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Showing posts with label shoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shoes. Show all posts
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Something We Can All Appreciate
Shoes!
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Calling Maxwell (Maxine?) Smart
It's not a shoe phone. It's not a shoe-phone holder. It IS a shoe phone-holder.
When we were in New York, we wandered through several of the holiday markets that pop up in New York City in December. One, Vikolya, had, among other girlygoods, phone holders that looked like high-heel shoes.
There were a lot of shoes at the booth, but I was drawn to this one. It reminded me of my wedding dress and it now sits on my night stand. I look at it and think about how nice that dress looked and felt and wish I had a pair of those shoes in my size to wear with that dress!
If you have a few minutes and like girly styles, peruse the site for a few minutes. They have high-heel ring holders and wine bottle holders. They have bra and purse ring holders. They have the cutest jewelry stands, and a lot more. It's worth scanning through the site just to see how you'd decorate your vanity area, if you had one. And they're a small family-owned business ~ my favourite kind. Two of the principals are Viki and Olya. I'm guessing the Russian lady (wo)manning the booth was either Viki or Olya.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Free Stuff
Freecycle has had a rash of women's shoes lately.
Most recently:
2 pairs of woman's high heels. New.
Ann Taylor sandals, high heels, brown leather.
Charlotte Russe black , open toe, high heels, man made materials.
Size 9. I'd never cram my size 11s into those!
Then:
2 pair pumps (Sofft), about 2" heels
1 pair black boots, mid-calf, about 2" heels
Size 10. They're getting closer.
Then a couple of days ago:
Women’s sandals, size 11, Predictions brand with black soles and 2 white straps. Never worn
Yay! I wondered what height heels for starters but when no-one said they wanted them I chimed in.
Heels are an inch. They're OK but not beautiful. But I can use some casual flats so I'm glad I got them.
Most recently:
2 pairs of woman's high heels. New.
Ann Taylor sandals, high heels, brown leather.
Charlotte Russe black , open toe, high heels, man made materials.
Size 9. I'd never cram my size 11s into those!
Then:
2 pair pumps (Sofft), about 2" heels
1 pair black boots, mid-calf, about 2" heels
Size 10. They're getting closer.
Then a couple of days ago:
Women’s sandals, size 11, Predictions brand with black soles and 2 white straps. Never worn
Yay! I wondered what height heels for starters but when no-one said they wanted them I chimed in.
Heels are an inch. They're OK but not beautiful. But I can use some casual flats so I'm glad I got them.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Simple But Not a Pleasure
I know I've written about this before, but it's been a while and I can't find the right posts.
I've had days, especially in my early outings, where I am thrilled to get back home because I can kick off my shoes. I don't know if the shoes fit poorly or if I was not yet used to walking in heels, or something else, but my little toe would rub against the shoes to the point that I'd have a blister on each small toe.
I started wrapping my little toes in band-aids and that helped. I'd walk a bit different and the blister or callous would appear at the base of my toes.
Then it stopped. I forgot the band-aid a few times and then I just didn't need them. I don't have permanent callouses to block the formation of blisters ~ they just don't form.
Last Saturday, I discovered that maybe sometimes I do still need that band-aid. It was only on my right foot, but my toe was very uncomfortable by the end of the day. It might be due to the sheer hose, something I haven't worn in quite a while (I've been barelegged or in tights). Or it might be because that toe (the one I keep breaking) is now permanently out-of-whack.
I put two band-aids in the bag with my makeup primer, cover stick, and foundation. I always start my face before putting on my hose, so that should keep me from forgetting.
And painful walks.
I've had days, especially in my early outings, where I am thrilled to get back home because I can kick off my shoes. I don't know if the shoes fit poorly or if I was not yet used to walking in heels, or something else, but my little toe would rub against the shoes to the point that I'd have a blister on each small toe.
I started wrapping my little toes in band-aids and that helped. I'd walk a bit different and the blister or callous would appear at the base of my toes.
Then it stopped. I forgot the band-aid a few times and then I just didn't need them. I don't have permanent callouses to block the formation of blisters ~ they just don't form.
Last Saturday, I discovered that maybe sometimes I do still need that band-aid. It was only on my right foot, but my toe was very uncomfortable by the end of the day. It might be due to the sheer hose, something I haven't worn in quite a while (I've been barelegged or in tights). Or it might be because that toe (the one I keep breaking) is now permanently out-of-whack.
I put two band-aids in the bag with my makeup primer, cover stick, and foundation. I always start my face before putting on my hose, so that should keep me from forgetting.
And painful walks.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Ted Striker: Mayday! Mayday!
Steve McCroskey: What the heck is that?
Johnny: Why, that's the Russian New Year. We can have a parade and serve hot hors d'oeuvres...
