On the One Foot...

OK, my new shoes arrived and they are all that.

If possible, they look better in real life than in the photo. I love them, but given that they're AAA narrow (not that my foot is wide), I need to go an extra step. (Ha!)

I should tell you, before purchase, I carefully measured these against my foot so I expected them to fit exactly as they do. In future, on the basis of the 2 pairs of vintage Ferragamos I now own, I'm likely to go to a 39.5 vs my usual Euro size 39. (Note: For new Ferragamos, not sure that would be necessary...) Anyway, these are the slightest bit too narrow. But I have a trick up my sleeve.

TOers, y'all know about Novelty Shoe Repair? They're on Yonge St., in the heart of the central business district, and they've been there for 80 freakin' years. The service is excellent and the workmanship is unsurpassed. Robert is going to stretch them by about half a size - more in width than length (though we all know how one is linked to the other) and I sense then they'll be perfect.

Man, the leather is fine. I'm oddly captivated by these twee little shoes. They're strangely empowering... And just to clarify, I now have my own pair of Ferragamo bow flats (in perfect condition) which, after stretching, shipping, tax and exchange rate (yeah, we've got to start thinking of that again) will have cost me $75.00. They retail at Holt's for about 500 bucks - before tax.

But let's move on to the next shoe-ish thing I have to tell you. And it's not pretty.

I mean, seriously. It's not pretty.

You know how I'm this woman of a certain age and practically everything is, um, out of sorts. Well, apparently, that applies to my feet too. In the last year said feet have lost some of their plumpness (collagen, I suspect) and, given that I walk miles a day, the impact is considerable. I've had a some nerve pain. Nerve pain ain't gonna fly.

People, I've got to start walking in sensible shoes. Lord. Have you ever tried to glance flirtatiously at an attractive guy while wearing ugly footwear? Is it even possible?

So I went to a store with a sensible shoe name and tried on everything. The assistance was laudable. The shoes were depressing.

Eventually I found myself at Cole Haan...

Mercifully, this pair fit and they are reinforced with Nike technology:

Cole Haan Trillby Driver shoes

They feel like runners but they look like rich lady shoes! OK, rich, older lady shoes but you can't have fucking everything... I know they'll look good with trouser jeans and, sock free, with skirts or shorts. I'm choosing to see them as "California-esque".

Sadly, I'm not ruling out the Merrells. And I sense there's a pair of Birkenstocks in my summer. The cute ones. (There are cute ones, right?)