shoes!

Um, I just bought the most fashion forward (in a sort of backwards 80's style) shoes I've ever bought in my life. Which isn't really saying much. I could never have imagined I would ever buy shoes like these. But I did:





Not only could I not resist the see-through heels, but they were comfortable to boot!

See, Sugar D's (new) employer is having its Christmas party tomorrow night, and I didn't really have an outfit. So I bought a dress at a consignment shop but I quickly realized that I wasn't going to feel comfortable wearing my usual casual and comfortable footwear with it. It's black and white polka dotted silk with a fairly plunging neckline, fitted waist and a slight flare to the skirt -- although not enough flair to feel really safe that it won't cling in all the wrong places when I have nylons on. Hence the need for fancy, heeled shoes. I figured they'd make my legs look good and distract attention from my ass.

What do you think?

Poll

So I finally tried on the shoes that have been calling to me every time I walk past our local shoe boutique (which is pretty much every time I walk downtown). They're on sale, they're red, they're cute, they have a size that fits me, though I can tell my heels will get shredded before I break them in; but they're really not all that functional... not comfortable enough for an everyday walking shoe, not summery enough for a South African holiday shoe, too casual for a more dress-up shoe. Should I just wait to buy shoes in South Africa, where I'll also have the memory of South Africa associated with them? Or should I just go ahead and indulge myself in a pair of shoes that could end up joining other shoes I've bought that remain virtually unworn because they're not quite comfortable enough? One point in their favour is that I can wear them with regular socks...

Vote now...

I never thought this would be a shoe blog

but then I saw these:

My next shoe relationship I think. They're made by a company called Keen. I am most definitely keen. Har har.

Purses and Handbags

Having grown up in South Africa, Dave uses a lot of British words and phrases, and some that are uniquely South African. They often provide us with misunderstandings and laughs. I never really thought about the word handbag until Dave said at the market yesterday, "Well, I noticed a handbag at that table so I figured it was taken." North Americans don't really talk about handbags; we talk about purses. But now that I've noticed, I've decided that handbag is a much nicer, much more appropriate term.

I've noticed on the British blogs that there is a lot of interest in shoes and handbags. Personally, I don't really share the interest (I'm more of a serial monogamist when it comes to shoes: I like good-quality, funky shoes but they have to be comfortable, and usually I'll wear one pair for months before a change of season forces me to choose another pair).

I don't really like carrying a purse, never really have. Ok, when I was a little girl, I loved wearing high heels and carrying purses. But during my teens and early twenties I only carried my wallet in my back pocket (aha! Maybe it's because I never wore skirts or dresses then, only jeans and later cords. Handbags or purses are only necessary if you wear skirts and makeup and need more than your wallet with you), then I graduated to a backpack.

My friend Heather gave me a furry purse at my bachelorette party where everyone had to bring something silly for me to wear at the bar. The purse originally carried a little stuffed dog (the ultimate accessory these days I guess) but I removed the dog and it's really been quite functional.

I carry this furry purse more often since having Ezra. It feels liberating on the rare occasions I don't have to carry spare diapers, wipes, something to wipe up spitup, a fresh change of clothes, etc. etc.

Anytime I have carried a purse (if I'm dressed up, the backpack just doesn't feel right), I always referred to it as my bag. A lot of my prejudice against purses has something to do with the name... maybe because purse is what you do with your lips when you're grumpy or taste something sour. Of course it's also what you do when you kiss someone or if you're Marilyn Monroe teaching someone to whistle. But purse really sounds like a grumpy word to me, not a sexy one.

Handbag is so much more precise than bag. If I ask someone to hand me my bag, often they look around for a backpack or grocery bag. Now I will say handbag and hope it spreads like a virus.

I'll be very interested if lynneguist examines the purse/handbag thing. In fact I may need to suggest it to him/her, along with a shameless invitation to read my blog.