I certainly have had a lot over the years. Wonder how that all started? So do I. Well I may have some idea. When I was "little" Mom said I wore "O" shoe size when I was a year old. I was tiny as you may reacall. I can never really remember being able to find shoes that fit me until I was around 16 years old. What I found were "junk". No style, no color choice, and very little comfort as I recall.
I believe I have covered trying to find high heels when I graduated from Jr. High School. What we finally came up with was something I don't think my Grandmother would have even worn. It wasn't much better when I wanted something for High School Graduation. I finally ended up with a pair of black suede flats. Just what the shortest girl in the Graduating class was looking for, right? I was mortified, but there was nothing I could do about it. At the time I was still wearing a 1 or 1 and 1/2 size shoe. Even kids shoes did'nt have any class back then.
When I went to work, I haunted every shoe store in town. Back then there was one on every corner and in between every block. I finally found the sample shoes they put in the windows were the smallest shoes they made. Size 3. When they had sales of course those shoes were put out for $1.00. My most favorite pair was kelly green suede baby doll toe 3" heels, wow. My foot looked like the shoe sounded. I wore them with a rust colored two piece that was trimmed in mustard yellow. What a site. (one of Jays favorites as I recall). Back then I weighed 95 pounds soaking wet.
There was always a sale at the end of each season. So I would go from shoe store to shoe store and come out with boxes of shoes, all colors, styles and heel heights. I loved it, and so did my pocket book. My second most favorite pair was cocoa brown suede sling back with a closed dutch toe. I wore those shoes until they fell apart. Never have seen another pair like them since. Pitty, they were so cute, and comfortable to boot. Oh, and they didn't have any boot styles back then. Might have been because of the shortage of leather, or just they hadn't come into fashion back then. I doubt I could have worn any anyway. It appears that my legs are too short and my calves are too fat to get any to fit. I have tried a number of times, but with no success.
They have changed the last and size of shoes now, mainly because a great many are made in Europe and the women over there have bigger and wider feet. From going barefoot so much I guess. Same for the shoes that come in from South of the Border and South America.. I notice most styles come in more wide sizes than medium. Pity the poor women like Aunt Olive who wore an AA width. Yes there are people who have such narrow feet.
I think the fact I didn't go bare footed when I was small is the reason my foot didn't widen out. When I was about 3 or 4 I was playing on the lawn in the front yard in my bare feet. I happened to step on a bee that was gathering nectar from the clover in the yard. I never had anything hurt so bad, or cause me more problems that I can recall from my youth - well outside the Croupe I suffered with. My whole foot was sore and puffed up. I undoubtedly had an allergic reaction, but I am not sure they knew what that was back then. The experience woke me up to the fact going in my bare feet wasn't something I wanted to do. I forgot that just once. That was when I stepped into that red hot sand while at the beach camping once. It was both painful and put me off my feet for quite awhile. Those kinds of things you don't soon forget.
Well, I still like shoes. I can't wear the snappy ones like I once did. Arthritis has put a stop to that. I have had a good time of it, so can't really complain. Well, I could, but it wouldn't change anything, so why bother!?
That little girl that couldn't find fun shoes when she was younger made up for it. In fact I can still remember my embarassment when everyone was wearing those cute saddle oxfords. My how I wanted a pair of those. Well, I found a pair - they were rounded toes with brown saddles. Everyone else had the smart pointed toe with black or navy blue saddles. I never could match the styles back then. Now you don't even see them. Too bad - they were sharp! Oh, and the Penny Loafers. I couldn't get a pair of those that would fit either. My foot was just too short and I couldn't keep the darned things on. Ugg!
The one style in heels that I always wanted was Spectator Pumps. I finally got a pair of brown and white, but here again they had that rounded toe. The snappy ones, naturally, had pointed toes. I have a red and white pair now as well as a black patten and white pair - I don't know that I can part with them, but I sure can't wear them either. Arthritis doesn't like the pressure caused by wearing heels. Well I do try them on once in awhile to please my ego, but they go right back in the Shoe Caddy. Maybe one day I will have the heart to let them go, but not just now. Besides, I don't think anyone would love them quite as much as I do!
Written this 21 day of January 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg
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