Day 36- $2.98 Hiking Boots...or Hiking uh Huh Yep That's it

Boots- 70% off + Rewards + Birthday Coupon = $2.98 wheeeeeeee

Where they belong = work where I sit all day.

Where they do not belong = a 2mile hike through the city of Philadelphia.

Right place wrong shoes...yes again.

No blisters so props to my seriously cheap shoes.

Wear  2 September 2017

Purchased August 2017

Cost $2.98

Comfort 4

Pair #39

Day 35- I Know They Are House Slippers...That Did Not Stop Me.

The facts-
*They sparkle
*They have rubber soles
*They can be safely worn outside
*They are not made to be worn outside
*They are house shoes

The thought process-
*Maybe I won't get out of the car
*It's a little bank no one is ever there anyway
*It's easier just to run in
*and...while I'm out
*Finally I forgot I was wearing them so I wore them everywhere

The conclusion-
*My feet were warm and cozy all day
* It's OK in Cecil County MD or NYC (redneck issues or anything goes)
*Not exactly suitable for a farm visit

Wear  July 2017

Purchased November 2015

Cost 13

Comfort Somewhere between 8.5

Pair #38

Day 00 x 6- As For My Shoe Experiment

I FAILED. I bought shoes and more shoes and lost shoes and forgot which shoes I wore and which ones I didn't and then I bought some more shoes. I forgot the rules, had 2 blogs going at the same time and now it would take an engineer to untangle it...so I quit. I am just going to keep telling shoe stories and taking pictures (in spite of the fact that my toes have been called nasty). I am going to admit there is no hope and I am not getting rid of any shoes nor am I going to quit buying them nor does buying them mean they will ever be worn. The ones that are dry rotted I am going to pretend there is a way to fix and bedazzle. Yep that is how it is going down.

"The Great Shoe Experiment" Game Over- Loss Accepted

Now I can move on with "Ab's IshShoes"

:)

Day 34- Happy Evil Green Shoes Version 3.75

WTH on the bait and switch? I put them on, I walked around and thought ....hmmmm not bad for pretty, high heel, low end shoes. 3.75 hours later I walked across a parking lot, carrying the shoes, while cursing at them. Seriously 225 min is that divisible by pain? It is. Start at a comfort level of 7 end at -5 (so 12) and they were worn for 225 minutes, that's 225/12=18.75...which means they lost 1 point for comfort every 18 minutes and 15 seconds until I could not take it anymore. Go ahead correct my math I will make you wear them.
Still aren't they cute?

Wear  1 August 5th 2017

Purchased January 2016

Cost 34.99

Comfort Somewhere between -5 & 7

Pair #37

Day 33- Candy Stripers

While looking for a particular pair of Cole Haan shoes I found these Tommy Hilfiger shoes. I never did find the pair I was actually looking for nor do I even remember exactly what they looked like at this point, but I digress. These Tommy Hilfigers were the closest shoes I could find to the style of shoe I was looking for and since it seemed unlikely the shoes I needed were attainable I just ran with it. The internet photo did not show the lining. When they arrived the lining was almost grounds for return but ...I don't do that... besides who will ever see it. As it turns out the candy striper lining is some kind of subtle medical warning because those cute little stripes are right where the shoe rubs in such a way as to rip the top of my foot open. Given the discomfort they are more likely to get kicked off than other shoes thereby letting the lining be seen. Perhaps I believe they will magically improve because for some reason they still live here. How is it that the innocent looking ones cause the most trouble?

Wear  ? Several

Circa 2008

Cost *

Comfort 3 (there are worse)

Pair #36

Day 32- Making Herman Munster Proud

I miss Wild Pair! These giant, comfy, "ugly" shoes are OLD favorites. They used to be brushed suede. I think I painted them to buy them some time. They need more time after all they are only about 24 years old. :)

Wear Many many

Circa 1993
Cost unknown
Comfort 7
Pair #35

Day 31- Yes Those Are Giant Bandaids

I could feel them ripping holes in the top of my foot. Yes those are giant bandaids. No I will not likely wear them again. Given some of the things I have put on my feet it's shocking  that flip flops get the lowest comfort rating yet.

Wear 2 (not sure how they got a second chance)
Sept 2011
Cost Free with Purchase of Harley Boots
Comfort 1
Pair #34

Day 30- Eenie Meenie…Eh I’ll Have Both (Insert Pleased Grin Here)

There is sad news...I have no idea what happened to the black pair AND more sad news... the green pair started to crack from the heat in the attic storage crypt BEFORE I ever wore them! That may have been because it took me about 7 years to wear them, during which time they were stored in the attic. The good news is LOOK how cute they are with pretty blue nail polish!!!!

