OGT Biweekly Week 3. SHOES

Here it is three weeks into the return of my former daily habit, in which the true nature of my soul shall be revealed.  In which you will learn all about the way in which I handle existential anxiety; my own personal stress management strategy. 

It all comes down to ritual and the need to maintain some sameness - as the earth spins ever on in its axis of change and the world we knew a month ago might not ever really be the same again.

I get up each morning and make the bed.   Without the bed made, I feel unsettled and there's not a sheet to turn down when I need to go back to sleep.  So I make the bed no matter what war is waging, no matter who is dying.  I make the bed. 


And even though I can attend most meetings in my slippers and pajamas, I also at least try to be dressed by noon. 


I have been enjoying doing so.

 Dressing up gives me the semblance of going somewhere and helps me feel more organized in an endless round of Zoom meetings. 

A big part of dressing up is my footwear.  For months my go-to comfort shoes were these Steve Madden boots:

I truly lived in these shoes because they are so comfortable and make me feel like I'm still an art student.   That was until I realized a pair of pumps might be a bit more professorial for a graduate student instructor; that I should not be dressing like my twenty something students - In other words act my age. 

These blue suede Cole & Haan pumps are gorgeous and work with jeans or dress up.  The only problem is they are truly for dress up only!   Not for walking.  With my bunions I can wear these for class, but then need to jump back in the Maddens to get home. 

I guess by now you can tell I'm obsessed with shoes.   I am particularly vulnerable to online shoe sales and now you know my secret COVID stress addiction.   When the virus hit full force I became active helping others, helping my students, cleaning my house etc....   My little escape was to look at shoes ads.   Then I started buying them - nothing over $35 mind you. But what a rush it was to find a great deal: like these casual mules (here modeled with hand knit garnet colored socks from my friend Sara.).  I feel very sophisticated when I wear these and can pretend I'm on my way to eat sushi down the street at a place which is now closed (for good??)

The real binge buying began the second week of March when it became clear that we were not in this thing for two weeks, but rather for two months or more with no end in sight.   An existential abyss.  When these Dr. Scholl's slip-ons came across the pike, they spoke to me of comfort and ease at a time when life was turning into a science fiction nightmare.

 I awaited the box in the mail like a treasure.   When it arrived I sprayed it down with Clorox and left it outside for three days before putting them on.  Suddenly it was Spring, almost Easter, and I had a new pair of sneakers.  I was no longer thinking about my friend who works the frontline in a Bronx ER, or my children isolated in their apartments in a city surrounded by death and dying. 

I had a little spring in my step as I walked the dog among the budding daffodils.









These Aquatherme boots were on deep discount because winter is long over.   They zip up, are super comfortable and made entirely of pleather.  Rain boots!   I have actually worn them numerous times.  They are the most practical of my new $35 finds and have been on one of our safari expeditions to the Food Town.   A little event that took four hours from front door to Clorox wiped boxes, cans and apples stored on our shelves.












By far my favorite purchase has been my new Dr. Scholl's platform sandals; somewhat retro but also super comfortable.   These are not your grandmother's Dr. Scholls.   Love them with a pair of jeans or a dress.  I've put them on up just to walk around the house from front yard to back.

These black suede Marco Sarto loafers are pure vanity.  Complete with buckles and fringe. More imaginings that I'm a sophisticated dresser.  I have worn them for one of my online classes, but like the blue suede pumps they are also bunions busters.  But also just fun to look at, especially with my special heart socks from friend Ruby Joan. There is nothing realistic here.  Pure fantasy like I'm set to walk across the Seine to visit the Cezannes at the Jeu de Paumes.

Clearly altruism and conservation have flown the coop in favor of a creature who craves new things to wear.   Even though I might only be commuting to the kitchen for my cup of morning tea before fighting the traffic back upstairs to my office for another session or Zoom meeting, I just don't feel right unless I've dressed the part.  In fact I think I'm dressing better now than when I actually had to go out in public.

However, one could say that I have purchased an unreasonably large number of shoes since the beginning of March considering that I never really have to go anywhere.   My partner is beginning to get wise to the abundant $35 charges on the credit card and almost daily arrival of DSW boxes at our door. (Thank goodness I am working so I can support this habit!)   But if this quarantine lasts much longer things could really get out of hand and I'd have a pair of shoes to wear every day of the year.   

Really I am more socially responsible than that and am a frequent consumer of Eileen Fisher "gently worn" sales and ThredUp the largest online thrift store out there.   Clothing production in countries like China, India and Vietnam for an American market not only encourages exploitative consumerism, but is a major contributor to solid waste and land fill on the planet.

But shoes last longer right?   ...look at these:

Rock Candy sandals - candy for the feet....I mean one more pair can't hurt......