Sea legs and "athetics" shoes.

This past weekend, as anyone ought to know, was St. Patrick's Day. And, this means one thing for weekend warriors such as myself... Time to get your party on.

Now, I'm a self proclaimed weekend warrior (emphasis on the weekend, here, I'm decidedly dull during the weekday evenings, getting to bed around 10 and staying there until my alarm jars me awake around 6am) and proud, but this doesn't make me a train wreck, by any means. I'm still a classy lady. There's no Snooki-esque indecent exposure, or wobbling about like a baby giraffe taking her first steps. It just means that when Friday afternoon hits, it's time to crack a bottle of wine (as is the Friday ritual in my office) and when it's suddenly Sunday morning, my hot pink slippers are the only thing to touch my feet, as I watch terrible horror movies with my partner in crime and drink tea, attempting to rehydrate after the weekend's escapades.

Of course, footwear etiquette is part of the package. If you're going out dancing, heels (followed by Rollasoles, of course) are customary, but, I learned about a new kind of going out shoe this weekend, "athletics" shoes.

By this, I do not in any way mean dirty white sneakers that you wear to work out in. I've said it 100 times, I think running shoes should only grace the feet of those who are running, or in an actual gym. And, really, if it's the latter, bring a pair of something cute to wear to and from the gym. No one needs to see your ratty New Balance.

No, when I say "athletics" I mean that you utilize them for "sports." The best example I can give is exactly what went on on St. Patrick's Day. Dominique and I, along with our good friend, Estee, went over to another friend's place to play various-alcohol-pong.

Let me explain. The night previous to this, we had been extended an invitation to play beer pong, but, I had declined, on the grounds that I'm allergic to beer (and it's gross... yuck!), so the host had most graciously offered to procure a bottle of wine so I wouldn't have to die, and we could play with that. It sounded like a good idea.

Now, beer pong sounds a little like a frat game, and in a way, it kind of is, but it was such a blast! We only played one round, as it was getting chilly, and we weren't very good at it, but it was the precursor to a great evening of drinks and comradery. To be honest, we spent most of it playing Rockband.

This was definitely not a typical night, and we discovered that our shoe choices were a little... off. As the plan was initially to run downtown after a round or two and meet some friends for a birthday party, we had all worn stilettos. The ping-pong table was on the grass. This was not going to work.

Thank god for Rollasoles! We were saved! But, now we're far more aware of the sorts of shoes required for playing weekend "sports," which look a lot more like this:

I have these guys, they're Vera Wang, and so comfortable. They also don't sink in grass! An elasticized flat is also more comfortable because they're more likely to hold onto your foot without rubbing, meaning you'll avoid getting blisters. Plus, the beaded bows are just ridiculously adorable!

They qualify as "athletics" shoes because you could probably run in them, if you needed to (god forbid), you can wear them on grass, and, if you should be in a crew of men, you're not going to fall behind because you're taking 3" steps to avoid falling off your stilettos.

Most flats, low wedges and sandals will work, but make sure you're going to be warm enough! I wound up having to borrow a pair of very becoming socks from our host to keep my toes from freezing right off my feet!

So, there you have it, "athletics" shoes for the weekend warrior. These are not, of course, to be mistaken for a very different kind of "sport" shoe which looks a little something like this:

Remember, we're still classy ladies. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Highheelaphobia.

We all have that friend who looks at our shoes and gawks a little. She's can't believe that you wear those, don't your feet die?!

But, this is a totally unnecessary phobia! Anyone can wear big heels, it's just a matter of practice.

To illustrate, I'm currently wearing these:

And, yes, that's a 5 1/2 inch heel. 

But, I've been wearing them for 8 1/2 hours, and my feet haven't fallen off yet! 

There are a few reasons, I'll admit, but, first, a little background about these darlings!

I got them from Necessary Clothing, in New York (where else?), and I have them in magenta as well. 

Necessary Clothing has the world's weirdest shoe system. My mum and I were both trying on shoes that day (they had amazing deals, these were $15 each), and they would only bring us one shoe at a time. 

Yes, that's right, I didn't get to put on both shoes at the same time until I had bought them. And, to make matters worse, their shoe storage was downstairs from the sales floor, so the poor sales girl had to run downstairs, grab a shoe, run back upstairs, wait for us to try that shoe on, then take it, run back downstairs, grab the other shoes and run back upstairs with that one. For each pair. 