Wear 1 *(Summer 2013)
Circa * 2006
Cost *Approx $15
Comfort 3
Pair #33
* =Best Guess

Day 29-“OUUUUUCCCCHHH.”

I bought these on New Years Eve 1999 or 2000. I was going out for New Years, I had a beaded gown, I was in Florida and I did not have proper shoes (that seems to be a theme). I went to the mall and bought cute Nina shoes at Dillard’s. They are devoid of anything remotely resembling comfort. They do painful damage to my feet before I stand up from buckling them…. but they have Sparkles so lets go dancing! (There  should beSparklie font for the word Sparkle)

Wear 3 *(Summer 2013)

Circa  December 31st 1999

Cost  * Approx. $50

Comfort  1

Pair #32

* =Best Guess

Day 00 x 5- “Amendment to Day 5”

I found the pictures of the original shoes.

Cutest ever.

They served me well.

They did not however end well.

But you see the resemblance, right?!?

Click on the link for the a look at the replacement pair and story.

https://abbiesnotnormal13.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/day-5-a-love-normal-people-could-never-understand/

Day 28- “New In…Attic”

I love finding shoes in the attic that I forgot about. Never before worn, still in the box, really cool shoes that hide in the attic are clearly the best. These were an online shopping impulse and I HAD TO HAVE THEM but seriously I don’t wear white, or linen, or beige, or gold BUT they did not come in Black so white, linen, beige and gold it is. They will work, eventually! These Wild Roses are not fairing well in the attic heat. So sad when fab shoes bite the dust in a wear or 2. One day I aspire to have a proper place to store my toys, in the mean time it’s survival of the fittest.

The appendages in the following photo don't look like they are part of the same person but they are... 

As for the ratings if I had one for “Popularity” so far these are #1 so far.

And and and I can’t verify it but I read vegan friendly somewhere on the topic of  “Wild Rose“ shoes.  Awesome if it's true!!!

Wear 1 *(Summer 2013)

Circa  2010

Cost  * Approx. $50

Comfort  6 (I’m sure that was because I wore them to work and I sit all day, but shockingly high rating for this style )

Pair #31

* =Best Guess

Day 27- “Oldie but Goody”

Love these cheapy, little, been around forever and through the mill babies…and yes I still wear ankle bracelets. I like them.

I painted a couple of toes black which looked Ok in person, it looks sort of weird/oddly injured in the picture…hmmmm

Wear ??? *(Summer 2013)

Circa- Old

Cost  * Approx. $15 (Back when Payless was always cheap)

Comfort  8.5 if we’re not hiking or doing the 3 Day or something

Pair #30

* =Best Guess

Day 26- “All My Clothes Are Dark= This Wardrobe Necessity”

Plain old Doc Martens. I was once told that you break them in and then they are soooo comfy. They are soooo broken in that the perfectionist in me actually hates to look at them and yet not soooo comfy. I spend more time polishing them than wearing them. I wore them to a festival and did several months and a bizillion dollars worth of damage to my foot just walking. They needed a mouse. No reason they just did. 

 Wear ??? *(Summer 2013)

Circa 2000

Cost  * Approx. $50 (Marshall’s)

Comfort  Starts at a 5 and declines rapidly

Pair #29

* =Best Guess

Day 25 “Nordstrom to the Rescue”

These are the boots that I wear every day, with ANYTHING, take everywhere and of course (yet luckily) had with me when I brought 2 left “fun, flat, work with everything for everything walking shoes” on vacation TWICE! I had to walk all over Vegas in 105 degrees and I walked all over Florida in May/June Florida weather in these. Yes, I find people are inclined to look at me like they know something that I must not know, but I find if I just own it/rock it/whatever it, it’s just Ok and acceptable and people feel that.

I looked for a long time for plain, comfy, slip on boots and in Winter 2012 I finally found them at Nordstrom by winter 2013 the boots were a touch worse for the wear and I needed another pair. Nordstrom no longer had them and again it seemed impossible to find a simple, flat, durable boot. The only logical thing to do would be take them into the body shop (shoe repair at the mall) and have them completely restored/remodeled/overhauled, whatever it takes to get them back in functioning order! So I did… but I had to have a substitute during their trip to the spa.

Day 14’s Story is about the shoes I bought to wear while these were in the shop (a reasonable and justifiable stretching of the rules) https://abbiesnotnormal13.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/day-14-stretching-the-rules/

Wear ??? *(All Of The Time)

Winter 2012

Cost * Approx. $90

Comfort 8 (varies depending on inappropriateness of use)

Pair #28 * =Best Guess

PS I walked a few legs of the Susan Komen 3 day in these.