But I digress.
On Sunday, I wore my open-toed wedges. Since walking across gravel is likely, I thought wedges would be a better choice than heels.
I was a bit concerned because I haven't been wearing anything but my tennies since I rebroke my little toe. As you saw yesterday, it's still a bit swollen although not uncomfortable.
I was uncomfortable in the chosen shoes. It was not bad, but I suspect I was walking a bit "off" because the shoes in general became uncomfortable. I always prefer to stand, but I sought out a place to sit once or twice during the day. I've worn these shoes several times previously, and they've been really good for my feet, but not Sunday.
I did not last as long as I had hoped. By the time we said goodbye to Marian the backs of my feet were hurting where the strap pressed against my foot (an experience I don't remember from past outings) and my calves hurt a bit. When it came time to leave the train at my station, I did not want to stand up. Walking to the car, and to the apartment, was uncomfortable. I kicked off my shoes as soon as I stepped in the door.
Maybe I'm just out of practice. Fortunately, I can fix that! Soon, I hope.
Steve McCroskey: What the heck is that?
Johnny: Why, that's the Russian New Year. We can have a parade and serve hot hors d'oeuvres...
But I digress.
On Sunday, I wore my open-toed wedges. Since walking across gravel is likely, I thought wedges would be a better choice than heels.
I was a bit concerned because I haven't been wearing anything but my tennies since I rebroke my little toe. As you saw yesterday, it's still a bit swollen although not uncomfortable.
I was uncomfortable in the chosen shoes. It was not bad, but I suspect I was walking a bit "off" because the shoes in general became uncomfortable. I always prefer to stand, but I sought out a place to sit once or twice during the day. I've worn these shoes several times previously, and they've been really good for my feet, but not Sunday.
I did not last as long as I had hoped. By the time we said goodbye to Marian the backs of my feet were hurting where the strap pressed against my foot (an experience I don't remember from past outings) and my calves hurt a bit. When it came time to leave the train at my station, I did not want to stand up. Walking to the car, and to the apartment, was uncomfortable. I kicked off my shoes as soon as I stepped in the door.
Maybe I'm just out of practice. Fortunately, I can fix that! Soon, I hope.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Dressing: Always Good for a Laugh
I joke around a lot. I tell people to assume I'm joking, unless stated otherwise.
One of the interesting thing about admitting to crossdressing is, people think you're not serious. I take advantage of this.
On Saturday, I bought a new pair of Aerosole wedges at their outlet store. As I was looking at shoes, a saleslady came up and asked if I was looking for something in particular. I said "it's so rare to find something in my size, I'm just going to browse," which I did.
The store has a clearance section where they leave out one shoe of a pair ~ you have to request the mate (and box) from the back room. I was with Charity, who had asked a saleswoman about shoes in her size. When I showed her the shoe I wanted, the same saleswoman turned to Charity to ask if these were the shoes she wanted. I said they were for me. She seemed surprised but say "oh. OK" and got the shoes.
At the checkout, I was handed off to another saleswoman. We chatted a bit and I said "I was thinking of wearing them home." She laughed and said "I don't think so. At least, not with that outfit." I said there were plenty of stores where I could get appropriate clothing. "I could start with the Bali store," I suggested. She laughed and said something along the lines of "that probably wouldn't work."
Later, too late, it occurred to me that I could pull blog pictures onto my phone. I could have showed her one or two. But my battery was weak, the store was busy, and my brain was slow. Ah well.
One of the interesting thing about admitting to crossdressing is, people think you're not serious. I take advantage of this.
On Saturday, I bought a new pair of Aerosole wedges at their outlet store. As I was looking at shoes, a saleslady came up and asked if I was looking for something in particular. I said "it's so rare to find something in my size, I'm just going to browse," which I did.
The store has a clearance section where they leave out one shoe of a pair ~ you have to request the mate (and box) from the back room. I was with Charity, who had asked a saleswoman about shoes in her size. When I showed her the shoe I wanted, the same saleswoman turned to Charity to ask if these were the shoes she wanted. I said they were for me. She seemed surprised but say "oh. OK" and got the shoes.
At the checkout, I was handed off to another saleswoman. We chatted a bit and I said "I was thinking of wearing them home." She laughed and said "I don't think so. At least, not with that outfit." I said there were plenty of stores where I could get appropriate clothing. "I could start with the Bali store," I suggested. She laughed and said something along the lines of "that probably wouldn't work."
Later, too late, it occurred to me that I could pull blog pictures onto my phone. I could have showed her one or two. But my battery was weak, the store was busy, and my brain was slow. Ah well.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Stiletto Economics
I know Lenore Skenazy through the Funny Times, one of my must-reads every month. You might know her as the mom who let her 9 year old son ride the New York subway alone.
