The one main question that remains to be asked regarding shoes is none other than:
How high would you go?
This could refer both to the height and the prices of the shoes;
Do you dare going above 4 inches?
What is the absolute limit of what you are willing to pay for a pair of those feet companions?
From the above question, there are some related issues that can be broken down into:
the all-time dilemma of beauty versus comfort and/or practicality
and
in terms of prices, cheap or branded.
Other issues would be the appropriateness of certain types of shoes in different situations and also the kind of perception and expectation cast upon the wearer in whatever sole protectors they strut in (which, of course includes trend).
Going beyond four inches high was perhaps made much more popular by Lady Gaga, whose shoes are (as her wardrobe) may I say, outrageously otherworldly. Yet, unsurprisingly, she was also the one responsible in sparking interest in walking tall without heels, in both her songs and platforms without heels.
Not to say that you wouldn't fall even if you're an expert at moving about with extra height (and weight!) but you know what they say, the higher the risk, the higher the reward *pun intended* Who wouldn't notice you when you walk on the little stage you strut in?
Sarcasms aside though, other than demanding some deserved attention, heels do boost some confidence, especially for petites. Appropriately high and styled heels also assist in making one appear professional (three-inched court shoes for example).
For casual outing, particularly for summer, flats and sandals would of course be the shoes to wear. Strictly loyal high heels wearer, however could don wedges for summer. Flats are not only a perfect wear for pragmatic people, they could be uber-cute as well, as evident in Vivi shoes:
As for pricing, we are bound by our respective purchasing power and opportunity cost; buying those delicious-looking and hence expensive shoes would burn your wallet that you would have to forgo further purchases of other items. More often than not, the pricing of almost any items correlate with their quality. The perception is that the higher the price, the better the quality, though this does not always stand true. There are two types of people who believe in the direct correlation of pricing and quality; those who go for cheap shoes because trends do not stay the same for long anyway and those who prefer expensive ones for the quality and/or the brand name.
Moving on to the constant dilemma of beauty versus comfort and/or practicality, efforts are being made to merge the two together. From my personal observation, Clarks has progressed significantly from offering boring-looking but comfortable shoes to chic yet comfortable shoes. FitFlop is another invention that went quite a rage locally at one point, which introduced comfort into arguably pretty shoes.
The one kind of shoes I cannot imagine living without would be a simple black flat pumps. Since I have many a rule to what I wear each day, which, for shoes include comfort, practicality, easy matching and protection of my soles from the harshness of the world outside of my home, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that I have been wearing those almost everyday for about ten years.
Oh silly me, I neglected to include one of the greatest frustration of fashionistas when we found an amazing pair we'd love our feet to walk in: the SIZE!
Surely it wouldn't be hard for any of you to imagine how irritating it is when you are told that the shoes you take off the shelf are no longer available in your size. It is also sad when your measurement lies in the middle of two sizes they offer. Crocs are not friendly to the size of my feet. Luckily I'm not much of a fan of shoes made of foam. It is even sadder though, if the typical shoes offered in retail do not complement the specific shape of your feet.
So those are about all that my shopping buddies and I have discussed while shopping (sometimes before and after shopping as well). How do you readers take into account the above considerations? Are there any other issues with shoes? And what shoes fit your fancy? Feel free to leave a comment below, for I'd love to know your thoughts and experience. ;)
*disclaimer: all images are taken off Google search*
