Tuesday, October 25, 2011

I'm happy about my shopping ...

So I must tell you about it!

Usually, I hate shoe shopping.

Gasp! Breathes there a girl who can say those four words and mean it?

Hello, folks, and my name is Amber.

Yes, I usually despise shoe shopping.

Not that I hate shoes. No, no. Don't believe that for a minute. I used to think I'd escaped the fatal feminine sickness of shoe-love, but I no longer labor under that delusion. I am now quite aware of my weakness for shoes. All the boxes are neatly stacked in the bottom of my closet. I won't say how many.

I do try to control myself. I don't want to be consumed with a love of fashion - there are too many more important things to think about! But I like pretty things, and when I can afford new pretty shoes without stealing funds from worthier causes, I like to get them.

So why do I hate shoe shopping?

It's a remnant of my past, I guess. Memories of spending hours as a young girl, wandering shoe store aisles with Mom, going from store to store, vainly searching for the perfect shoe. ...Melting in tears when I can't find it.

I'm very picky, you see. Very conservative (or shy) in my tastes. I remember one shoe-shopping trip where Mom could not accompany me, and Dad had to take me. When I came home, I told her, "Now I know Daddy is patient."

Anyway. I have bad associations with shoe-shopping. Shoe-shopping means tears, and a lot of wasted gas.

I'm also a cheap-skate. And shoes are not cheap. So I hated that part of it, too.

That explains why I ripped a hole in the bottom of my trusty black ballet flats back in September, and didn't go shopping for a new pair until this week. And I wore that old pair multiple times each week throughout this month. With a pea-size hole in the sole. Yes, I'm that cheap. And lazy. And that afraid of shoe shopping.

That couldn't last forever. I needed a pair of black flats. And a brown pair, as well, since the button on my old brown flats was hanging on by a few threads, and I regularly pulled the sole lining out when I removed my feet from the shoes. I literally remember wearing those shoes when I took the test for my driver's license...quite a few years ago.

Proof positive: I was afraid of shoe shopping.

But I knew I wasn't being frivolous this time. I needed shoes. ...So I began to get excited.

And God was with me in a special way on these trips. (Yes, I made two trips!) The first time, I spotted an exact copy (different brand)of my old pair of black flats. Right away. An identical brown pair was close by. On sale; buy two, get each one for $10.

A sign. It was meant to be.

I grabbed the boxes, bought them for $20, and took them home. Record time for a shoe shopping trip.

Just when I thought I might get excited about shoe shopping. I buy an exact copy of my old pair of shoes. How exciting.

Only problem was, one pair didn't fit. Exact same shoes - the brown ones fitted, the black ones didn't. Stubborn. Must have been related to that old pair.

So I went back today to exchange them. This time I was going to live a little. Find a different black flat style.

I walked into Show Show, and not only did I find a nice black flat, but I noticed a lot of sales going on. And I realized I wanted to have some fun. So I did. I tried shoes on I never would have tried on before, strutted the aisle (it was empty!) in front of the mirror, played dress up, and shed not one tear.

I came home with 3 pairs of shoes. Plus the brown ones at home.

I don't have photos, but I looked online for similar pictures:
#1 - Brown flats:

They look exactly like this, but are a different brand.
(Incidentally, my hated old black flats looked just like this, too.)


#2 - Fun plaid shoe (summer shoe on sale):

This isn't really close...the plaid is like this, but the style is different.
Picture a ballet flat in these colors...sorta. More of a "sailor shoe" than a ballet flat.

#3 - Needed black flats:

Something like this, only with a ribbon ruffle on the toe,
and polka-dots inside (Don't you love those little touches only you see?
My pair is TONS cuter:



#4 - And, last but not least, my personal favorite. A pair of red heels. I've secretly wanted one for years, but I'm not a heels girl. Too uncomfortable, and I don't like the "swing" they add to your walk. But these are supportive, comfortable, and even my mother agrees they aren't so high that they add any swing. I love them. Wish I had an actual picture. Imagine:


Something styled like this:
With colors like this, in patent leather:

(Now you know I'm lazy when it comes to taking pictures and uploading them.)


Best of all?


Remember how I said I'm cheap?

I'm rejoicing.

I got 4 pairs of shoes.

Normal cost: $82.96

Way beyond my price range for an impulsive shopping spree.

Guess what I paid after sales?

$33.00

For 4 pairs of shoes.

That's less than $10.00 a pair, in case you didn't do the math.

Yes Ma'am. I'm happy.



P.S. I forgot to add: I came home and had a party and threw the old black flats in the trash, and got rid of the old brown flats, and gave away two more pairs of shoes - so I got 4, and got rid of 4! Pretty good for a girl who likes shoes, huh?

6 comments:

Angie said...

Amber,

I smiled the entire time I read this post!

I just CAN'T imagine you in a pair of high heels similar to the picture!!!

So happy that you found what you needed and extras to boot!

Amanda said...

LOL. I'm glad to know I'm not the only girl out there who hates to go shopping because there are price tags affixed to everything. :) Shoes are my hardest thing, having been granted feet that are wide but not long. Making shopping very rough.

So glad you found a deal! Perhaps I should watch out shoe stores sales closer! :)

Amber said...

Miss Angie - your comment made ME smile. :) :) Yet here I sit, with those shoes on my feet! :) :) I should take a picture. :)

Amanda - kindred spirit! :) ...Though I have to admit, this year I have developed a joy in shopping I didn't know I had. :) I guess that's not a bad thing - I used to be a Scrooge. :)

Oh - BTW, I have wide feet, too. :) :)

Britney said...

The shoes are adorable! I admire you being able get rid of the same amount that you brought in...I end up hoarding them lol! I can't wait to see you in the red ones!

Heather said...

Am, you didn't mention why the shoe trip happened in record time? ;) Anyway, I thought about getting those brown flats too, but I was really looking for black high heeled shoes there and found the perfect pair (for like $20), but in the wrong size......so needless to say even though the pair fit the half-size up would of fit better I decided to forgo it. Besides, I couldn't get the fact that you got 4 pairs of shoes for $30 some bucks and I was going to pay $20 for 1 - not fair! :)
PS: I like the red ones. :)

Amber said...

Ah yes - rushing to finish before you got out of the grocery store DID help the speed of my trip a bit, dear. I stand corrected. :)

So sorry you couldn't find the perfect pair and size. I will keep my eyes open for you.

...And I can't help smiling at the fact that I got a deal all by myself! :) :) :)