I'm not sure how I found this column, but it deals with the type of fashion that I think appeals to a lot of us, both to wear and admire: high high heels.
Was it a hooker convention?
No, I know for a fact it wasn't, because I had been invited, too. It was simply a suburban bat mitzvah — a coming-of-age party for a sweet eighth-grade girl and her hooker friends. Er ... her fashionable 13-year-old friends in their 5-inch high heels. (And 5-inch skirts. But that's another story.)
Apparently not content to simply tower over 13-year-old boys on their own two feet, the girls donned stilettos to approximate the models in the magazines. But little do those girls realize they also are approximating the leading economic indicators.
You can read the whole fun and clever story here.
I'm not sure how I found this column, but it deals with the type of fashion that I think appeals to a lot of us, both to wear and admire: high high heels.
Was it a hooker convention?
No, I know for a fact it wasn't, because I had been invited, too. It was simply a suburban bat mitzvah — a coming-of-age party for a sweet eighth-grade girl and her hooker friends. Er ... her fashionable 13-year-old friends in their 5-inch high heels. (And 5-inch skirts. But that's another story.)
Apparently not content to simply tower over 13-year-old boys on their own two feet, the girls donned stilettos to approximate the models in the magazines. But little do those girls realize they also are approximating the leading economic indicators.
You can read the whole fun and clever story here.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Simple Pleasures: Trying On II
(the poll is almost closed. Every vote counts! Next weekend, Charity and I will be going to a T group meeting. I suggested we do the matching dress thing again. Should we?)
Last week, I wrote about wearing earrings around the house because they really need a long time-test to ensure comfort.
Shoes have the same issues. Interestingly, I can tell if men's shoes will be comfortable after just a short time. Women's shoes... not so much. I need to try shoes for comfort for several hours of standing and walking before I hit the street (that sounds bad, but I can't think of a better way to phrase it). On days when I'm wearing tights, even if I don't change, or don't change fully, if it's convenient, I put on a different pair of heels. In addition to putting aside the painful ones, I have a spreadsheet with information about each pair. I rate each pair:
* wonderful. Well, I have yet to find a pair I'd feel comfortable wearing all day and night, but a couple of pair are close.
* good for x hours. I try to estimate how long it will be before I say "enough!" and put that in the spreadsheet.
* not really good. I want to wear these shoes! They're beautiful and painful but maybe I can wear them for an hour outing. Maybe.
* no ****ing way. These go to the swap; maybe someone else can make them work.
I have swapped a few pair that I'd miss if my memory was better.
Last week, I wrote about wearing earrings around the house because they really need a long time-test to ensure comfort.
Shoes have the same issues. Interestingly, I can tell if men's shoes will be comfortable after just a short time. Women's shoes... not so much. I need to try shoes for comfort for several hours of standing and walking before I hit the street (that sounds bad, but I can't think of a better way to phrase it). On days when I'm wearing tights, even if I don't change, or don't change fully, if it's convenient, I put on a different pair of heels. In addition to putting aside the painful ones, I have a spreadsheet with information about each pair. I rate each pair:
* wonderful. Well, I have yet to find a pair I'd feel comfortable wearing all day and night, but a couple of pair are close.
* good for x hours. I try to estimate how long it will be before I say "enough!" and put that in the spreadsheet.
* not really good. I want to wear these shoes! They're beautiful and painful but maybe I can wear them for an hour outing. Maybe.
* no ****ing way. These go to the swap; maybe someone else can make them work.
I have swapped a few pair that I'd miss if my memory was better.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fashion
A couple of things that have been on my mind....
Why do men's dress shoes have distinct heels? Look at women's flats. There are shoes with distinct heels, with heels that sort of just join the soles, with no heel at all, with any sort of transition betwen heel and sole. But men's dress shoes always have a sole that goes the length of the shoe and a heel tacked on.
Why? Frankly, a little more variety would make it easier for me to buy "passable" women's shoes. So there is a bit of self-interest here.
What happened in the early 1800s?
Look at a painting of a group of men from colonial America. (Or this reproduction from a performance of 1776). Men are wearing wigs or powdered wigs, the stockings over the pants, long coats, vests.... Now look at a photograph of men, just being men, not wearing costumes or period clothing. Long coats took a while to go out of style, but I don't recall seeing any photographs from the Civil War of men in powdered wigs. And it seems to be an all-or-nothing thing. It's like someone decreed long pants, no wigs, clothes more like you'd see in an old western movie must be worn starting now. I don't recall ever seeing a photograph of men standing in a group where half are wearing neckties and the other half are wearing.... What do you call that thing around their necks?
So what happened? Was it a technological breakthrough that obviated their need, or did people one day just say "no, not gonna do that" or was it gradual ("hey look at George! Still wearing a powdered wig! That's so 1790s!")?
