How do I love thee...

Do I need to confess my love affair with shoes!? Let me explain...

I don't come from a wealthy family - the exact opposite applies.   As children my brother, sisters and I wore whatever our mom bought.  Including North Stars, Tommy Takkies and those Jellies.  None of us dared to question her fashion choices for us.  So for many years we endured the same dresses in the same colour with matching shoes for special events like Christmas, Easter, Birthday parties and the like. 

It wasn't till I started working and making my own money that I learned to appreciate shoes in all their glory!  I only started ‘investing’ in leather shoes in the last 5yrs or so.  Before that I bought fashionable shoes that didn't last long (not in my wardrobe and not as fashion seasons changed).  I learned that most ‘fashionable’ shoes lasted just about as long as the season it is intended for...seldom longer and however many times they were fixed or re-soled, they were ultimately destined for an untimely doom. 

So why buy a cheap pair of shoes every couple of months, knowing you won’t have that much wear out of it?  Spend a little extra and invest in a shoe that you know will give you good wear and will age well.  In all honesty I have also used this logic many times trying to get myself out of a sticky situation with the man.

These aren't leather, but a good example of fashionable shoes

I remember exactly how it happened. The first conversation i had with a gorgeous woman about Aldo shoes, this was before there even was an Aldo in South Africa. We were at Herschelle Gibbs' place and this
beauty had just returned from the UK and was rambling on and on about this Aldo brand and how they made the most comfortable flats. Yup, and that's where she lost me too....i am the kind of girl who thinks every woman looks hot and sexy in heels, so sue me. SO to my surprise not long after that night, while wasting time in Cavendish, i came across this brand new store! It was like the heavens opened and all the
angels collectively let out this Aaahaaaaa! Simply put; I fell in love! They had the most exquisite stiletto's that this gorgeous bombshell omitted in that all important conversation and just like that...a monster was born!

My newest pair of Aldo's

I started checking internet sites, learning all things new about shoes...you know, honing my skill! This love affair i have, was long before my son was born but today, even he knows, mommy's shoes goes in
the box...and neatly! I have many pairs of shoes; let me put it this way...one year while working at Kfm i wore a different pair of shoes each day of the year. So who's good at Maths...i know i am shocking,
wait i need a calculator for this. 365 days less 103 days (they make up they weekends), gives you *drum roll* 262 days in total. Get it. Got it. Good! Some people may be having mild heart palpitations at
this point, but i feel i should point out the fact that i have had the same shoe size since i matriculated (ok, here you will have to do the maths) so some of them have been my trusted buddies for many years. The added bonus is having an uncle who is in the shop fitting industry and he hooked me up proper with storage space. The nice thing about my bff's is it's not all one brand, i own some Nine West hotties too and some fabulous leather shoes/sandals that i have bought from across the globe and my new favorite puppies would have to be my Christian Louboutin's

My favorite Designer Label for Shoes Christian Louboutin, I think it's the red soles

This is my fabulous wall of Shame, and i love them equally as much!

My uncle fitted my floor to ceiling cupboards so I could have more packing space

What is wrong with me you may ask yourself...i say nothing! See because of my "investment" in quality leather shoes i have managed to do what i have always wanted...to have OPTIONS! And the beauty of it
all is since my sons birth, as a mom my focus was completely on my child and his well being...the shopping stopped for a while. I didn't spent frivolously on shoes and i didn't need to, i had my trusted babies that carried me through it all up till a point. That is when i discovered that there is a fine balance between providing for my child and obsessing over his every need and want. The guilt lifted and i started investing again.

These are my trusted pair of shoes that are comfortable and easy to clean that i wore to the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate 2012 as photographed with the Vermeiring Bothers

I have learned one important lesson from all this, when you choose quality over quantity, you will always as according to Charlie Sheen be #winning!