And, if you know anything about me yet, you can probably guess that we tried on just about every pair they had.

But, now that you're in shock at the insanity of that system, and shaking in your (flat) boots at the height of that heel, let me remind you that these lovely little treats are friendly, as long as they're treated well, and respected. 

Personally, I subscribe to the New York professional shoe method. I hardly ever wear my fancy shoes outside. This keeps the soles from being worn down too quickly, and they stay dry, so the upper doesn't get ruined either. The other reason is because I do not trust the weather in Vancouver. Especially at this time of year. So, if I'm going to work, or a houseparty where I'm able to keep my shoes on, I pack my shoes in my handy-dandy shoe bag (which was a cosmetic gift with purchase, so nothing too fancy) and puddle jump all the way there in my rainboots. 

I also walk to work, so 45 minutes in either direction would easily destroy not only my shoes, but my feet. If you're going to be walking for a million years, giant heels are probably not going to be a good idea. 

This also speaks to the idea of having cute transition footwear. In New York, everyone packs their shoes and wears running shoes to and from work. I think that athletic running shoes belong in a gym, or on someone who is actually running, but there are so many cute options as far as supportive street shoes go. Try to find something that won't make you look like you pulled them on in the dark. Black is probably best, as it's the more versatile. 

Secondly, I have a set of gel insoles that I wear in my heels. Sometimes, wearing the gel pads is hard because it makes the toe of the shoe too tight, so watch for that, but for the most part, they really help. 

Lastly, when you're buying shoes like these, look for something with a significant platform on the toe. Mine have about a 1 inch platform, meaning that, while they make my legs looks 5 1/2 inches longer, I'm only standing on a 4 1/2 inch heel, which is much easier to make friends with. It's also worth putting them on and walking around the store while you do the rest of your browsing. Chances are, if they start to hurt in the ten minutes they've been on your feet, they're not the shoes for you. 

Now, I will admit that wearing giant heels all day is not for everyone. If you work on your feet all day, I would not recommend wearing a 5 1/2" stiletto. I've worked in grocery stores, clothing stores and restaurants, and will openly admit that it's suicide. But, that doesn't mean that you can't have fun with your toes! Again, this is a time when practical shoes are an asset. This doesn't mean you need to wear those beat up running shoes, though! Look for something stylish and comfortable (they do exist, you know!) and you'll find that you not only look more polished, you'll feel more confident!

Now, if only there was a secret to being able to dance on skyscrapers all night! 

Fresh start.

Well, it's the beginning of another year, and what do we have to show for it? An expanded shoe wardrobe, of course!

Hopefully, a little more wisdom and some stories, as well.

It's been an eventful year for this shoe-anista! There were trips to New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans, then back to New York less than a week after touching ground again. There were birthday parties, and themed parties, and lots of memorable moments. And, of course, shoes to go with each.

This past week has been spent relaxing at my parents' house, in the sleepy little town of Gibsons, where my mum runs a successful clothing store, SWISH (check it out on facebook here), which facilitates all the trips to New York, as I am her assistant buyer. I'm also taking on another project, working on her facebook page and writing a style blog for SWISH as well.


All this relaxing means that I've spent most of my time in these:





These are my delicious pink slippers, a Christmas gift from years gone by, and the only suitable footwear for lounging around while watching horror films with your dad. While wearing charming pyjamas, and maybe a touch of blush and mascara. You never know when you'll be hosting unexpected houseguests.


I've worked a few days for my mum at SWISH, as it afforded us the perfect time to spend some quality time together, and it let me shop the leftovers of the season, and get a few good deals (hooray for family discount!!), including these little Candie's numbers:



I'm so excited to break these bad boys in! And, to save my poor toes, I bought about a thousand sets of gel toe cushions from the dollar store in town... Amazing, that I got them for 1$ a set, when the drugstore was going to charge me 7$ for the name brand ones...


Now, because it is the beginning of the year, I'm also going to be spending a lot more time in these:



Because, really, no list of New Year's resolutions is complete without a promise to one's self to get healthier and fitter. With so many sheath dresses in stores right now, a girl simply must be in tip-top shape to rock the look. Shoe shopping counts as cardio, right?

Happy New Year!