Elle competiton

The first thing that springs to mind when sifting through my own shoe collection is my reaction to first seeing a particular pair. My first pair of brogues, for instance, were from Kurt Geiger and when my mother gave in to letting me try one on, (for she knew once it slid on my foot like Cinderella’s slipper there would be no going back for her bank account), I sunk into child mode. ‘Oh please, please, please Mum! I’ll wear them ALL the time. I need them Mum. Really, really need them.
Eyes bulging at the price, I could see her palms gathering sweat and becoming clammy at the thought of indulging ME in a pair of Kurt Geiger brogues. Because of course this is every Mother’s dilemma. Buying a pair of expensive shoes that she will never get a chance to wear herself seems ludicrous! However this proves the point. Women are willing to pay to embellish their feet more than they are for anything else. The age old womanly obsession with either bag or shoe seems to overrule all other fashion lust. When you fall in love with a pair of shoes that’s a bond that lasts a lifetime, (whether it the human’s life or the shoe’s). The average woman when asked this question would simply scream out, ‘YES OF COURSE!’ Perhaps afterwards biting her lip and realising, actually, perhaps the money needed to buy, yet another pair of shoes, could possibly be spent on something more important.But what’s more important than shoes? They make you taller or sleeker. They complete an outfit. They embellish a part of the human body that a lot of people fear to expose or are slightly squeamish about. Shoes are simply magical.When caressing the heels and features of my shoes-the suede of a boot, the wooden heel of an S/S10 clog, brushing the indentations on my 6 pairs of brogues, old and new; only one thing comes to mind: just how beautiful they all are. Just how worthy they were of the money I handed over in exchange for these stunning creations.
But this still doesn’t answer the question. Yes, shoes are extremely important in a wardrobe and a lifestyle-but what is women’s obsession with owning every possible style of shoe available? When a new season is showcased and the suspense of what we will all be wearing for the autumn or the summer is broken, the anticipation is built up and the first model struts along the runway we see what out feet will be wearing as well. What if you don’t own the shoe everybody’s talking about? As a ski boot D&G style stomps past you or perhaps a kitten heel steps past you in the street, a fear sets in. You don’t have that shoe. In the entirety of your collection lies not one pair of sheep lined boots. There’s a rush of adrenaline as you see the rest of the collection of course. There’s a definite ache of need for a Burberry flying jacket and some Rodarte-esque tulle layers. But really your heart sinks when you realise the look will never be complete without the shoe. Yet more money will have to be spent on a shoe that’s in keeping with this season’s trends. Lucky for most women shoes are very recyclable and reusable things. From season to season the same kind of shoe pops up and the average woman can save at least that section of her spending. However it’s entirely necessary to buy the ones missing if they don’t already grace your ensemble. This may be greeted with a faux worry and we may pretend to be irritated or anxious as we near bankruptcy by boot yet again. But really we’re excited. The desire for that boot, shoe, brogue or heel; sandal, shoot or stiletto takes over and out worry is override. Because, yes, we do really, really, really need yet another pair of shoes. Because what could be more fun to purchase?