Day 24- “Coach Rescue”

Everyone knows I rescue animals when they cross my path, lost, hungry, in need or in harms way. When I pick up dead possum with live babies in it’s pouch, take on mothering an insulin dependent cat, stop to assist a lost horse, chase a sunbathing snake out of the road, those that know me expect nothing less. It has, however, been pointed out that my rescue instinct occasionally spills over into other aspects of my life. A few examples of that friends perspective are these; before I found the perfect guy I tried to rehab an idiot or two, I bought a falling apart Victorian house and tried to "save" it, I once spent $75 on a $35 dollar watch because the alternative was to end the watch and so on and so on. It seems that it is just in my nature to save anything that crosses my path. That being said it should not be surprising that when I found these shoes being used as cleaning, mopping, yard work shoes I had to save them. I confiscated these from my mother when I found her bleaching the floor in them…I mean seriously Mommy have a little respect! They are Coach! For Crying Out Loud!

Years went by that I did not own sneakers and though I am not sure these qualify as “sneakers” they were upgraded from a very tough existence as mommy’s housework shoes to a super easy existence as my gym shoes. The fact that I did not own sneakers should clue you in as to my work out habits, if the fact that I call these (no support having, likely crazy expensive, basically brand name bobo’s) gym shoes did not clue you in. My new Coach shoes felt right at home at the posh gym (Hockessin Athletic Club, not a facility I would ever recommend BTW) to which I had been gifted a membership. Turns out little Coach sneakers are perfect for walking into the building, checking in, going to the café, getting a beer and watching a game show or two while sitting on an exercise bike then back to the car. After I got the worst customer service ever anywhere I left the gym for good and my “sneakers” got an early retirement.  Better they sit safely in my closet and just be Coach than ever see the likes of bleach again.

Here they are pictured in pillow pose.

Wear ? *(2014)

In 2012 they came to me

Cost  Free to Me

Comfort  8

Pair #27

Day 23- “A Picture is Worth 1000 Words”

There is really not much to say about these, I opened a catalog, saw them and heard Angels singing. I’m not even sure I’m kidding. Seriously see the bottom?!? I am running around showing everyone (who will look) the bottom of my shoe! AND AND AND they are sort of comfortable!!! It pains me to see they have also been affected/fallen victim to the temperature in the closet in the attic and are starting to crack. Whimper whimper whimper…

Wear 3 (Summer 2013)

August 2009

Cost  * Approx. $50

Comfort  6

Pair #26

* =Best Guess

6-19-18 Wrecked shoe box

Day 22- “Can you say EMBARRASSING?!?”

This story was going to be about my clunky, style suited for Herman Munster boots, which I bought to make me tall enough to pull off a fabulous pair of jeans I got at Nordstrom’s (with a gift certificate from a BFF). The jeans were so much too long that normal heels were not going to help and they could not be altered or hemmed due to the design on the bottom. This story is instead about a day hoping no one was noticing the trail of shoe crumbs I was leaving everywhere I walked like some modern day Hansel and Gretel. It was soooo embarrassing. Most people might be embarrassed to wear shoes that are giant, clunky, ugly boots for which no matching accessory has ever been made but I am good with all of that, however trail of shoe parts in my wake constitutes a problem. Unbeknownst to me these boots were among the multitude of footwear stored in the attic that could not handle the extreme temperatures. The morning I decided these Circa 2004 (yes 2004 not 1974) were my way to walk above the puddles created by the never ending downpours, I had no idea I should start video taping the decay that was about to occur, it would have been too funny in elapsed time. When I put them on in the morning I tried to shine them up and buff off the only small scuff I could find on them before heading off to work. By the time I got to work they started to crack across the ankle and by the end of the day every time I looked down they were missing another chunk of the beige colored shiny coating I was leaving a trail of shoe crumbs. They were disintegrating before my eyes. What’s really screwed up is that the shoe hoarding issue that lives in my head took over because instead of putting these shoes that have literally self destructed, which is obviously the universe telling me there is not room on the planet for this much ugly, straight in the trash I am now thinking about bedazzling them. They went to the craft table instead of the dumpster because there must be a way to refinish my “Herman Muster”, “made it possible for me to wear those cute jeans”, (the ones that will never fit properly or be back in style) funky 70’s kind of shoes. If there is a way and I figure it out these boots may have a second entry and stats in this blog.

