Are you shoes (high heels) crazy ??

“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.” -Anonymous

Donna........


Women and shoes : a harmless obsession or a serious addiction?

What is it about us women and shoes (especially high heels)?It  must be genetically programmed from birth because i don´t have any other plausible explanation for this magnetic and irresistable attraction between me and a beautiful pair of heels :-)))

As far back as i can remember shoes(especially high heels) have always fascinated me. As a little girl (maybe 8 or 9 years old) i loved playing "dressing up" with items from my mama´s closet and the highlight was always trying on her shoes :-)) I still remember how thrilled and excited i was each time i sneaked myself into her shoe closet......i would secretly try on her high heels and dance infront of the mirrior...pretending to be a show girl in Las Vegas or a supermodel on a catwalk (Naomi being my favorite role) :-))) I still remember the details like it was yesterday. The most amazing part of it all is, i still remember clearly the first high heels i ever wore.....they were a snake-skin leather, forest green stilletos. A very classic design. They were my mama´s favorite and she wore them mostly on sunday for church :-) I even remember the name of the designer because she had quite a number of his shoes and accessories. It was the french designer Charles Jourdan. My mama loved his shoes :-)) Amazing, how each time i have these memories i still feel the thrill and excitement of wearing those heels for the very first time :-)) I believe on this day my obession for high heels began.

my first experience was with quite a similar heel :-))

Why are we so fascinated and captivated by them?? Why can´t i stop dreaming of that sexy pair i spotted on display during my last shopping tour? I have even bought shoes i know do not fit. Why? well let´s just say it was so hard for me to walk away without them:-)  Crazy i know but the love for shoes makes one does crazy things. I bet we women don´t have any problem telling lies when it comes to shoes.....i don´t know about you but i certainly have :-)) I have hidden new shoes and held off wearing them until months go by, then when i finally do and hubby goes like "new shoes??"...then i go nooooo, i have had them for months now, you just did not notice... yeah right:-)) I have peeled off price tags, flattened down shoe boxes or even left shoe boxes behind at the shop just to hide proof of a new purchase.

A girl can never have too many shoes!! :-)))

my favorite pairs of high heels.....:-))

my favorite spring/summer flats...as a mother of an energetic young man one needs a pair of flats for daily activities :-))

My most craziest and expensive buy(and hell no i won´t tell how much) was back in 2000 when i got my first job after college. I used up my first pay check for this pair of leopard print(pony hair) knee high boots. The crazy thing about this buy was, i could not even wear these boots because it never gets that cold in Cameroon(central africa) for boots :-)) hey, i just could not walk away after i saw them. So they were just sitting in my closet and waiting for the day they finally get their chance. In 2002, i moved to europe and they made the trip with me and finally got their chance to shine in my first winter ever :-))  I still love them today just like the first day i saw them. It was love at first sight :-)) Most of my shoes do have a story to tell and they also portray aspects of my personality.
There is some kind of bonding between women when it comes to shoes. On my last trip to africa, i felt immediately welcomed onboard and knew it was going to be a nice flight when the first thing the flight attendant said to me was "I love your shoes"....:-))  Sometimes i am in awe of these feelings a pair of shoes can achieve :-)

  "Shoes are like friends, they can support you, or take you down. "

 top on the list of my favorites :-).....it is not only bold and vibrant like i luv but very comfy due to a hidden platform . I can walk in these all day long if i want to:-))

at the airport on my last trip to africa......spot what i am wearing :-)))

it was luv at first sight :-))

Today, i cannot say for sure if my shoe habit is just a harmless obsession or already an addiction...there is a thin line between the two :-)) Well, last month was my birthday so i did allow myself a "little gift" to celebrate a new year and also a little motivation for my new challenge ahead (more to the challenge later on :-)). One of the thrills about buying new shoes(especially online), is that excitement you get when the post man rings the bell and he hands over your package..... opening the box and you meet your "new friend" for the very first time....ecstatic!!!  The shoe shop "Zalando" does have an advert that describes this feeling to perfection :-)))

 one of the thrills about buying new shoes is opening that box and meeting your "new friends":-))

a little something for the birthday girl... :-))

this was love at first sight. There is something about leopard prints i cannot resist. Maybe it´s just the animal in me :-))

My new love :-))

"Age shouldn't affect you. It's just like the size of your shoes - they don't determine how you live your life! You're either marvellous or you're boring, regardless of your age".
Steven Morrissey

i luv the classic and masculine nature of oxord shoes. They are my new all time favorite flat shoes :-))

If you ask my hubby what he thinks about my habit, he will definately say...already an addiction. He just can´t understand what else to call having more than 40 pairs of shoes :-)) Ok, i must be honest though, i think he is right. Nobody actually needs 40 pairs of shoes. The crazy part of it is, i do not wear all the shoes I buy and I even have a few pairs that never make it out of the box. I sometimes buy shoes on a whim.....i know some of you are thinking this is so vain and it´s all vanity.....do you think i don´t know this?? Of course i know it is vain and senseless to possess so many shoes than one truely needs. But i must admit though the pleasure of looking at a closet full of shoes is so thrilling and i wouldn´t want to give up this feeling completely....maybe someday but not now :-)) I have to do something about it though.

So lately i decided to clean up my act and face my " harmless obsession" or should i say my "addiction" before it gets completely out of control. I got busy in my closet and i cut down my collection to 30 pairs. It wasn´t an easy task letting go but i had to proof it to myself i am still in control. So i did let go of all the pairs i haven´t worn in 12 months. It was hard to say goodbye but it also felt good afterwards :-) So, today i am so proud to look at my resized shoe collection and the pieces that made it to my top 30 :-)))

 resized my shoe collection

my favorites for spring/summer.

I made a promise from now on never to go above 30 pairs of shoes. For every new pair, i must let go of an old one to keep this balance. Also i have given myself a "shoe shopping" ban for the next 6 months. Yes, this is the new challenge i mentioned at the beginning of this post. Officially my ban started on the 1st of April 2012. To motivate myself, in march i did my last shoe shopping for the spring/summer season 2012. As from this month, no new shoes until autumn/winter 2012.
I can admire them, try them on, fantazise about them but no taking them home to my closet!!!  This is a test to proof to myself i am in control. Lord help me!!! i don´t want to end up in shoe rehab......i have to pass this test. I am going to pass this test. :-))

Well with that said and done, i will just sit back, relax and just admire all the beauties that will be coming up this spring/summer season. Remember, i can admire, try them on and fantazise about owning them.....not bad after all :-).

"If loving shoes is wrong, I don’t want to be right". 

Do you know what the shoe trends are this spring/summer 2012???  Any shoe plans on your agenda?? What will you be wearing ??  Why don´t you join me next week to find out more on.... "finding the perfect heels and the trends for spring/summer 2012".

So what about you?? Is your shoe habit just a harmless obsession or aleady an addiction. Do you still have things under control or is it time to stop and reconsider. I would love to hear your own shoes story. Why not join me in our "ladies corner" for a confession session :-))

the most important shoe in my collection...."My wedding shoes"

i love the story they tell :-))

For our female readers and friends, we have created a ladies corner "Meet and Chat" on facebook. Click here to read more about this. Stay cool as always until we meet again.



click here for more photos....

from "Deutschland" with luv,

Nakutana