ShoeSense

Carnivale: Go-To Shoes

Desiree at About Shoes asks this week a sensible question:

While it's easy to get caught up in the latest trends and the newest offerings from the hottest designers, there are times when even the most devout fashionista will opt for function over fashion.

So ... it's not a big night out, there's nary a potential partner in sight, and there is no office dress code. Which shoes do you reach for when you're only dressing to impress yourself?

I started this blog PRECISELY with the idea that all the shoes in the collection of sensible and fashionable women should be just that: stylish as well as comfortable. As a result, I've made an effort to find shoes that will blend these two essential qualities, and so I've amassed quite a number of shoes that I would wear anywhere without having to sacrifice either comfort or fashion.

But, of course, I develop favorites, depending on how outrageously comfortable the shoes can be, the season, and the tasks at hand (more on that below). And then there are shoes that are just comfortable enough for the office, but that I wouldn't wear on a regular basis. And then there are shoes that are cute for going out, but that wouldn't necessarily be my first choice when I'm just going around running errands.

Lately there have been A LOT of these errands, since we're in the middle of a major house renovation (we'll move there, hopefully, some time in July). Luckily, we have an interior designer to help with this, or I would have committed seppuku by now. At any rate, I've had to pick out CD shelves, hallway and bathroom tiles, vanities, mirrors, medicine cabinets, faucets, floors, lighting, various fixtures, sinks, appliances, paint, to name a few, and on top of this meet with a variety of professionals (window guys, floor guys, tile guys, plumbers, painters, electricians, audio guys, landscapers, the team of contractors, etc.). The landscapers are particularly tough, because I have to get down into the garden and show them what the issues are with the bricks, the plants, etc. You can't wear itsy-bitsy sandals or kitten heels in the dirt!

So, lately, on most occasions, I find myself choosing this pair of shoes :
They're part of the Cole Haan G-series--velvet and metallic leather ballerina slippers, with an outrageously comfortable insole and a rubber sole that is destined to perform athletically. I got them on sale (what else!), 70% off at Neiman Marcus, last pair. They're cute and bright and really, really easy on my perpetually tired feet. I WARMLY recommend them as your go-to errand shoe--they're fashionable enough to make you feel good about yourself and comfortable enough that by the end of the day you won't curse the fateful minute you decided to wear them.

posted by Cristina Hanganu-Bresch @ 9:41 AM