Wear *? But Not Many *(Summer 2014)

Circa *2004

Cost  * Approx. $20

Comfort  4

Pair #25

* =Best Guess

Wrecked shoe box in basement June 2018

Day 21- “I’ll Have What She’s Wearing”

Who knows what kind of event was on the horizon, when I had to have these, but I had to have the whole outfit the catalog model was wearing too. It was the perfect outfit for the shoes (and uh…and the catalog model). Shockingly enough when I put it on I was not suddenly transformed into a 5’10”, 98lb Barbie doll on which that outfit and/or a paper bag would look absolutely amazing. The shirt made me look like my head was attached directly to my shoulders without benefit of a neck, the skirt looked oddly formal and the eye thingies to lace up the boots got caught on everything (mostly the skirt). The boots are not as black as they look in the picture, they are “distressed”, not just looking, they apparently experienced some kind of stress that breaks down shoe fibers previous to purchase. The wear to falling apart ratio is such that in 5 or 6 wears I am sure they would have sufficiently distressed themselves and in 5 or 6 more they may just disintegrate to dust but still they are cute boots and in the end what else matters…oh comfort rating of 7 is awesome and that matters (a little).

Wear *6 *(Summer 2013?)

Circa *2007

Cost  * Approx. $50

Comfort  7

Pair #24

* =Best Guess

Day 20- Oh I Wish That I had Jess’ Shoes… (groannnnn I do recognize that was awful)

These shoes were in the attic where they were still in the box unworn for about a year. I just found them YAY! 

 When I was 11 years old (around the beginning of the problem) I had a very similar pair of shoes, except they were white with a lower heel. I suffered that summer waiting to go back to school because I could not WAIT to wear those shoes. I had yellow socks, probably as the outer layer of a too many slouchy sock grouping but the yellow needed to be on the outside to show through the triangle holes (see???). I collected the perfect outfit then all of the pieces of the outfitted waited patiently next to the shoes to go back to school. There was an almost fluffy yellow skirt, a button up top with faux pearl embellishments and a yellow tank to go underneath (and possibly a white one with a row of tiny panda’s on it for layers!) and giant earrings. I’m guessing I had bracelets running all of the way up one arm and probably a swatch or two on the other. It was the 80’s, for the times I was unique, fashionably cute and interesting.

 All these years later a sweet girl I worked with walked by wearing these cute shoes and said she did not mind if I got them too, she also said that she just got them at Macy’s and they were on sale! Thanks Jess! YAY Again!!!

 It is never that easy it took 2 or 3 different Macy’s stores to get my hands on them but I was so excited to have them….then I forgot they existed for a year or so but that is what makes my shopping excursions to my attic SO much fun! These shoes caused lots of nostalgic smiles and they are black so they work with my life now!

Wear 1 *(July 2013)

Circa 2012

Cost  Approx $20

Comfort  6.5

Pair #23

Day 19- Sparkly Fit Flops

Nothing like NEEDING a pair of $125 flip flops that have fuzzy stuff and sparkles on them. They have FUZZY STUFF AND SPARKLES on them, which will cause me to have a negative desire to put them on my feet then drag them around on the ground all day because they might get dirty. These are the shoes I bought after the “Day 13- Warning Do Not Wear Hiking” shoes made my feet look and feel as if they had been through a blender and embarrassed me a little when I walked into a Vegas Hotel restaurant (that was on my “little” bucket list) to see an old friend with paper towels wrapped around and between my toes and sticking out from under the straps of my freshly abused Cole Haan sandals. I tried to pretend no one noticed but seriously? I suffered through a meal then I went into a boutique in another Hotel and sat in their tiny shoe dept. A precious sales girl saw my feet, heard a bit of my story and told me to stay seated while she brought everything she had that might resolve my problem to me. The nice girl also shared her personal stash of Band-Aids with me apparently the store made her keep Band-Aids on hand to cover her piercings (side-bar -I don’t get that, how does a Band-Aid across your eyebrow look better than a little piece of metal?) Anyway there is a price to fulfill a quest for foot relief and it is 125 dollars. So several Band-Aids, lots of thank you’s and $125 later I walked out in my new Sparkly Fit Flops. I likely would have paid more money (that I really did not have) in order to make my suffering stop but 125 it was. I only wore them to the bus and back to my hotel and though I could probably calculate out a price per step it was worth every penny. Now every time think I should wear them, I look at them I think not today they might get wet, and they are suede or suedeish or not today they will get dusty and if I wash them they may not like that… Shadow box? Maybe they need a shadow box.

Wear  3 * (June 2013)

June 2013

Cost  125

Comfort Rating 8 (not as comfy as the originals)

Pair #22

Day 18- They Were How Much... Your Going to Use Them as Walking FLIP FLOPS???

The beat to death Fit Flop, Flip Flops which were officially downgraded to yard work shoes after the “Day 13” shoe (“Warning Do Not Wear Hiking”) caused me to buy the “Day 19” shoe “Sparkle Fit Flops”.

