Tuesday, September 19, 2006

 

shoes! shoes! shoes!

So, I wrote a post about my favorite painting, and then was going to post pictures of me attemping to copy the masterpiece...but blogger isn't allowing me to post images. Perhaps it's Rene Magritte's ghost, pissed off that I was trying to mimic him!

So that post may be published one day under the files of "The Lost Posts" in my biography, or, you know, maybe I'll post it tomorrow. We'll see.

How many times can I use "post" in two paragraphs? This does not bode well for my writing skills + eloquence for tonight.

Today I read an article in the Post about women and shoes (Taking a Stiletto to D.C.'s Drab Image). The article claims that fashion is coming back to a "city [that] is perhaps better known for the infamous sneakers-and-stockings look." Well, can't argue that point.

So I read on. And people boasted of having more shoes than days in the year. Of wearing shoes not more than once, because, God forbid, people would notice.

This is about Charrisse Jordan, the wife of the Washington Wizard's coach:

"People do watch what you wear, and they notice it," she said, standing in her walk-in closet, one wall devoted entirely to shoes. "I have to represent my husband in a certain way."

...She may have to retire them after that -- after all, she can't be caught wearing the same thing twice. Like her stand-out floral Chanel wedges that she loved and wore twice to events in Washington. But afterward, she decided she couldn't take them out anymore.

"If I wore that, they'd be like, 'Dang, she doesn't have any other shoes?' " she said.


So her shoe purchases are based on public opinion, and what some society snobs might gab about?

Later on in the article, a shoe retailer is featured. This woman sold shoes that cost $1,050 per pair, straight from Alexander McQueen's runway show. It's a "silver metal sandal lined in suede with a four-inch heel."

The metal better be from the core of the earth, and the suede better be a baby's bottom, for that price. I'm all about paying for quality...but after a certain point, do you stop paying for quality and start paying for status? A meaningless, unmeasurable, mercurial item?

Okay, so I have been feeling a bit insulted by the buzz that says that Washington is fashionably clueless. But if being in tune to fashion means spending that much on a pair of sandals, then I'll keep my head firmly buried in the sand.

I'm in a precarious position here - I have done jack squat with my money, I certainly don't tithe (and this is all a bit rich coming from the girl proclaiming the glories of boots two days ago)- but it seems like such a waste to spend so much on a freaking pair of shoes.

And yes, I know that this money belongs to the people who own it, and it's not my business to say what they should spend it on, and how. For all I know, the Jordans may contribute significantly to charities.

Hell, for the sake of my argument, let's pretend that they do.

Style and individuality are fantastic. But when is that line crossed, and you enter the land of meaningless consumption? Does anyone really need 200 pairs of shoes? I'm not saying that people should go without, and live a la Mother Teresa. But wouldn't some of that money be more useful for saving the world? Please?

What type of society are we that people pose with their shoes circled around them? What is that picture supposed to say? Was the photographer admiring Mrs. Jordan? Or mocking her?

Comments:
ahem,

I love shoes- that being said, I have less then 10 pairs and not one of them is worth more than lets say 50 bucks, probably with an average price of 15-20$....I'm all for diversity, but you raise a good point, when some people live on less then a grand a year is it really reasonable to spend that much money on a pair of shoes you could not possibly wear more than once?! redic!
 
Shoes, shoes, shoes. Women's best friend? (we're not going into the diamond debate)

I own... 2 pairs of tennis shoes, 2-3 pairs of sandals, 2 pairs of black dress shoes, a pair of dress boots, a pair of docs, and SEVERAL pairs of flip-flops.I do not wear the same shoes every day (ok, when I'm on my tennis shoe kick I do but not usually) and don't feel the need to buy 100 more pairs. 1 or 2, sure, but I don't need a new pair of shoes for every day of the year.

It's a bit much in my opinion.
 
I've never understood this women and shoes thing, Gooface. I realize it doesn't apply to all women (present company evidently accepted), but I can't think of something to which it can be compared to for men.

Staying on task, I own less than 10 pairs of shoes and wear even less than that regularly. Primarily it's the 1 pair of white tennis shoes, 1 pair of Adidas typical soccer sandals, 1 pair of soccer cleats, 2 pairs of shoes that are mostly for work, and a pair of boots. What more do I need?
 
OH THE SPELLING MISTAKE IN THE FIRST SENTENCE. ARGGGHH.

oh, and for the record, I have like, 25 pairs of shoes. Most of them are payless specials, with a few exceptions. Just wanted some fair disclosure on my part.

mona: I mean, even if they auctioned those shoes back and helped the poor? I don't know. Some social justice!

tc: I know what you mean - I totally get in these modes where all I want to do is wear the same pair of shoes over and over. So I do.

1-66: that's quite a collection!
 
I have a shoe fetish of sorts... before I moved I had 5 pairs of Asics 2090's, 1 pair of 2080's, 2 pair dress shoes, a pair of sandals, a pair of biking shoes, hiking boots, work boots, and day hikers... That may not be many, but this is coming from a guy that pretty much doesn't have enough in his closet to make it a week without having to do laundry.
 
This reminds me of some religious nuts I saw at Catholic wearing bags on their feet - instead of shoes (in January). I was so moved I tried to give them large sums of money, but they refused.
 
I love that Dr. C knows the numbers of his shoes. Always thought that was more of a girl thing...
 
whishing washhing hows
 
Hey babe...Show me the show first....I have many shoes.....post is nice...
 
hey babe nice blog....Show me the shoes first....I have many Timberland shoes......
 
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