12 June 2007

(to the tune of "Blue Moon")... New-oo Shoo-ooes

I am a creature of habit. When I find something I like, I stick with it until it falls apart and then I replace it with, if not an exact match, as near a copy as I can find. Partly, I'm lazy. I love to shop but I can't stand the disappointing feeling I get when I like the look of something but it doesn't fit. So, if I like something and it fits well, I'll buy it again and again.

Take loafers. I've worn Bass Weejuns as my everyday "nice" shoes for decades. I've varied the color, brown or black - one lucky time, navy - but the shoes are essentially the same. A pair of Weejuns generally lasts me three or four years and I know it's time to give them up when gel inserts no longer seem to have any magical effect.


When my feet hurt at the end of a day so much that I can no longer ignore the lack of magic, I go to Bass and choose a new pair. My most recent pair were black penny loafers and, while they aren't quite ready for the bin, I took advantage of a good sale (and driving right by the outlet store) and chose a replacement set, this time black with tassels.


The first wearing is always a little uncomfortable. The leather is stiff and squeezes to tightly and they almost cause blisters. The second wearing is better and by the third, the shoes are comfy. This pair, though, the second wearing was only better for one foot - the other still felt tight. The third wearing was torturous! Surely, by the third wearing, a shoe shouldn't be so tight that I have to slip the shoe off my foot every time my feet are under a table! My toes should not tingle! By the train home, I felt betrayed. Two decades of loyal Weejuns
wearing, and they were suddenly not comfortable anymore. Ok, I only felt half betrayed. My right foot was fine - it was only my left that made me want to weep.

Upon my arrival home, Ross and Lars came pelting from the back yard, eager to show me all the lawn plugs Chris had put in. I got into the house and my too-tight shoe came off, forgotten. After dinner, after our walk (different shoes), after cleaning up and a bit of work, I took my new Weejuns upstairs and put them on the shoe rack. The late evening sun caught the new leather and revealed this:


Think that security tag might have anything to do with my comfort experience?

1 comment:

Elizabeth Boepple said...

the way to tell for sure is if you have a rectangular blister with stripes; do you beep on the way out of stores?

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