Shoe Envy

So about once a day (give or take) I read someone's blog about their beloved bridal shoes. Or the one's they are selecting from, or the one's that someone found a great deal on on Ebay or Zappos. Some of them really make me wonder how much people actually like them, or if its just because of the name or the fact that it looks like it just stepped off the set of Sex and the City. I am not a fashionista. Most days, I'm in blue jeans and whatever shirt looked fun for the day... usually with coordinating flip flops. And by coordinating, I mean I have my "dressy" black leather, or normal fabric blue or brown, and one pair with silver sparkles.

I have some fancy shoes (fancy looking - not fancy Christian Louboutin). The shoes I feel are worth it for investing more than $40 in are limited to running shoes and my black boots. The winter is when I am most likely to be found in closed to shoes (though still often in flip flops - it is Florida) and then its boots. With a dress - boots. Skirt - boots. Jeans - boots. My $120 boots are by far the most expensive shoes I own.

Quick antidote about shoe "worth". I have (still have - still wear) a pair of fun black heels that I bought for $30 at Bass Outlet in 2000. These shoes were my one pair of black heels all through high school, and through my first few years of college. My first years of college included a lot of dressin business-y for class (business fancy or bathing suit cover up straight from pool - there was no in between - odd school), and going out clubbing at night. So for the most part, I wore them every day. And never treated them nicely. I was a freak at that school for not being a fashionista obsessed with name brands. I actually went with a friend of mine to get her new $500 Manolo Bhalnik (i'm guessing thats spelled wrong) shoes fixed 5 times in 3 months! OMG how she laughed at me when I looked at the box and asked her how to pronounce "that name". "ooohhh. got it. blah-nick. ma-no-lo blah-nick." (not kidding- that's what I said). $500 for her fancy shoes that she had to have repaired every 6 weeks, or $30 for my shoes that I had been wearing for 4 years at that point.... hmmm.... better investment? Mind you, they are still my main black heels, and they now need a $10 re-sole - not a bad $30 investment. Man that antidote was nowhere near as quick as when I tell it in person! (Maybe I really do talk too fast.)

So because of these bridal shoe posts, I have seen some FUN SHOES!! (Don't get me started on the fact that I would NEVER pay these prices, but still...) Here are some of my favorites (images from Zappos, Blue Fly, and Bellisima Bridal Shoes):








And my all-time-if-i-won-the-lottery-then-maybe-favorites (which I found on The Bride's Cafe):

So - I am loving some of the fun designs! One problem - I WILL BE BAREFOOT!! So while, I am not envious of having to wear the shoes, I am envious of the pretty pictures! Like these! (which I nabbed off of Polka Dot Bride):

Green by Amy Squires Photography

Blue by Amy Carroll Photography

Red by Millie Holoman Photography

Pink by Olivia Leigh Photography

Yellow by Next Exit Photography

and

Rainbow by Laura Kay Photography

SO I have come up with a compromise. Barefoot Sandals!! Like these pretty little fancies from Jewels by Michele:


:) I am a happy and not-so-shoe-envious bride-to-be now!