And why have men's fashions barely changed since photography was invented? Al Capone could walk into a law office today and barely get a second look. Women's fashions change with every season. I know men aren't going to buy new styles every year. Some guys want their three-piece suit or fat (or skinny or string) ties, and that's that. But come on. No long term changes? It just doesn't make much sense.
Why do men's dress shoes have distinct heels? Look at women's flats. There are shoes with distinct heels, with heels that sort of just join the soles, with no heel at all, with any sort of transition betwen heel and sole. But men's dress shoes always have a sole that goes the length of the shoe and a heel tacked on.
Why? Frankly, a little more variety would make it easier for me to buy "passable" women's shoes. So there is a bit of self-interest here.
Look at a painting of a group of men from colonial America. (Or this reproduction from a performance of 1776). Men are wearing wigs or powdered wigs, the stockings over the pants, long coats, vests.... Now look at a photograph of men, just being men, not wearing costumes or period clothing. Long coats took a while to go out of style, but I don't recall seeing any photographs from the Civil War of men in powdered wigs. And it seems to be an all-or-nothing thing. It's like someone decreed long pants, no wigs, clothes more like you'd see in an old western movie must be worn starting now. I don't recall ever seeing a photograph of men standing in a group where half are wearing neckties and the other half are wearing.... What do you call that thing around their necks?
So what happened? Was it a technological breakthrough that obviated their need, or did people one day just say "no, not gonna do that" or was it gradual ("hey look at George! Still wearing a powdered wig! That's so 1790s!")?
And why have men's fashions barely changed since photography was invented? Al Capone could walk into a law office today and barely get a second look. Women's fashions change with every season. I know men aren't going to buy new styles every year. Some guys want their three-piece suit or fat (or skinny or string) ties, and that's that. But come on. No long term changes? It just doesn't make much sense.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Business Opportunity
I can understand ~ matching the right shoes to the right outfit is important.
Yet, the same woman who wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same shoes every day wears the same glasses every day.
Covers for the frames in different colours/styles? Maybe transparent frames and covers just on the back side. Easily replaceable frames? Mostly invisible frames, close to the face that you wear under the frames of your choice? There has to be a solution. I'm betting there will be a market.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Following the Shoe Theme...
Take the poll; it's only going to be up through the weekend. It's funny.... Twenty shoes sounds like a lot, until you're looking for the Perfect Pair. And then it sounds like a lot again when you figure 20 x {average cost of a pair} = whoops.
Anyway, if you're gonna walk on your toes, wear the dam shoes. It's a lot easier to walk, you can still tip-toe and you'll be heard. Am I the only one who's self-conscious walking the a quiet store with my shoes tap-tap-tapping all the way? I've walked on carpet sometimes, to quite my steps. But then I forget about it and I'm fine again.
Anyway, if you're gonna walk on your toes, wear the dam shoes. It's a lot easier to walk, you can still tip-toe and you'll be heard. Am I the only one who's self-conscious walking the a quiet store with my shoes tap-tap-tapping all the way? I've walked on carpet sometimes, to quite my steps. But then I forget about it and I'm fine again.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Shoes! Shoes! Shoes!
I probably have close to 40 pair, but I got rid of several at the last clothing swap. That was one of the good things that my housesitting adventure wrought ~ I had time to wear many of my shoes for at least an hour standing so I could judge whether to keep them or not. A couple didn't make it past the five minute mark! Fortunately, most of my shoes are fairly inexpensive.
As to the survey ~ I earned the Carrie Bradshaw Prize. And I have five pair of shoes I wear when drab, but four of them are women's shoes. Nothing's easy for us, even counting shoes!
And if you feel like counting.... There's a quick little poll to the right.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Yesterday....
I stopped at my "real" home to make dinner for my son and pick up a couple of things I needed ~ part of the "bills you have to pay for living yesterday."
I also picked up a big box of shoes. My toe is deemed "cured." I hope to make an appointment for next week to get my back waxed, brows waxed, a manicure, and, of course, a pedicure. And I picked up the last box with clothing in it. It is full of the rest of my skirts and the rest of my camis. I still have dozens of dresses at the house. I'm not sure if there's some meaning behind that.
I also saw my EAP therapist. We talked relationship; I brought up dressing. I explained the care-don't care continuum. I told her a possible outcome would be I lose Meg and we all live happily ever after. She seemed surprised that I would even consider that. So I explained "purging" and how it's pretty common among crossdressers. Except this would be more than just a purge. And there's a problem: I certainly wouldn't be the first t-girl who said "I can live without her" and was wrong. In fact, there's an incredibly slim possibility that I would be the first t-girl who said "I can live without her" and was right.