Its not crazy that I use them for long walks (stretches of the Susan Komen 3 Day included) they were made for walking.

-Worn…umm almost out.

-Well worth the insane amount of money I paid for them, around $80 (if I am not mistaken).

-Circa 2008

-Comfort rate 9 (have to leave room for the ultimate perfect comfort which lets face it can not be achieved with a rope like thing between your toes)

-Pair #21

PS. Please pardon the lack of pedicure and appreciate that I cropped the other foot out of the picture, the damage from the Day 13 shoes was still visible and sad!

Day 17- Earthquakes, Hurricanes And Tornado’s Oh My!

I believe no matter how difficult a journey the destination is often worth the path. Sometimes it’s a tough path to a pair of cute boots!
These Harley Davison cuties came from my “Birthday Do-Over” in 2011. My birthday is August 26^th. I start stressing the possibility of sitting around doing nothing about 2 years in advance (not exaggerating much). In spite of the perfect plans, something inevitably goes wrong. Perhaps someone cancels, perhaps everyone is busy (work day, vacations ect.) regardless something goes wrong. Don’t get me wrong there are normally outings, gifties and/or cards but for some reason on THE day something will likely happen and the plans get cancelled. If I spend the day sitting home alone massive boohooing is something that will totally happen. In 2011 I was planning to go to see my grandfather and then to go to Seacrets in OC MD for lunch. This is how the day...make that the whole week unfolded: it started with an earthquake (I don’t live anywhere near CA), there were tornado watches, the media beat the wicked weather possibilities to death, a hurricane blew through on my actual Birthday, an out of town guest was stranded indefinitely, Grammy had no power and needed oxygen, the water on the sidewalk was halfway up my leg, while trees are landing on peoples houses and tornados were touching down in the next town over…well… birthday cancelled. "Noooooo!" and though I can “Nooooo” all I want to some things outweigh my day.  I am not above doing things by myself just to scratch them off the “list” and sometimes in inappropriate weather but even if I had not been needed at home I couldn't just traipse off to the beach mid hurricane since it had been evacuated. Family and their safety always come first and with out whining or complaints. It just is and as it should be but life getting in the way of my day, humbug! So I stayed home, battened down the hatches, helped all of the people with all of the things AND rescheduled my day :) . I still get a birthday, so I moved it to September. My dad took me to see Papa, then we headed over to OC MD, low and behold and neato it was Bike Fest time!  So in the end I got to spend a day with Daddy, see Papa, eat at Seacrets, see awesome bikes and amuse my Grammy because I do things like move my Birthday. While we were out Daddy bought these cute Harley boots for me from one of the vendors (and they came with free Harley flip flops). All that family time plus Biker Girl Stuff makes me really happy= Good Birthday (“Do-Over”).



Wear 3 *(Jan 2014)
August 2011
Cost Gift (and I don't remember)
Comfort 5
Pair #20

Day 00x4- I'm Back

It’s been many shoes and a long time since I attempted to keep up the shoe stories but the experiment continued. The best I could do was put it on life support ie. take pictures, make notes and hope that I would have time to put it all back together later. Of course after a while it all became over whelming and turned into a project much like I imagine cleaning out the attic would be...which may be why that’s not happening. Anyway, I managed to get this back on track (I think) so you never know about that attic.
If I had to turn this blog in somewhere and it counted for half my grade I would be in BIG trouble ;)
See you soon! (with Day 17)

Day 16-1992

Sometimes I just have to buy a pair of shoes because they look like a pair of shoes I once had…orrrrr more likely like a pair I still have some where but are soooo worn out they are just embarrassing. There is no concern about whether or not they are now or ever were in style, I like what I like and likely still like what I used to like, if they are selling it it must be currently acceptable and since when do I worry about those kind of details anyway.

Another tid bit… I can’t remember how many times I went to college, what I ate for dinner, or names of many people who’s names I should know BUT I can tell you with reasonable certainty I bought these in 2011 because they looked like a pair my grandmother gave me for Christmas in 1992 AND I am really hoping I find those in the attic too!!!

Second wear for these ( I believe I wore holes through their predecessor), the comfort rating is 5.

Here I go wearing boots in the summer again but they are light and more importantly it was raining and I loathe getting my feet wet in rain, not to mention boots are much easier on cuts and blisters (still recovering from hiking 15 miles in Crazy High Heels and some Silver Strappy Sandals)

Wear  2  *(July 2013)
Circa 2011

Cost  *30

Comfort 5

Pair 19

6-19-18 wrecked boot box in the basement dry rot