already…)
You read my mind – I can’t get on the colored bootie train yet either. Gald you treated your feet to some new kicks. Two pregnancies have given me a permanent half- shoes size increase up to a 9, even though all the baby weight is finally off, my feet have been perma stretched!
I would love to wear slingbacks but from years of walking on my toes as a kid, I have no curve in my ankle and they slide off. Grass is greener… 🙂
I totally found booties weird as heck, but now am loving them. However I can’t get on the colored bootie train… yet…
Good for you – I know what you mean about your foot size changing with weight loss. My feet had slowly edged up to an 8 – but I told myself that it was age and the fact that I broke my foot years ago. After my weight loss – I’m back to being a solid 7.5 or even a 7 in some styles.
My problem is that I have a wider foot, but a narrower heel, so most pumps won’t work for me. I mostly have to wear sling backs or Mary Janes. (or booties).
Those are really cute though – if only I could convince my husband that I need another pair of black booties.
Those are CUTE!
These are nice.
For some reason I almost never wear mine.
I have two pairs:one red-burgundy suede and the other in black and white
but it just seems like it’s hard for me to wear them….
Loooove these!!!! I’m on the hunt for some new ones and these might be perfect.