The therapist had an excellent idea: we (the wife and I) should sit down together and decide what we both want and how to get there.
Except I need to find myself first, I think.
Yes, I definitely need to do that.
I think.
I also picked up a big box of shoes. My toe is deemed "cured." I hope to make an appointment for next week to get my back waxed, brows waxed, a manicure, and, of course, a pedicure. And I picked up the last box with clothing in it. It is full of the rest of my skirts and the rest of my camis. I still have dozens of dresses at the house. I'm not sure if there's some meaning behind that.
I also saw my EAP therapist. We talked relationship; I brought up dressing. I explained the care-don't care continuum. I told her a possible outcome would be I lose Meg and we all live happily ever after. She seemed surprised that I would even consider that. So I explained "purging" and how it's pretty common among crossdressers. Except this would be more than just a purge. And there's a problem: I certainly wouldn't be the first t-girl who said "I can live without her" and was wrong. In fact, there's an incredibly slim possibility that I would be the first t-girl who said "I can live without her" and was right.
The therapist had an excellent idea: we (the wife and I) should sit down together and decide what we both want and how to get there.
Except I need to find myself first, I think.
Yes, I definitely need to do that.
I think.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
That Flurry of Polls ~ What Else?
| When in drab, I also wear women's... (60 votes) | |
| pierced earrings | 11 (18%) |
| other visible jewelry | 16 (26%) |
| shirts, if they pass | 24 (40%) |
| slacks, if they pass | 14 (23%) |
| jeans | 44 (73%) |
| shoes | 22 (36%) |
| sneakers | 15 (25%) |
This is just a little catchall. I'm sure I missed some things, and there's one thing I wish we did wear (more at the end).
Many of you are wearing women's shirts. I know shirts are difficult. In a dress shirt, darts may appear where they shouldn't. While men's shirts have a uniform collar, women's shirts are all over the place in terms of size, shape, and buttons (or lack thereof). No complaints: that's a large part of what makes it so much fun to buy and wear women's clothing. But it's hard to buy a shirt. You need to look at the collar size and shape; the buttons, including size; sleeve length, since men have two sizes and women have an infinite range of sizes; cuff size; length, since some shirts are barely waist length; darts; and so on. Sometimes colour is the big showstopper. Pink is OK, bright pink or salmon, maybe not so much. Blue is good, but teal is right out.
But 40% of you manage. I wear a women's shirt one or two days a week and always on (casual) Friday.
Almost a quarter wear women's slacks, which are also difficult: pockets, belt loops, zipper, length, cuffs can all differ on women's slacks in subtle ways. There may be a perfect pair of pants but the pockets are tiny or vertically slit or way too high, or there are no belt loops or the loops are skinny and definitely femme.
I'm guessing that the slacks wearers are a subset of the jeans wearers (three quarters of you!). Jeans are easier, and a bit of flair is allowed. When I started wearing women's jeans, the first non-plain pair had a rivet pattern, like one of those cause ribbons, on the back pockets. My wife said "well, everyone will know they're women's jeans." Since then, I've seen men wearing jeans with rivet patterns on the pockets. The same thing happened with embroidery: white stitching is kind of mainstream now. But those pretty bright butterflies on the legs are still off limits.
About a third wear women's shoes (I wear Aerosoles) and another quarter wear women's sneakers (mine are from New Balance). I'm still considering ballet flats for the airport. Loafers are not hard to find. My next pair of sneakers will have a little bright colour ~ some electric green or blue maybe.
A quarter wear some women's jewelry. I always have my charm bracelet and a necklace (which is under my shirt, generally). I'd love to expand my repertoire, if anyone has any suggestions!
And almost one in five wear pierced earrings! I have often considered having my ears pierced, but always change my mind. Someday, I need to figure out what the hang-up is and go for it.
What I wish we wore: something that was kind of a secret sign that says "hey, I'm a crossdresser." I don't know what it might be ~ a pin, a bracelet (maybe one of those rubber band things), a thumb ring, a pink shirt every Tuesday... something so we could identify our sisters and feel less alone.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Still On That Path
I've mentioned the path from I care to I don't care before. I'm looking to make a leap along that path, but I'm not there yet.
I have decided I really like ballet flats. They look comfortable, and cute, and there are lots of variations on the basic style: bows, colours, patterns.... I found a few pair in my size in Payless and was tempted but I didn't buy any.
Here's what I want to do.
I want to buy a basic, plainish pair and wear them for my next flight. I'm tired of unlacing sneakers, taking them off, putting them back on, lacing them back up. Any sort of loafer would be OK, but my only "nice" loafers are heavier and I don't want to carry them on my trip. And even though they're Aerosoles, they're still a bit uncomfortable for a long flight.
