Fashion is to Shoes, as Life is to People

If what you see here is the stereotype chic go-to of classic red faux-leather high heeled boots -- overrated, over-done, and far too common-- believe me, gal-friend (or guy friend-fashionista) you're not alone. But there is a certain danger when we start to view things, and, even people, in this overdone, far too cliche stereotypical light.

I am begging of you, future hope for society, please look deeper!

There is a journey on which I have been wandering - almost a year's worth of effort in selling these shoes. I, as well as these shoes, have travelled yonder from a person's trash bag, to a worn down discount organization run thrift store - to my apartment, where we both learned that the feet and shoes are not a match made in heaven - but the shoes, at least, are absolutely gorgeous to look at.

From there, I posed for a Halloween contest by stuffing the toes with as many crushed paper bags as possible, without damaging them or lessening their worth or value, in attempts to win a holiday gift card for future Christmas shopping - or groceries - whichever came first. Needless to say, the single ladies' date I had in these heels was fun, awesome, and maybe a little time consuming, but a loss for forever happiness - just yet that is...

After that, I packed my red high heels into my tote bag much like Bruiser in "Legally Blonde" would be tucked safely under Elle's arms, sheltered from the rain, and the off and on hail that threatened to sabotage my oft- attempted walks through the town. I left them in the safe-keeping of a boutique store, and promised them a commission to keep my fashionable tall red babies safe, and walked my short stuff out of there, but not before sighing, looking longingly at my oversized match, and telling the owner I wished I could wear them, and telling her to please treat them with care like they were her own children.

I am forever admiring shoes that match my style but missed the memo that my feet are 'fun sized', and constantly do not meet up to the young adult womens' standard measurements of our time.

Hey, I could be Cinderella, re-incarnated - you just never know...

But sadly, I didn't grow up Indian either. However, as an independent female I can choose what to believe as well as how to make an income.

Ah, to the shoes, RIGHT back to where we LEFT off. (The perfect pun for a pair of shoes!)

The small boutique store released my beloved red high heels from their tender loving care, and I embraced them in my arms, so as not to drop my dear high heeled babies on the way to a classic vintage boutique just up the way. It was then, and only then, that somebody decided to tell me why they thought the shoes might not sell. (The poor, beautiful dears...)

"Oh dear me, what could it be?" I queried.

"You see here, the 'FASHION' icon on the right show is facing the correct way."

"So the right shoe is right, or correctly manufactured, so... where are you going with this?" I replied.

The shop - keeper continued, "However, the left shoe's insignia is glued on upside down, and therefore permanently manufactured incorrectly. I was going to take this shoe, until I saw the error in manufacturing. I refuse to take an incorrectly manufactured pair of shoes."

I asked her, "But what if it could be fixed or repaired? There are job descriptions and shops for shoe repairs and mending services"

"She said, yes, I suppose, but I do not believe that is possible. I'm still not taking these shoes. You can take them with you out the door as you go, along with the rest of your things. "

By the end of my visit, I felt as if she was judging my red heeled babies, as well as myself. I wasn't quite sure who she was judging more, matter-of-factly. Downright disheartening, it was.

But just as the title of my blog post states, "Fashion is to Shoes as Life is to People" And just like with people, sometimes you have to look a little deeper than skin deep. And so I did, as soon as I possibly could. Those poor beautiful SOLES endured such dreadful, permanent judgment and rejection. It turns out, that while the brand emblem was indeed manufactured upside-down, it's nothing that couldn't be cobbled together and fixed.

I also unzipped the shoe, and peered into the lining - a few layers into the skin so as to get a deeper look at the root of the shoe's predicament. It hadn't been "glued" upside down at all... merely fastened upside down. As my findings concluded, the brand's label was made with a fastener, much like in Manilla envelope folders, but with a boxy edged design and with the word engraved into a gold color. The solution and the repair, both, were beyond simple. All I had to do, was loosen the fastener's edge, pull it out, turn it around, and place it back in, then secure the fastener in place tightly, in the same folding pattern as before, but with the lettering in a legible fashion for the English language it was written in.

(Much like the Hokey Pokey, but using shoes, rather than feet!)

From then on, from Left to Right, my precious and beloved shoes made both the literal and fashionable perfect pair, and now are able to be sold.

I perhaps might look into seeing if a shoe repairman can possibly resize these heels, however, so that I will be able to wear them on my own feet, in my correct size. If my dream becomes a reality, I will surely update you later and let you know the results of their wondrous makeover!

Until then,

"Arrivederci!"

(Because, faux leather or not, I had to use genuine Italian somewhere in my life, and in this post.) If not leather, language will certainly do.

And, hopefully, as I and others have learned through my venture and blog post: as with heels and with people both, please look deeper and treat with genuine love, non judgment, acceptance and care. You just might miss out on the perfect pair of heels, friendships, or life partners, if you don't take the small amount of time it takes to do so.

Arrivederci,

Kris