But the ballet flats are clearly women's shoes, no matter how plain or basic black they are. Plus, I need to take valuable luggage space for my sneakers which are large and bulky. I could carry the sneakers on and change on the flight and just wear the flats through security, but I don't want to carry them. And what if my luggage is somehow lost or misdirected? Here I am with only ballet flats, either to wear home or to my customer.
So there are lots of reasons not to do it, even though I'd like to wear them. I think one day I will, even though the reasons will still exist. I think the real reason is, I still care what others think. I'm still afraid I'll run into someone I know at the airport.
But here's what I'd like to do: in Tucson, as Meg, go to a shoe store. Buy plainish black ballet flats. Wear them home.
I don't think I'll do it, but I'll let you know in a few days.
On my way in yesterday, I did stop at a Payless in Tucson. They had patent flats for $17 and a clothier material flats with a sort of flower at the front (I really can't describe it so I have pictures of both here instead. Click to enlarge) for $10, both in my size. I didn't buy either but I may go back on Saturday.
One more thing: I received a comment from an anonymous reader about someone named Srila. E-mail me and tell me more. If it's relevant, I'll post.
I have decided I really like ballet flats. They look comfortable, and cute, and there are lots of variations on the basic style: bows, colours, patterns.... I found a few pair in my size in Payless and was tempted but I didn't buy any.
Here's what I want to do.
I want to buy a basic, plainish pair and wear them for my next flight. I'm tired of unlacing sneakers, taking them off, putting them back on, lacing them back up. Any sort of loafer would be OK, but my only "nice" loafers are heavier and I don't want to carry them on my trip. And even though they're Aerosoles, they're still a bit uncomfortable for a long flight.
But the ballet flats are clearly women's shoes, no matter how plain or basic black they are. Plus, I need to take valuable luggage space for my sneakers which are large and bulky. I could carry the sneakers on and change on the flight and just wear the flats through security, but I don't want to carry them. And what if my luggage is somehow lost or misdirected? Here I am with only ballet flats, either to wear home or to my customer.
So there are lots of reasons not to do it, even though I'd like to wear them. I think one day I will, even though the reasons will still exist. I think the real reason is, I still care what others think. I'm still afraid I'll run into someone I know at the airport.But here's what I'd like to do: in Tucson, as Meg, go to a shoe store. Buy plainish black ballet flats. Wear them home.
I don't think I'll do it, but I'll let you know in a few days.
On my way in yesterday, I did stop at a Payless in Tucson. They had patent flats for $17 and a clothier material flats with a sort of flower at the front (I really can't describe it so I have pictures of both here instead. Click to enlarge) for $10, both in my size. I didn't buy either but I may go back on Saturday.
One more thing: I received a comment from an anonymous reader about someone named Srila. E-mail me and tell me more. If it's relevant, I'll post.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Couple of Things
Saturday, I had a suddenly free few hours. I spent two of them trying on skirts and writing information on them down in a steno pad. I'll try to make a spreadsheet out of this soon. I know, I wrote about this a couple of months ago, and I tried on a couple of dozen skirts then. Those were on hangers in my closet. The almost-twenty I tried on Saturday are in boxes in my closet. I put a couple in the swap bag, and I broke my rule and kept a few that I'll never wear outside, but they're so cute (and mostly short) that I couldn't bear to part with them. A few more that I labelled "shows bulge" I should have swapped, but maybe I'll find a good gaff or a better way to tuck and they'll be wearable. I hope so!
I also kept some "schoolgirl" skirts. I don't know where I found these, but you know the type: short, wide, and plaid. Fetish stuff, I suppose.
I also came across a pair of shoes I've never worn out, even though they fit pretty well. They're brown wedges with long ribbons that I suppose I wrap around my calf and tie. Maybe that's why I never wore them ~ I'm not sure what to do with the ribbons. But for the short while I had them on they felt really comfortable.
I also finally had time to try on the shoes I got at the last swap, which I still haven't written up. I have notes, so hopefully when I get to it I'll get it right.
My new travel schedule has me in Arizona for two weeks. If I can arrange it, I'll get my weekends on each side and travel Monday and Friday. In between, I'll keep my Sierra Vista room but I'll also get a room in Tucson for the intervening Saturday and I'll spend the night up there.
I don't know when I'll be there, but it might be the last two weeks in October. This means I'll miss Pride in the Desert. That was a long shot anyway. I was also a bit concerned about going there. I think it's a reach outside my comfort zone, but I would have done it if my schedule worked. I will be there if my schedule changes!
As soon as I have my schedule firmed up, I'll contact some ladies I'd love to meet.
And, overplanner than I am, I'm already working on how to easily separate what I need for work with what I need for play so I can bring some of my stuff.
But I have no solid plans for anything right now. So, of course, my most recent fortune cookie says:
Your present plans are going to succeed.
It figures.
I also kept some "schoolgirl" skirts. I don't know where I found these, but you know the type: short, wide, and plaid. Fetish stuff, I suppose.
I also came across a pair of shoes I've never worn out, even though they fit pretty well. They're brown wedges with long ribbons that I suppose I wrap around my calf and tie. Maybe that's why I never wore them ~ I'm not sure what to do with the ribbons. But for the short while I had them on they felt really comfortable.
I also finally had time to try on the shoes I got at the last swap, which I still haven't written up. I have notes, so hopefully when I get to it I'll get it right.
My new travel schedule has me in Arizona for two weeks. If I can arrange it, I'll get my weekends on each side and travel Monday and Friday. In between, I'll keep my Sierra Vista room but I'll also get a room in Tucson for the intervening Saturday and I'll spend the night up there.
I don't know when I'll be there, but it might be the last two weeks in October. This means I'll miss Pride in the Desert. That was a long shot anyway. I was also a bit concerned about going there. I think it's a reach outside my comfort zone, but I would have done it if my schedule worked. I will be there if my schedule changes!
As soon as I have my schedule firmed up, I'll contact some ladies I'd love to meet.
And, overplanner than I am, I'm already working on how to easily separate what I need for work with what I need for play so I can bring some of my stuff.
But I have no solid plans for anything right now. So, of course, my most recent fortune cookie says:
Your present plans are going to succeed.
It figures.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Toenail Recall
I know, I've had better titles. The poll is still open and I'm intrigued. Look here if you want a bit of background and please vote.
Like Stana, I'm having a toe problem. Unlike Stana, I need to have a little procedure done to solve mine.
That's today. I leave work a bit early and I'll have part of the ingrowing big toenail on my right foot removed.
Mostly, it doesn't cause me any problems, although sometimes it feels like the nail is a knife, slowly cutting into my toe. But it causes dress-up problems, and that's important.
When in drab, I wear a mix of boy and girl shoes. I have two pairs of New Balance I wear almost all the time: gray men's shoes, black women's ones. My dress shoes are from Aerosoles. I have girls' sandals, although they're irrelevant here. Huh. I guess I have a few pairs of girl shoes and one boy. I should get rid of those, just for consistency.
And, of course, I have Way Too Many pairs of pumps, boots, etc.
One commonality among the shoes, men's vs women's, is women's shoes are flatter. I'm not sure what the cobbler's technical name for this is. The part above the toes on women's shoes is lower than the part above the toes on men's shoes. This means they press down on that ingrowing toenail more.
This translates into me walking funny after not-too-long in some of my favourite shoes.
I'm hoping this will solve the problem for at least a number of years and I'll be ready for my next trip out (October, in Arizona). Meantime, I may be working from home tomorrow.
Or I may be wearing my girl sandals to the office.
Like Stana, I'm having a toe problem. Unlike Stana, I need to have a little procedure done to solve mine.
That's today. I leave work a bit early and I'll have part of the ingrowing big toenail on my right foot removed.
Mostly, it doesn't cause me any problems, although sometimes it feels like the nail is a knife, slowly cutting into my toe. But it causes dress-up problems, and that's important.
When in drab, I wear a mix of boy and girl shoes. I have two pairs of New Balance I wear almost all the time: gray men's shoes, black women's ones. My dress shoes are from Aerosoles. I have girls' sandals, although they're irrelevant here. Huh. I guess I have a few pairs of girl shoes and one boy. I should get rid of those, just for consistency.
And, of course, I have Way Too Many pairs of pumps, boots, etc.
One commonality among the shoes, men's vs women's, is women's shoes are flatter. I'm not sure what the cobbler's technical name for this is. The part above the toes on women's shoes is lower than the part above the toes on men's shoes. This means they press down on that ingrowing toenail more.
This translates into me walking funny after not-too-long in some of my favourite shoes.
I'm hoping this will solve the problem for at least a number of years and I'll be ready for my next trip out (October, in Arizona). Meantime, I may be working from home tomorrow.
Or I may be wearing my girl sandals to the office.
Monday, September 5, 2011
This Was a Surprise
Please take the two polls this week. An explanation is in yesterday's post. Thank you. And I hope you're all enjoying your long weekend (here in the states).My wife reads a magazine called The Sun. I have pretty much no idea what it's about. The little blurb I read says that it doesn't have ads. I get it. My favourite newspaper (The Funny TImes) doesn't either (except to push their own t-shirts and stuff). Nor did my childhood favourite magazine (Mad).
It does appear to have literary items.
My wife pulled out a recent issue and said "read this." It was from a reader-supplied section. This month's subject was shoes. I read the item she suggested and said "OK. Why?" It was about some woman and a special pair of shoes that she had. She said "what do you mean?" and I said "well, why that one?" She took the magazine back and looked at it and then started flipping pages until she found the one that I copied here.
Interesting that she'd point out something like that.
She usually does her best to ignore my hobby, except to occasionally take a jab at what I like to do. Here she is, showing me an article about a boy who bought a pair of heels. We haven't discussed it yet; I will. I think she'd appreciate that and maybe she'll point me at more items like this in the future.
I'm sorry about the scan. They don't have full articles on their website. Click it to enlarge it so it's readable!
Just an aside: I mentioned to one of my favourite people that my brother-in-law was visiting. She wrote back and said "what's he like?" which reminded me of one of my favourite jokes:
A little boy is in the shopping mall, crying his eyes out. An older woman comes out of one of the nearby shops to ask him why he's crying. He stops long enough to tell her that he was in the mall with his grandfather and now he can't find him anywhere. The woman says "your grandfather? What's he like?" and the boy thinks a minute and says "single malt scotch and women with big boobs."
(insert rimshot)
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Office, Part II
First a follow-up: Those were all great suggestions in yesterday's comments, but I'm not sure they work with zombie mice. I'll just continue to sleep in my motorcycle helmet.
J (male) and K (female) share an office. K is the office fashionista. She especially loves her shoes and sometimes I'll drop by just to tell her how terrific her shoes are. But her outfits are also spectacular, and I enjoy seeing her around the office.
J is the office know-it-all, so if there are any questions about the project, or government contracting requirements, I go to him.
I went to ask J a documentation question, but asked K if she had a shoe room (she was wearing patterned wedges and I don't think I've ever seen her wear ANY wedges before. She's definitely a stiletto fan). J, out of nowhere, said he's been getting coupons for free panties from Victoria's Secret. They were all addressed to him. I said "maybe you should take them up on it. They're very comfortable." He said "it's too bad they don't have men's underwear" and I said "you can wear anything you want." He said "boxers would be good" and I said "they have 'boyleg' ~ they're practically boxers, right K?"
J looked at me and said "you know way too much about this." I said "it's a hobby" and he laughed and the topic changed.
I was ready to go further. I was considering something about how I prefer Vanity Fair because they're a bit roomier but we never got there.
No stories.
J (male) and K (female) share an office. K is the office fashionista. She especially loves her shoes and sometimes I'll drop by just to tell her how terrific her shoes are. But her outfits are also spectacular, and I enjoy seeing her around the office.
J is the office know-it-all, so if there are any questions about the project, or government contracting requirements, I go to him.
I went to ask J a documentation question, but asked K if she had a shoe room (she was wearing patterned wedges and I don't think I've ever seen her wear ANY wedges before. She's definitely a stiletto fan). J, out of nowhere, said he's been getting coupons for free panties from Victoria's Secret. They were all addressed to him. I said "maybe you should take them up on it. They're very comfortable." He said "it's too bad they don't have men's underwear" and I said "you can wear anything you want." He said "boxers would be good" and I said "they have 'boyleg' ~ they're practically boxers, right K?"
J looked at me and said "you know way too much about this." I said "it's a hobby" and he laughed and the topic changed.
I was ready to go further. I was considering something about how I prefer Vanity Fair because they're a bit roomier but we never got there.
No stories.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Shoes!
Tuesday, after work, I came home and wanted to switch immediately into my black shoes and wear them for the evening. It's not a great test because I'll be sitting a lot, but it's better than nothing. I want to see which shoes are most comfortable.
But I didn't. Arizona won out. My feet were so sweaty I couldn't put on my shoes for a bit. But I did wear them for a couple of hours. Wednesday, I wore the fuschia wedges, as you saw from the photos. They're neither terribly comfortable nor terrible. I think I could wear them for a full day, but I think I'd like backup.
Wednesday was wedges all evening, as you could tell from my photos. They're OK. I think I can wear them all day. I think.
Thursday, mules. The mules are the most comfortable, I think. They're from "Air Supply Plus" and padded and soft.
I'll write about my Friday night either later today or tomorrow. Remember: today is definitely a going out day!
But I didn't. Arizona won out. My feet were so sweaty I couldn't put on my shoes for a bit. But I did wear them for a couple of hours. Wednesday, I wore the fuschia wedges, as you saw from the photos. They're neither terribly comfortable nor terrible. I think I could wear them for a full day, but I think I'd like backup.
Wednesday was wedges all evening, as you could tell from my photos. They're OK. I think I can wear them all day. I think.
Thursday, mules. The mules are the most comfortable, I think. They're from "Air Supply Plus" and padded and soft.
I'll write about my Friday night either later today or tomorrow. Remember: today is definitely a going out day!
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